Our founder
Built from experience, shaped by values.
Telos Co was founded by James Foden, drawing on decades of experience across engineering, infrastructure, recruitment, and leadership and a belief that people decisions should serve a clear purpose.
Where it started
My career began in engineering and manufacturing, where I spent close to two decades working on and around real assets, real projects, and real operational challenges.
Over that time, I moved through multiple roles from trades and technical environments into management, project delivery, sales, marketing, and ultimately business ownership. That progression wasn’t planned on paper, but it provided first-hand insight into how organisations function, how careers evolve, and how people decisions shape outcomes on the ground.
Those early years created a deep respect for practical experience, operational reality, and the importance of getting the fundamentals right.
The move into recruitmentÂ
After building and operating my own engineering business, I transitioned into recruitment initially working with a global agency before moving into specialist boutique firms.
Across this period, I worked in engineering-focused recruitment, corporate and executive search, and leadership appointments. I later established and led a Queensland operation for another firm, building teams, relationships, and market presence from the ground up.
Recruitment wasn’t a departure from my earlier career it was a continuation. It allowed me to combine technical understanding, commercial thinking, and people insight into work focused on alignment rather than transactions.
Experience that shaped Telos
Over the past eight years, I’ve spoken with more than 40,000 professionals about careers, leadership decisions, business challenges, and transition points.
This work has spanned engineers, executives, utility professionals, public sector leaders, graduates, and specialists across asset-intensive and regulated environments. I’ve worked closely with organisations operating under governance, compliance, and community scrutiny where the cost of a poor decision is far greater than a missed placement.
Alongside this, I’ve contributed at an industry level through advisory boards and professional associations within the recruitment and utilities sectors.
Why telos Co was created
Telos Co exists because I wished this approach had been available earlier in my own career.
Too often, recruitment and career decisions are treated as isolated moments rather than part of a broader journey. Roles are filled quickly, but alignment is overlooked. People move, but purpose is unclear.
The philosophy of telos purpose, direction, and intended outcome resonated deeply. It reflects how careers, organisations, and leadership should be approached: not as disconnected steps, but as movement toward the right end.
Telos Co was built to connect people and purpose with clarity, context, and intent.
Values that drive the work
Everything I do is guided by a small set of personal values:
-
Health:Â because without it, nothing else functions
-
Family:Â the reason behind every long-term decision
-
Wealth:Â not just financial, but in capability, opportunity, and resilience
-
Freedom:Â the ability to choose direction, roles, and paths that align with values
These values influence how Telos Co works with organisations, supports professionals, and contributes to the sectors we operate in.
At the core of this is a belief that people matter and that when people decisions are handled with care, everyone benefits.
Why we work this way
Outside of work, I’m a husband and a father of two. Family sits at the centre of every long-term decision I make, and it has shaped how Telos Co operates.
The flexibility and freedom to travel, to spend time with family, and to work differently is not separate from the business it is intentional. It allows us to be present in the environments our clients operate in, to visit sites, communities, and assets, and to gain a deeper understanding of the context surrounding each organisation.
Spending time on the ground whether in regional centres, infrastructure corridors, or remote communities provides insight that cannot be gained from a desk. It strengthens relationships, improves decision-making, and ensures the work we do reflects the realities our clients face.
Professional standing and industry involvement
My work is closely connected to the industries I support.
I am a Professional Member of the Recruitment, Consulting & Staffing Association (RCSA) and currently serve on the Queensland and Northern Territory Council, contributing to industry standards and governance within the staffing profession. I am also a professional member of the Australian Water Association, hold CompIEAust credentials with Engineers Australia, and am a member of the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia (Queensland and Northern Territory).
Telos Co is a WaterAid Corporate Member, reflecting an ongoing commitment to the water sector and to improving access to essential services globally.
These roles and affiliations help ensure my work remains aligned with industry expectations, ethical practice, and the realities of the sectors we operate in.
If you’re looking to work with a partner who understands both the technical and human side of people decisions and who values purpose as much as outcomes I welcome a conversation.