FWRD Folk - Good folk change everything.

FWRD Folk.

At FWRD Folk, we listen, we care and we're curious. We take the time to understand what you're building and what the right person looks like for you, someone right for your business, your team and your culture, not just the role.

Then we get to work. So you can get back to yours.

Our knowledge comes from years on the ground, earned from being in it, not just researched or learned from a brief. Which means we know what good looks like from the inside, how the job is done and how much the right fit matters.

Because good folk change everything.

We've got the hiring. You've got everything else.

Let your teams focus on who you have, and let us find who you need.

Whether you need a senior leader, a permanent team member, a freelancer who brings full commitment to a short-term brief, or a contractor who hits the ground running to bolster your team during a busy time, we work across all of it and we've got you covered.

When a role calls for a wider search, we go looking, carefully. Because the right person doesn't always come from where you'd expect.

Let's work together

Our kind of Folk

From those shaping the vision to the ones bringing it to life, we find the folk who keep you doing the work people show up for.

Events, Festivals & Live Experience Ticketing Touring & Logistics Label Management Programming & Production Publishing & Media Creative & Culture PR & Publicity Content & Communications Social & Digital Events, Festivals & Live Experience Ticketing Touring & Logistics Label Management Programming & Production Publishing & Media Creative & Culture PR & Publicity Content & Communications Social & Digital

Partnerships & Sponsorship Marketing & Brand Brand Strategy Paid Media Marketing Automation Commercial & Business Development Agency & Creative Solutions Account Management & Client Services Project Management Office & Operations Partnerships & Sponsorship Marketing & Brand Brand Strategy Paid Media Marketing Automation Commercial & Business Development Agency & Creative Solutions Account Management & Client Services Project Management Office & Operations

Don't see it? Ask anyway. You might be surprised.

Digital, Tech & Innovation

Behind every great creative organisation is technology that makes it possible, whether you're building out your technology capability, navigating digital transformation or looking for specialist technology talent.

FWRD Folk is part of The Forward Talent Group, so we draw on that network in the technology and digital space.

Engineering & Technology Backend Development Front End Development Mobile Development Embedded & Hardware Development DevOps & SRE Cyber Security Product Design UX & Research UI Design Product Management Product Strategy & Definition Product Ownership AI Engineers ML Engineers Product Builders AI Consultants Engineering & Technology Backend Development Front End Development Mobile Development Embedded & Hardware Development DevOps & SRE Cyber Security Product Design UX & Research UI Design Product Management Product Strategy & Definition Product Ownership AI Engineers ML Engineers Product Builders AI Consultants

Delivery QAs BAs Scrum Masters Iteration Managers Delivery Leads Product Owners Data & Insights Data Analysts Data Scientists Data Engineers BI Specialists Delivery QAs BAs Scrum Masters Iteration Managers Delivery Leads Product Owners Data & Insights Data Analysts Data Scientists Data Engineers BI Specialists

People are at the core of everything we do.

The right person transforms a team. The right opportunity transforms a career. We take both seriously and we care about getting it right for everyone. FWRD Folk exists for the people and organisations who deserve more than a generic process. The care, attention to detail and dedication that you'd want from a trusted person in your corner, that's what we're here for.

Looking for your next move?
Put Yourself FWRD

We want to know your whole story, not just the CV. Where you've been, what you've picked up along the way, and what you've got your sights on next. Your experience, your instincts, your point of view. All of it matters to us.

That's not just how we get to know you, it's how we find somewhere that's actually shaped for someone like you.

Every CV that comes through us is read by a human. Real eyeballs, deep understanding, and years of experience reading between the lines to see what a CV can't always show; the creativity, dedication and tenacity poured into a project to bring it to life, the resilience and leap of faith behind a career pivot, the ear that heard it differently, the courage to back yourself, the instinct that drove you to zig when everyone was zagging, the depth of knowledge and experience that doesn't fit neatly into a bullet point.

That's you. And that deserves more than an algorithm deciding what you're capable of.

These worlds are small and moving roles takes more than just finding the right opportunity. It requires trust. Discretion isn't optional, it's everything to us.

Whether you're actively looking or just quietly curious about what's out there, reach out.

Put myself FWRD

Looking to hire?
Find Your Folk.

Hiring well is the most important thing you'll do this year, and we know how crucial it is to get right. Great teams don't happen by accident. They're built one brilliant person at a time, with each person changing the shape of what's possible, for the better.

Whether you need a senior leader, a permanent team member, a freelancer who brings full commitment to a short-term brief, or a contractor who hits the ground running to bolster your team during a busy time, we work across all of it.

We have your folks.

Need someone quickly? Say the word. Speed doesn't change how we work, just the timeline.

Your team stays exactly where they're needed: focused on the work that matters, not running a hiring process.

You know what great looks like. You've seen it. You've felt it. So have we. Finding that person takes someone who understands you well enough to know the difference between a good hire and the right one.

That's where we come in.

Find your Folk

What we're working on right now.

Can't see what you're after? Reach out, we're often working on roles that never make it to a job board.

Register Interest

Looking to hire? This is exactly where your role should be.

Get In Touch

Good folk we've worked with

We'd never brag. So we'll let them do it.

“What stood out most was the quality and fit of the candidates Vanessa put in front of us, every single one felt genuinely considered for this specific role, not just pulled from a database. She clearly put in the work to understand what we do and who'd thrive in our team. It wasn't just our experience, candidates themselves came away impressed, which says a lot about how she represents you as a business.”
Emma, Marketing Director - Laneway Festival

“Recruiting for a role like this is so important, you need someone who understands both the skill set and the culture fit. FWRD Folk, and Vanessa in particular, delivered exactly that. She kept us informed at every stage without us having to chase anything, and the shortlist she landed on reflected a genuine understanding of what Laneway needed, not just a generic brief. It made a real difference having that level of care and expertise handling the process for us.”
Jessica, General Manager - Laneway Festival

“Working with Vanessa and Julien was seamless; effective, efficient and pitched at exactly the right level. During an exceptionally busy period for VMDO and Music Victoria, they condensed a process that would have taken the equivalent of weeks across our team into just four hours, introducing a diverse range of highly skilled candidates perfectly aligned with our values and vision. Their clarity, empathy, and deep understanding of our business and the music industry strengthened our team, amplified our impact, and set a new standard for growth and collaboration.”
Kirsty Rivers, General Manager - VMDO (Victorian Music Development Office)

Good folk, meet good folk.

Vanessa Bassili

Co-Founder

You may remember me from my days running Little Old Me Publicity, or booking Howler in its early days, back when Hiatus Kaiyote and King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard were doing residencies, and Billie Eilish and Dermot Kennedy played to 400 people. Countless others that still make me think “did that really happen?”

As a publicist, I've worked closely with labels and touring companies on PR campaigns for festivals, album releases and tours, for artists like PJ Harvey, Sufjan Stevens, Charles Bradley and Husky, to name a few.

What I've always loved most is listening to people's stories, understanding what they're building, where they want to go, and helping them get there. It's always come down to the same thing: connecting people, finding the ones who belong together and making sure they find each other. Different chapter, same reason. And it still makes work feel like a dream.

Away from the desk, you'll find me in the garden or down a rabbit hole about Classical societies. Happiest surrounded by the people I love, including Julien and our kids.

Julien Viard

Co-Founder - Technology, Digital & Innovation

I started my career in recruitment back in 2009, when “the cloud” was still just the weather, Internet Explorer was clinging on for dear life, and Clippy from Microsoft Office was about as close as we got to AI. A lot's changed since then.

Over the past 15+ years, I've seen firsthand how technology has evolved, and I bring a deep understanding of how we build, design, and interact with it today. Whether it's Engineering, Product, Design or Delivery folks, I've built strong networks and a sharp understanding of what makes people click with one another. As Founder and Principal at Forward Talent, I take a clear, thoughtful, people-first approach to recruitment. I'm genuinely curious about the people I work with and the industries they move in, always looking for long-term partnerships that go beyond ticking boxes, and help growing businesses hire with confidence, clarity, and purpose.

Contact

This is where it starts.

We don't ghost. We do reply.

Good folkchange everything.