We’re sitting on a velvet couch in Miller Leith Melbourne’s Collins Street office reception.
It’s a small detail, but one that has quietly become part of Miller Leith’s identity. The couch greets everyone as they walk in, a place where people feel comfortable enough to have real conversations about their careers, their business and what comes next.
That idea traces back to 2012, when Miller Leith began with two founders in a small Melbourne office.
No executive team. No national footprint. Just Stephen Borg and Joe Sette, determined to build something meaningful for the clients, candidates and industries they cared deeply about.
More than a decade on, the business has grown well beyond that first office. But for Stephen and Joe, what has mattered most hasn’t changed.
“Joe and I built Miller Leith side by side,” Stephen says. “One of the things I’m most proud of is how that partnership has grown into something much bigger than the two of us.”
Where They Started
More than a decade later, Miller Leith has grown across the eastern seaboard, built a team of experienced specialists and expanded into consulting, deepening how the business partners across the industry.
And every office features the now-recognisable velvet couch.
“It actually started with a stock image of an armchair,” Stephen explains. “As the team grew, the brand grew with it.”
By Miller Leith’s tenth anniversary, that armchair had evolved into the now-signature couch sitting in each office reception, but the meaning behind it hasn’t changed.
“It represents a moment where people feel comfortable having their most open conversations, whether that’s about their career, their business or what comes next,” Stephen says.
“That’s always been the spirit of Miller Leith,” Joe adds.
When asked what stands out from the early years, Joe reflects on the effort they put into building partnerships.
“We’d drive 150 kilometres for a conversation, and we still do, Showing up in person and really understanding what sits beneath the surface has always been part of how we work,” Joe says.
Those early placements, Stephen explains, often carried huge weight.
“That’s probably what’s evolved most over time,” Stephen says.
“What started as conversations about hiring naturally became broader discussions about capability, structure and performance. Expanding into consulting came from listening to what our clients actually needed from us, and being able to support them more holistically.”
What stays with you
When asked which day he would relive, Joe doesn’t choose a milestone. Instead, he talks about the everyday moments.
“It sounds cliche, but it’s the every day things,” Joe says.
“Walking into the office and seeing the team of passionate people who genuinely care about what they do.”
There have been plenty of defining moments along the way, from backing themselves to start the business in 2012, to growing beyond a single office, to embedding in a 9-day fortnight rhythm, and a service offering that covers the entire career lifecycle.
Winning SEEK’s Medium Recruitment Agency of the Year is one that stands out.
“There was this mix of pride and disbelief, looking around at the team and realising how far we’d come,” Stephen says.
But for both founders, it always comes back to the same thing.
The people.
What comes next
Recently, Miller Leith entered a new phase of leadership.
With Christy Moses stepping into the role of CEO from May 1 and Jarrad Dowling as COO, both founders see the transition as a natural step in Miller Leith’s evolution.
“I’ve seen Christy’s depth across the industry for years,” Stephen says. “From building commercially focused teams to identifying growth opportunities and embedding high-performance cultures, she brings a really well-rounded perspective.”
“Christy has strengthened our capability and brought some highly talented consultants into the business, and that’s something we’re continuing to build on.”
Joe says the leadership structure now reflects how Miller Leith has matured.
“Jarrad’s brought a lot of strategic and operational depth through Miller Leith Consulting, and now as COO,” he says.
“It’s changed how we partner in the industry. It’s not just about recruitment anymore, it’s across people capability, organisational performance and the broader career journey. We’re seeing that shift internally as well.”
“It’s also been a strong draw for experienced recruiters,” Stephen adds. “When they see the level of consulting capability we’ve built, and how that helps them engage more deeply with clients, it lifts what they’re able to offer in the market and how they continue to develop their careers.”
That leadership depth is reflected across the business more broadly, with Jordana Jacklin leading Queensland and Lara Gebka establishing Miller Leith’s presence in Tasmania, extending the business across the eastern seaboard, a scale few mid-sized recruitment agencies have achieved.
Together, it creates a structure that keeps Miller Leith growing while staying true to what built it.
Close to what matters
While leadership titles evolve, both founders remain closely connected to the business they built.
Stephen continues working directly with executive leaders, drawing on more than a decade of trusted relationships built across the industry.
Joe continues strengthening Miller Leith’s Victorian market while mentoring the next generation of recruiters across the team there.
For both founders, the focus remains simple: ensuring Miller Leith continues to grow without losing the values that built it.
“Miller Leith is growing up,” Joe says, “but we’re not losing what makes us distinctive.”
Stephen agrees. “My name and heart will always be connected to this business, we’re not going anywhere.”
“We’re just focused on where we can add the most impact, with the right people in the right seats to take Miller Leith to the next level.”
