SF Recruitment CEO named in Management Today’s Women in Leadership Power list
Midland based recruitment executive Saira Demmer (pictured) has added to her CV with a prestige listing in a women’s leadership power list.
SF Recruitment has announced that Saira, its CEO, has been named in Management Today’s Women in Leadership Power List 2025, which recognises influential women leading organisations and driving real impact across business and society.
Now in its second year, the Power List spotlights exceptional senior leaders across the UK who have demonstrated strategic excellence, cultural impact and industry innovation. Saira joins a prestigious cohort of female leaders from companies including Virgin Media O2, Cancer Research UK, Amazon Web Services, and The Sun.
Appointed CEO of SF Recruitment in 2020, Saira has led the business through a period of significant transformation. Under her leadership, the company has grown from a niche finance and accounting firm into a national, multi-specialism recruitment agency. In just five years, turnover has increased from £10M to £25M, and profitability has tripled.
Beyond financial growth, Saira has redefined what modern recruitment leadership can look like. She has implemented a family-friendly, high-performance culture that includes flexible working by default, no fixed hours in contracts, and industry-leading policies for parents and carers.
These changes have led to a zero gender pay gap, a 66 per cent female leadership team, and 95 per cent of employees reporting a positive work-life balance.
Saira said: “I’m proud to be recognised alongside so many inspiring women. This award is a reflection of the brilliant team at SF Recruitment and the progress we’ve made together, proving that flexible, people-first workplaces can drive exceptional results.”
Saira was a founding member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Flexible Working, where she served as the recruitment industry’s sole representative. She is now a Trustee of Working Families, the UK’s national charity for working parents and carers, and continues to campaign for inclusive workplace practices.
She is also a regular contributor to business panels and podcasts, advocating flexible, commercially successful ways of working.
“Saira brings together strategic rigour, bold thinking, and a refreshingly human approach,” said Amy Golding, CEO of Steven Bartlett’s Private Office. “She’s a leader who sets the bar high and helps others reach it.”
“Saira’s leadership has driven impressive growth while fostering a collaborative, people-first culture,” added James Caan CBE, investor in SF Recruitment and former Dragons' Den star. “She’s reshaping expectations of what leadership in this industry can look like.”
