Meet The Team

Chadé Cupit-Love
Chadé Cupit-Love is a national executive recruiter specialising in senior and leadership appointments across Engineering, Operations, Manufacturing, Supply Chain and Technical disciplines. With over 15 years’ experience across Australia, New Zealand and the UK, she partners with organisations operating in FMCG, industrial manufacturing, packaging, pharmaceuticals, utilities and industrial services.
Chadé has delivered executive and senior appointments including General Managers of Operations, Heads of Engineering, Site Leaders, National Project Managers, Reliability and Maintenance Managers and Continuous Improvement specialists. Chadé has partnered with organisations ranging from ASX-listed multinationals to entrepreneurial SMEs including Mondelez, JBS Group, Turosi, George Weston Foods, Aryzta Bakeries, Patties Foods, GFG Alliance and Dulux Group, helping them build high-performing leadership teams aligned to both business strategy and culture.
Driven by a belief that great recruitment starts with genuinely understanding people, Chadé takes a thoughtful and human approach to her work. She is motivated by helping individuals step into roles where they can grow and succeed, while supporting organisations to build leadership teams that positively shape culture and performance.
What can clients and candidates expect when working with you?
A high-trust process driven by unwavering commitment and a refusal to settle for "good enough." I hold myself to a high standard of execution, ensuring I truly understand the requirements on both sides to find the right fit. I work with your best interests at heart, navigating every step with integrity, genuine care - and hopefully, a few laughs along the way.
What do you prioritise beyond filling a role?
The relationship and the human weight behind it. I’m deeply mindful that a career move or a new hire isn't just a transaction, but a life changing event. I prioritise protecting the connection and the emotional well-being of everyone involved, ensuring a partnership that is built on genuine care and lasts well beyond the placement.
How would your teammates describe you?
Passionate, driven, and high-energy. I’m known for wearing my heart on my sleeve - and in recruitment, that means I’m personally invested in every outcome. What you see is what you get.
What is something quirky about you?
I’m a former pizza-eating champion. It took a surprising number of slices to take the win. I’m curious to see if anyone can guess the actual number.
Ricky Phare
Ricky Phare is a national executive recruiter specialising in senior and leadership appointments across Engineering, Operations, Manufacturing, Supply Chain and Technical disciplines. With over 15 years’ experience across Australia, he partners with organisations operating in FMCG, industrial manufacturing, packaging, pharmaceuticals, utilities and industrial services.
Ricky has delivered executive and senior appointments including General Managers of Operations, Plant Directors, Manufacturing and Site Leaders, Heads of Engineering, Reliability and Maintenance Managers, Capital Project Leaders and Continuous Improvement specialists. He has partnered with organisations ranging from ASX-listed multinationals, government & NFP organisations, to entrepreneurial SMEs, including Mars, Inghams, Allied Pinnacle, Mondelez, Arnotts, George Weston Foods, Melbourne Water, Patties Foods, JBS Group, GFG Alliance and Dulux Group, helping them build high-performing leadership teams aligned to both business strategy and culture.
At the core of Ricky's approach is strong technical expertise, transparency and trust, Ricky takes a considered and highly consultative approach to his work. As a subject matter expert within Operations, Engineering and Supply Chain, he is motivated by delivering thorough, transparent advice that helps candidates make informed career decisions, while enabling organisations to secure technically talented individuals who positively impact performance and culture.
What can clients and candidates expect when working with you?
For me, success isn’t measured by revenue - it’s measured by thoroughness. I’ve always preferred a specialist who dives deep over a high-volume agent who skims the surface. When I take an assignment to market, I do so with a complete understanding of the role’s DNA and a commitment to total transparency with every person involved.
What do you prioritise beyond filling a role?
I prioritize the "emotional gravity" of the process. I understand that a vacancy creates stress for a business and applying for a job is a high-stakes life event for a candidate. My focus is on how people feel during the journey, ensuring a supportive, honest experience for both sides.
How would your teammates describe you?
Patient, consistent and, depending on who you ask - annoyingly competitive. I bring that persistence to every search, ensuring I don't just find a candidate, but the right candidate.
What is something quirky about you?
After spending a couple of years at a catalogue distribution business circa 20 years ago, somehow every postcode has stuck in my mind - Feel free to test me but please no Rain Man jokes.
Emily Gough
Emily Gough is a specialist recruiter focused on technical appointments across Quality, Product Development, Regulatory Affairs, Packaging, Safety and Sustainability within the food and FMCG manufacturing sector. With over six years' experience operating nationally across Australia, she partners with organisations to secure the technical talent that drives product integrity, innovation and compliance.
Emily has delivered senior and specialist appointments including Heads of Quality, Heads of NPD, Regulatory Affairs Managers, Packaging Managers, Quality Managers and Food Technologists, supporting businesses at every stage of growth to build high-performing technical teams aligned to both operational needs and culture.
She has partnered with a broad range of organisations across the food manufacturing landscape, from large-scale multinationals to ambitious SMEs, helping them attract and retain leaders who make a genuine impact on product quality and business performance.
A passionate advocate for the food science industry, Emily is driven by a genuine desire to support people throughout their careers, walking alongside candidates and clients alike with care, understanding and a long-term view. She believes that great recruitment is built on real relationships, and is committed to helping individuals find roles where they can truly thrive. Emily's approach has been recognised at a national level, having received SOURCR Awards in both Victoria and nationally, an acknowledgement of her commitment to excellence in recruitment practice.

What can clients and candidates expect when working with you?
When you work with me, you can expect honesty, genuine care and a recruiter who takes the time to truly understand what you need not just on paper, but as a person or a business. I'm passionate about the food science and manufacturing world, so you'll always be speaking with someone who understands your industry and speaks your language. Whether you're looking for your next career move or building a high-performing technical team, I'm with you every step of the way.
What do you prioritise beyond filling a role?
Beyond filling a role, I prioritise the long-term success of both the person and the organisation. That means making sure values, culture and career ambitions are genuinely aligned, not just ticking boxes on a job description. I care deeply about the journeys people are on, and I measure my success by whether someone is still thriving in that role long after the placement is made.
How would your teammates describe you?
My teammates would probably describe me as driven, energetic and collaborative, someone who brings energy to the room and isn't afraid to back herself. I'm passionate about what I do and that tends to show up in how I work alongside people, whether that's brainstorming together, celebrating a win or pushing through a tough brief. I'm the kind of person who's all in, and I think that enthusiasm is contagious.

Trisha Zhan Yu
Trisha Zhan Yu is a specialist recruiter, partnering on junior to mid-level Engineering, Operations and Manufacturing appointments across Australia. Since joining the recruitment industry, she has partnered with businesses across FMCG, food manufacturing and industrial manufacturing to connect them with high-quality engineering and operations talent.
Working across roles including Production Managers, Production Supervisors, Maintenance Supervisors, Reliability Engineers, Project Engineers, Process Engineers, Automation Engineers and Control Systems Engineers, Trisha takes a proactive and relationship-driven approach to recruitment.
With a genuine interest in people and industry, Trisha takes a consultative approach to recruitment. She is focused on understanding the unique needs of each business and delivering tailored talent solutions, while providing candidates with honest guidance and support throughout the recruitment process.
What can clients and candidates expect when working with you?
When you work with me, you can expect someone who takes the time to genuinely understand your business, team and hiring needs. I spend the majority of my time building relationships with engineering and manufacturing professionals, both active and passive, which allows me to quickly identify job seekers who are not only technically capable but also the right cultural fit for your organisation.
For job seekers, I believe recruitment should be a transparent and positive experience. I provide honest communication, regular updates and support throughout the entire process. I understand that changing jobs is a significant career decision, so I'm committed to making the transition as smooth and stress-free as possible while helping you make an informed decision about your next opportunity.
What do you prioritise beyond filling a role?
Beyond filling a role, I never lose sight of the fact that there are real people on both sides of the process. For a business, hiring the right person can make a huge difference to a team. For a candidate, changing jobs is a big life decision. I take the time to understand what's important to both sides so I can help create the right long-term fit for both parties.
How would your teammates describe you?
Down-to-earth and curious. I take pride in being reliable, easy to work with and giving my best in everything I do, whether I'm supporting my team, clients or candidates.
What is something quirky about you?
I'm a proud dog mum to my fluffy sidekick, Coco.
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