Client Portfolio
Trusted by the world's most innovative teams.
From global corporate giants to the most exciting deep tech startups and scale-ups — we deliver critical talent when and where it matters.
Work8 maps the full candidate population in specialist technology sectors — not the visible fraction. We place engineers, scientists, and commercial leaders that conventional search cannot reach.
Work8 is a Sydney-based talent intelligence firm founded by Tim Fokkes. We operate as an embedded partner to deep tech companies building or scaling technical teams across Australia and the Asia-Pacific region.
Our methodology is intelligence-led: we map the complete candidate population within a domain before identifying the highest-fit individuals — a process informed by two decades of specialist recruitment in Tokyo and Sydney.
Sectors include quantum computing, autonomous systems, defence technology, robotics, and advanced hardware. As a frontier technology talent partner, we reach the people that conventional search cannot.
Our Approach →Founded by Tim Fokkes, Work8 brings two decades of specialist technology recruitment across Tokyo and Sydney to bear on the most technically demanding hiring challenges in APAC.
Our intelligence-led executive search methodology means we map the entire candidate population — not just those who happen to be visible. This is specialist technology recruitment APAC companies rely on when the hire truly matters.
"All talent pools are finite — with a normal distribution curve of ability from exceptional through average to below average. We remove the guesswork by building comprehensive market maps that reveal where the best people actually are."
We identify people who are not actively looking — found through proactive market scouting, long-term tracking of high-performing teams, and deep domain knowledge.
We introduce small numbers of extremely high-quality candidates. Our 1.3:1 ratio of candidates referred to offers made reflects a commitment to precision that volume-based recruiters simply cannot match.
Our fee structure is geared towards outcomes, not just filling a job. Our success is aligned to yours — creating a level of precision and commitment that changes everything.
We act as your eyes and ears in the live talent ecosystem — delivering real-time market intelligence to proactively manage your talent pipeline and competitive edge.
We combine proprietary talent intelligence, deep technical domain knowledge, and a relentless focus on quality to deliver results that others simply can't.
The best candidates are never on job boards. We reach the top-tier performers who are already embedded in world-class teams — and not looking.
We speak the language of the teams we serve — from GNC engineers to FPGA architects to AI research scientists. Domain depth is what earns trust with exceptional candidates.
A proven playbook that identifies preferred candidates in days, not months — without lowering the bar. Quality and pace are not mutually exclusive.
Every engagement comes with a clear picture of the talent landscape — who is available, what they cost, and where the best people are building right now.
Talent is the only durable competitive advantage. Optimising your results in this new era requires new thinking — and a partner who has already mapped the terrain.
We are masters at the specialist talent acquisition craft. Startups and rapidly scaling companies across APAC trust us to find the people who will determine whether they succeed or stall.
From global corporate giants to the most exciting deep tech startups and scale-ups — we deliver critical talent when and where it matters.