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The Adecco Group Appoints Australia’s Young ‘CEO for One Month’

Announcement posted by Adecco 24 May 2018

Selected from a record 4,000 applicants, Australia’s youngest CEO Hannah Mourney wants to empower women to achieve their own definition of success
SYDNEY, Australia – May 24, 2018: The Adecco Group, the world’s leading recruitment agency, has appointed 22-year-old Hannah Mourney as its latest apprentice CEO in Australia. In its fifth year running, the company’s annual global ‘CEO for One Month’ program seeks to give youth employability a boost through highly effective work-based training. 

Selected from a record number of over 4,000 applicants across the country, the University of Sydney undergraduate will work alongside The Adecco Group Australia CEO Rafael Moyano to run the Fortune 500 company’s local operations. This year’s edition almost doubled last year’s application numbers at 2,100, and more than quadrupled 2016’s 850. 

Mourney, who’s currently pursuing a double degree in biomedical engineering and the arts, blew the judges away with her analytical prowess, strong communications and engagement skills, as well as her overall personality. Further to that, her passion for empowering women in STEM also impressed the panel, having proactively launched her University’s Women in Engineering Mentoring Network to connect female engineering students with alumni mentors who can offer advice vital to long term success. 

As part of the stint, Mourney will shadow Moyano on a day-to-day basis, gaining rare insight into the leadership and management of a complex global organisation. She will also have the opportunity to contribute to strategy meetings, offering fresh ideas about innovation and staffing trends, whilst partaking in internal operations reviews and external meetings with clients, national and international institutions. 

“In deciding to go for the CEO for One Month program, I was most excited by the chance to learn so closely from c-suite executives,” said Mourney. “I think it is an incredible experience for a young person in Australia to have your opinions and views acknowledged and valued, and I feel very fortunate to be offered this unparalleled opportunity.” 

“There is so much to gain just by interacting with the leadership team, from problem solving on a large and impactful scale, to people management, all of which will certainly contribute greatly to my growth,” she added. “I’m also very passionate about empowering women to achieve their own definition of success, and I believe this journey will provide the right experience to help further my cause.” 

CEO for One Month aims to bridge the gap between school and work by giving young people unique on-the-job experience and skills training not offered in the traditional model of education. The program’s goal is to complement students’ studies and give them an edge that few will possess by the time they leave university. At the end of the program, the top performing apprentice will get to work alongside The Adecco Group Global CEO Alain Dehaze for a month. 

Commenting on the decision to select Mourney, Moyano said, “Not only is Hannah ambitious, intelligent and a great communicator, she also brings with her a very confident, passionate and engaging personality, which are fundamental traits of effective leaders today. It's important for us to invest in young people, as our future leaders. I look forward to hearing the refreshing new ideas Hannah will bring during her time with us in July.” 

He continued, “With Australia’s youth unemployment rate sitting at a staggering 13 per cent, more can be done to support young Aussie’s by addressing the skills gap and better preparing graduates for the real working world. Countries that are most successful at tackling youth unemployment have managed to cultivate a holistic approach to education that not only encourage experiential and project-based learning, but provide work based training opportunities like apprenticeships.” 

CEO for One Month is part of Way to Work™, launched in 2013 to tackle youth unemployment and skills shortages, develop young people’s employability, and help them prepare for the workplace of the future. Through the initiative, The Adecco Group provides young people with internships and apprenticeships, career guidance and training, and an opportunity to be the CEO for One Month. 

Adecco Way to Work™ resources 

For further information, please contact: 
Red Agency for The Adecco Group 
Daphne Chuah 

About The Adecco Group 
The Adecco Group is the world’s leading provider of workforce solutions, transforming the world of work through talent and technology. Each year, The Adecco Group provides approximately 700,000 people around the world with career opportunities. The Adecco Group offers a wide variety of services that includes temporary staffing, permanent placement, career transition and talent development, as well as outsourcing and consulting. The Adecco Group partners with employers, candidates, colleagues and governments, sharing its labour market expertise and insights to boost prosperity through the power of work. 

The Adecco Group is a Fortune Global 500 company, based in Zurich, Switzerland, with more than 33,000 FTE employees and approximately 5,100 branches in 60 countries and territories around the world. Adecco Group AG is registered in Switzerland (ISIN: CH0012138605) and listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ADEN).