Liam Young

Liam Young is a Senior Consultant in Tile Hill’s Place Practice, where he connects clients with the placemakers who can help their communities thrive. Deeply engaged in the theory and practice of placemaking, Liam brings a thoughtful, people-centred approach to understanding how environments shape lives — and how leadership can shape environments for the better.

Liam’s interest lies in the real meaning of placemaking. For him, it’s not simply about operating in a place; it’s about intentionally shaping communities by understanding how people actually live, what pressures they face, and what conditions allow them to flourish. He believes great placemaking draws together local government, residents, civil society and the private sector in a grounded, collaborative way and that this blend of intellectual depth and practical impact is what makes the field so compelling.

Before entering executive search, Liam worked in the UK Parliament and later as a senior leader at a large membership organisation. He went on to join Ellwood Atfield, focusing on senior appointments in the communications and policy space, before moving to the Odgers group where he worked across the public sector. This mix of political insight, organisational leadership and public-sector search experience brings a valuable perspective to his work at Tile Hill.

He is motivated by making a difference. Raised to value hard work and helping others, Liam is driven by the belief that great recruitment can change lives, not only for the individuals placed, but for the communities they serve. “Search is not just about sending across a CV,” he says. “If you start with the principle that the candidate you place will make a major impact on their organisation and their community, you understand the power and responsibility you hold in getting it right.”

At Tile Hill, Liam is passionate about contributing to the company’s growth in the placemaking space. He wants the firm to be the go-to search partner for placemaking recruitment in the UK, and is particularly interested in how international talent and global inspiration can shape this work even further.

He’s never happier than when reading a book (or ten) and a standout moment from his childhood was meeting Tony Blair at age ten. When asked what he wanted to be when he grew up, he confidently replied: “I want your job!” While his ambition to run the country may have shifted, his motivation to make a positive difference has stayed exactly the same.