Tokara Associates

Tokara Associates is a boutique recruitment advisory firm founded by Melissa Hosken, specialising in strategic communications recruitment. The company partners with both clients and candidates to guide them through significant career decisions, offering a synergistic approach that enhances the search process for all parties involved. With a deep understanding of the communications sector built over many years, Tokara Associates combines tactical recruitment expertise with holistic career guidance, treating each candidate as an individual and prioritising long-term partnerships that lead to lasting careers.

Tokara Associates specialises in recruiting roles within financial and corporate communications advisory, ESG communications, digital communications, crisis and reputation management, and public affairs. The firm works with both consultancies requiring continuous hiring to meet evolving client needs and in-house teams seeking specific talent for strategic roles. Services include retained search for highly specialised positions, contingency recruitment for regular hiring needs, and comprehensive recruitment advisory that encompasses market insights on salaries, benefits and industry trends. The company also provides career support, CV guidance, interview preparation and candidate education to help professionals navigate their career transitions, including those moving from backgrounds in business journalism, banking, professional services and politics.

Operating from the United Kingdom, Tokara Associates has built an established and continually growing network of contacts developed organically over many years. The firm is committed to supporting workforce diversity and inclusion within the corporate communications industry, working empathetically with candidates from minority ethnic backgrounds, individuals with disabilities, and those with childcare responsibilities. Clients choose Tokara Associates for its deep sector knowledge, personalised approach, guaranteed prioritisation of assignments through retained search fees, and unwavering commitment to understanding both candidate aspirations and client needs to deliver meaningful, long-term recruitment outcomes.