Marinos Balaskas

As the Global Head of Talent Acquisition at Cognigy, I operate with full director-level responsibility for building and scaling the company's end-to-end hiring engine. Reporting to SVP of HR and CEO. Partnering cross-functionally with executive leadership and C-suite, I lead an agile recruitment function supporting Cognigy's explosive growth in AI and SaaS space — growing the company from 60 to 350+ employees in under 3 years.

• Lead the global Talent Acquisition function, overseeing strategy, team development, systems, and delivery across EMEA, US, and APAC.
• Headcount Growth: Scaled the organization from 60 to 350+ employees , covering hiring across Engineering, AI, Product, GTM, and Ops
• Offer Acceptance: Maintained a 95% offer acceptance rate , driven by tight feedback loops, offer coaching, and candidate experience strategies.
• Cost Management: Achieved 0% agency spend since Month 6 — fully transitioned to in-house and referral-based hiring.
• Diversity Impact: Scaled underrepresented hiring from 10% to 38% , launching a structured D&I hiring framework across all functions.
• Positioned Talent Acquisition as a trusted strategic partner to Cognigy's executive leadership
• Launched Cognigy's global employer brand positioning as a top AI/SaaS employer in Kununu and Glassdoor

Overview:
Hired to build the German Market from scratch, I led the strategic expansion into both DACH and later the US market , delivering measurable results in client acquisition, team growth, and high-quality tech placements across AI, SaaS, and Consulting sectors.

Key Achievements:

• Market Expansion – Germany:
  Grew the German desk from 0 to 12 active clients , with 5 additional short-term contract agreements .
  Placed 60+ candidates across permanent roles.
  Specialized in hiring:
  Tech and GTM Roles
• Team Leadership:
  Built and led a team of 5 consultants (Junior and Senior level).
  Mentored, coached, and implemented performance structures that consistently drove high output and client satisfaction.
• US Market Launch (Year 2):
  Spearheaded the expansion into the US market , bringing on 6 new clients in SaaS, AI, and Consulting.
  Tech and GTM Roles

Overview:
Promoted to lead strategic accounts and manage a team focused on hiring top-tier tech talent across AI, Data, and DevOps domains. Specialized in full-cycle recruitment and account growth for clients in Cloud, SaaS, and Enterprise IT.

Key Achievements:

• Client Development:
  Expanded and managed a portfolio of 15+ active clients across Pharma, Automotive, IT Consulting, Finance, and Telecoms.
  Identified and capitalized on AI and Cloud-driven hiring trends, securing niche roles in Big Data, DevOps, and Data Engineering.
• Team Leadership:
  Led and developed a team of 3 recruiters , mentoring them on sourcing strategy, client handling, and tech market trends.
  Implemented KPIs and streamlined internal processes for candidate quality and time-to-fill.
• Tech Hiring Expertise:
  Recruited for high-demand roles including:
  Data Scientists , Data Engineers , DevOps Engineers , Cloud Architects
  BI Developers , AI/ML Engineers , Software Engineers
  Delivered shortlists with 48–72 hour turnaround on urgent roles.
• End-to-End Delivery:
  Conducted full-cycle recruitment including cold outreach, talent screening, and offer negotiation.
  Built tailored pipelines for hard-to-fill positions using market insights, Boolean sourcing, and competitive analysis.

• Built and grew long-term client partnerships across data-driven industries.
• Initiated outbound sales campaigns aligned with hiring spikes in AI, Cloud, and DevOps fields.
• Helped design customized recruitment solutions and supported early-stage GTM hiring plans.

• Specialized in technical sourcing across Cloud Infrastructure , Big Data Platforms , and Enterprise Software .
• Built a proprietary database of candidates in DevOps , Data Engineering , and Software Development .
• Worked with 15+ enterprise clients and start-ups, supporting early tech team build-ups.

• Coordinated restaurant events, resulting in unique dining experiences for customers .
• Trained new employees, elevating team performance levels.
• Oversaw daily floor operations, ensuring a high level of service quality.
• Implemented promotional strategies to attract more clients.
• Managed reservations efficiently to avoid overbooking or underutilisation of space.
• Updated menus seasonally by liaising with the Head Chef and nutritionists.