If you haven't heard the news, Lightning Travel Recruitment is now powered by Cape Consulting HR ⚡️ - you can read all about the acquisition and what it means going forward here 🫶

And to officially welcome Franzi and Mac to the travel industry, we thought we'd bring back our much loved 'Why Travel and Hospitality' series - wahooo! So get to know the new Directors of Lightning below:

Franzi Schimm, Director

Why did you want to work in the travel & hospitality sector and why Lightning?

- First and foremost, I love traveling. I know that the people in a business really make the difference when it comes to making a nice holiday an outstanding experience. It was a natural choice to support the relevant businesses in finding the talent required for their success. Lightning, its branding and Thea as the founder, align closely with our values and what we preach to our HR clients daily. It felt like a great match from the start.  

What was your favourite travel experience and why?

- Roadtrips! The flexibility and freedom a roadtrip gives you, is perfect for what I want from a holiday. I can go wherever I want, whenever it suits me and I can take almost anything with me. If I need the city vibe in the middle of my beachy holiday, I get in the car and go. The change of scenery can immediately change the vibe of the holiday, and I love that. It also allows me to explore more rural places and restaurants (spotting great food locations is my passion) that I wouldn't necessarily be able to get to otherwise. 

What skills and life experience are you excited to bring to the industry?

- I want to contribute to our clients' success not only by delivering them the best talent just before the holiday season picks up but also by supporting them long term in their workforce planning  and by retaining top talent and building their sustainable growth-oriented people strategy with a big chunk of pragmatism and attention to detail. 

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Mac Schimm, Director 

Why did you want to work in the travel & hospitality sector and why Lightning?

I am so fascinated by what happens when you blend cultures and norms to create something new. My first passion for this is food, be it combining tastes from the middle east with those from north africa, or the influence of latin america on recipes around the world. When I spend time anywhere in the world, with people who are coming from different walks of life, I love to see this fusion in practice. For me magic happens when you get different people into the room, and see how 1+1 can equal 7!

What was your favourite travel experience and why?

This is an impossible question to answer! For me, every travel experience leaves something behind. Even Slough! ;) Some of the most memorable trips for me have included Edinburgh in the run up to Christmas, Immersing myself in the culture of Bali (take me back, please!) and soaking up all there is to see and experience in South Korea!

What skills and life experience are you excited to bring to the industry?

I know what makes a difference as a seasoned traveller in the world of luxury travel. I've been privileged enough to be globe-trotting for almost 30 years. What I know first hand, like with most things, is that when you get to the heart of it, it's the people responsible for your experience that make or break that vibe. I am obsessed with growth mindsets, and the more talent in this sector who are able to constantly reimagine the space, the better for the industry. My current thinking is the sky is most certainly not the limit.

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We couldn't be more excited to have officially relaunched Lightning and cannot wait to connect with Clients and Candidates alike over the coming weeks! Candidates, we have also relaunched our 1:1 support sessions with Lightning founder Thea, and you can book a slot daily here. 

Clients, we are now also offering dedicated HR services to help support better workplaces, so do reach out if you'd like to discuss this, or any recruitment needs - office@lightningtravelrecruitment.com