Public sector recruiter Morgan Hunt has announced that Helen Stokes is stepping down as chief executive.

Stokes joined Morgan Hunt in 2001, managing the public sector recruitment business, and will continue as a director of the business but will take a break for the remainder of the year.

Following Stokes’ departure last week, James Stevenson takes over the running of the public sector business and is promoted to managing director, while Sarah Bennett becomes director, education.  

Helen Stokes told Recruiter that her time at Morgan Hunt, during which the company has grown from nothing to a £100m company, “has been a fantastic journey and a great experience”.

However, she is taking some time out to study for an MBA.  This will provide a valuable addition to her eight “years at the coalface of recruitment”, by providing her with a more external focus to the business world in general.

Stokes emphasises that she is continuing to play an active role at Morgan Hunt, both attending board meetings and in an advisory capacity. And she remains a significant shareholder.

Stokes says that her fellow directors have been very supportive of her plans.

“I will be looking at exploring other opportunities with business leaders in the UK as a non-executive director, speaker and consultant in non competing industries,” Stokes told Recruiter.

Chairman Stephen Fordham says: “Helen’s achievement at Morgan Hunt in the last eight years has been nothing short of remarkable. Her decision to step down from day-to-day involvement - which is entirely her own - will be a big change for all of us. However, she will remain involved with the business in a non-executive capacity and one of the many enduring legacies she leaves us with is a talented group of senior managers who we are confident will be able to lead the company forward in the future.”