Timo Lehne, CEO of SThree: How I Run A Billion Pound Staffing Business Across 11 Countries
My Duvet Flip by Jack Parsons
Jack Parsons
4.2 • 5 Ratings
🗓️ 20 March 2025
⏱️ 50 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Check out the latest careers at easyJet:
https://bit.ly/3yCRlNS
Episode Guest
Timo Lehne was appointed CEO in April 2022 after joining the board as interim CEO and Executive Director on 1 January 2022. As Senior Managing Director he held full responsibility for the day-to-day running of SThree’s largest region, DACH, which comprises of Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Timo studied International Economics in the Netherlands before joining our Progressive Recruitment business in Germany as a sales consultant in 2006.
He was appointed Senior Business Manager in Düsseldorf for SThree in 2009, quickly turning it into our fastest growing business and growing the city’s share of net fees within the DACH region from 4% in 2009 to 27% in 2012. He was promoted to Senior Sales Director in 2013, taking joint responsibility for the running of the overall DACH business and in 2017 became Managing Director for the region, where he was responsible for the overall DACH business of SThree accounting for over 33% of the Group’s revenue and more than 1000 employees across 10 locations.
Episode Partner
easyJet streamlines affordable travel for all, with every role crucial in connecting millions via Europe's top airline network. With an innovative culture, easyJet empowers you to shape travel's future.
Episode Timestamps
00:00 Jack welcomes Timo Lehne, CEO of SThree, to My Duvet Flip
00:24 - Timo introduces himself and shares an overview of SThree – a global staffing firm with 3,000 employees across 11 countries
01:41 - Timo's first jobs: grocery store, call center rejection, and delivering medicine between cities
03:02 - Why hard work and mindset are the keys to success
05:00 - How Timo turned career setbacks into his biggest superpower
10:24 - How personal struggles shaped Timo’s work ethic and resilience
12:48 - Why financial education is crucial for young professionals
15:23 - Timo shares how his personal purpose evolved over 10 years
19:14 - How Timo never planned to be CEO but embraced opportunities
22:16 - The secret to positioning yourself for promotions in your company
26:04 - Why grit and patience are key to long-term career success
28:59 - How Timo plans his entire year to stay focused and balanced
31:40 - How AI and £35M tech investment are reshaping the staffing industry
35:49 - Why office culture and in-person interactions still matter
40:43 - How every employee contributes to company culture from Day 1
43:25 - What recruitment will look like in 10 years
46:02 - What makes SThree a top company to work for in recruitment
48:55 - Timo’s Duvet Flip: His passion for leadership and helping others thrive
Disclaimer
The content provided on Duvet Flip is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. The views expressed by hosts, guests, brands or contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the show's producers, sponsors, or affiliates. The information shared is not a substitute for professional advice, including but not limited to career counseling, financial guidance, legal consultation, or mental health support.
Listeners and viewers are responsible for their own decisions and actions based on the content provided, and Duvet Flip assumes no liability for any outcomes resulting from reliance on the information shared. By engaging with the show, you acknowledge and agree to this disclaimer.
If you’re struggling with debt, trusted advice and free support can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/debt-advice
If you’re struggling with mental health of any kind, you can find free support here: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Culture is always there whether you actively drive it in a company or not. |
| 0:04.5 | Every company has a culture. |
| 0:05.7 | You want it or not. |
| 0:06.7 | But the point is not just the leader role. |
| 0:09.0 | People together as a team create a culture and everyone has to play that part. |
| 0:13.6 | As soon as you join that organization, you have a role to play on day one as for the culture as well. |
| 0:18.5 | I agree. |
| 0:19.2 | I totally agree. |
| 0:20.2 | Hi, my name is Tim Alena. |
| 0:22.6 | I'm the CEO of S3PSC, a global staffing firm with 3,000 staff, and this is my delivery |
| 0:29.6 | lit. |
| 0:30.6 | People are more productive if they work from home, people more productive if they're in the office. |
| 0:34.6 | Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. |
| 0:36.6 | What works for you? I'm a very office- Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. What works for you? |
| 0:38.2 | I'm a very office-oriented person. |
| 0:40.6 | A certain amount of time in the office is important |
| 0:43.0 | to build relationships with your peers. |
| 0:45.0 | Your network is your net worth, |
| 0:48.3 | which I think is so spot on. |
| 0:50.0 | Why should someone join S-free? |
| 0:52.4 | What I love most is working with my team and seeing people around me thrive. |
| 0:56.5 | They have global opportunities for people to ensure that they're going to be really successful. |
... |
Transcript will be available on the free plan in -10 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Jack Parsons, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Jack Parsons and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.