There are some people who walk into your life and quietly, without fanfare, shift the course of it forever. For me, that person is David Bell.

An Otago lad with the spirit of an adventurer, David has always lived life with purpose and compared to me, caries a touch of wildness. The guy once cycled through the Nordics up to the Arctic Circle. He’s skied just about everywhere. And professionally, he’s crisscrossed the globe in pursuit of not just career progression, but impact.

It was David who brought me to Luxembourg, at a time when I probably didn’t know just how much I needed that change. We’d worked together in Vodafone, and when he told me about an opportunity to head up HR resourcing procurement, I didn’t hesitate. Why? Because David asked.

David is one of the most inspiring leaders I’ve worked with. Not because he micromanaged (he didn’t), and not because he tried to be the loudest in the room (he never was). He simply created space. He trusted me, backed me, and let me get on with it. But always with a sense of clear direction and high standards. It was in that environment that I found myself thriving.

His own journey started in marketing, working for Cadburry in New Zealand. From there, he moved to Sydney, where he pivoted from marketing to HR. But the real turning point was his move to Bucharest to help set up Vodafone’s first shared services organisation, a major operation requiring calm under pressure, operational finesse, and people-first leadership. That experience laid the foundation for everything that followed.

Then came Luxembourg, where he headed up the HR Category. That’s where our paths crossed, and where I properly stepped into the world of workforce management. I can honestly say, David was the one who sparked that passion in me.

Later, he took his talents to the U.S., becoming Head of Talent Acquisition at Idexx, and in the middle of all this, just before Covid, we launched our own business called Xplorajob, which unfortunately couldn’t survive through the pandemic.

Now he’s co-founded an executive recruitment business for HR leadership – https://www.benjamin-andrews.com/, a move that felt inevitable given his unique mix of strategic thinking, personable ability to gain trust, operational depth, and empathy for people and business alike.

This interview is a small way to say thank you. Not just for bringing me to Luxembourg, but for being a constant reminder that leadership doesn’t have to be loud. It just has to be real.

So, A Few Quickfire Questions with David

What is your favourite type of Pie? A classic mince and cheese pie — proper Kiwi style. It’s hearty, simple, and gets the job done… a bit like good leadership

What inspired your journey across so many industries and countries? Curiosity and opportunity. I’ve always believed the best way to grow is to put yourself in environments where you don’t have all the answers yet. Working across industries and countries taught me adaptability, cultural intelligence, and how to lead in complexity — skills that are essential in today’s global workforce. It’s also been incredibly fun to meet many new people.

Why executive recruitment now?  Because leadership is the ultimate lever for impact. Great leaders transform businesses and cultures, and being in executive recruitment allows me to influence that in a meaningful way. After building talent strategies internally, I wanted to take that expertise and partner with organizations where leadership really matters.

Where do you see the future of work heading? The future is going to be more fluid — less about jobs and more about skills. Hybrid work is here to stay, but beyond location flexibility, employees want purpose, autonomy, and continuous learning. Technology and AI will take over tasks, but human connection, creativity, and leadership will matter more than ever.

What do you enjoy most about working in the workforce space? The human element. No two conversations are the same, and every decision you help shape has a ripple effect on people’s careers and company culture. It’s dynamic, high-impact, and deeply personal — that’s what keeps me hooked

And most importantly, Pie with or without tomato sauce?  With tomato sauce, of course — anything else would be unpatriotic! But it has to be applied properly: on top, not inside.

I would like to thank David. He is my mate, but beyond that, he has taught me so much about being real, backing yourself, instigating / challenging status quo and showing up.

We do agree on most things, except for Pies. For me, it has to be the plain old classic minced beef, no cheese and lots of tomato sauce 😉.

“We must have a pie. Stress cannot exist in the presence of a pie.” David Mamet