John began his recruiting career 14 years ago in executive search agencies before transitioning to talent acquisition leadership roles in multiple high-growth startups across Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Born to a Hong Kong mother and a UK father, John’s multicultural background helped him connect with candidates worldwide. After joining Tridge, John quickly became the go-to recruiter handling some of the company’s most critical and large-scale hiring projects globally, including South America, the U.S., Europe, APAC, and Africa. His ability to connect with candidates from varied backgrounds and to manage complex hiring processes with care sets him apart in the fast-paced agri-tech sector.
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Q. Could you introduce yourself and share what motivated you to join Tridge?
▶ I’m John Thornton, Senior Global Recruiter on the Global HR team at Tridge. My recruitment career started over a decade ago in executive search firms before moving into startup environments, managing talent acquisition across industries from e-commerce to insurance tech. When the opportunity at Tridge came up to be a Global Recruiter, it felt like the perfect fit. Tridge’s mission to innovate the agri-food industry and its truly global scope really excited me. After two years here, it’s been a remarkable journey full of growth and challenges.
Q. What excites you most about the future of global hiring?
▶ What excites me is that global hiring is not just a trend. It is the future. Especially in agri-food, where disruptions like the pandemic have shown how important it is to stay connected across borders. Digital tools and remote operations have made global collaboration easier than ever.
From a recruiter’s point of view, working in a multinational environment is incredibly appealing. Many candidates I meet are drawn to Tridge because of our international presence. Personally, I find it fulfilling to speak with people from all over the world every day. Each conversation brings a new perspective and fresh energy to my work.
Q. What makes recruitment at Tridge different from traditional hiring processes?
▶ At Tridge, recruitment is a strategic function. We do not just fill roles. We align talent with long-term business needs. That means working closely with hiring managers, being deeply involved in onboarding, and providing post-hire care to ensure our team members feel supported from day one.
Every hiring decision reflects Tridge’s core values and growth ambitions. Whether I’m hiring for a remote location in Latin America or a specialized role in Asia, I always think about cultural fit, long-term contribution, and how we can support each person’s journey at Tridge.
Q. How have candidate profiles changed recently?
▶ Candidates are usually brought together under one common goal - the desire to join a company that has a socially impactful mission.
The candidates applying in today’s job market are more acutely aware and sensitive to not only working for companies that are innovative or reputable, but rather with organisations that focus on ethical values and social responsibility that improves society and the globe.
Q. What traits do high-performing team members at Tridge usually share?
▶ This is an interesting question. I think if anyone is interested in applying to Tridge and is keen to learn who we choose to hire, it would be imperative to keep reading.
We have a simple set of competencies at Tridge. We select candidates who have displayed a proven-track record in sales with a focus on the Mid-market to Enterprise markets. We hire sales people who can sell complex SaaS solutions. Having the right competencies isn’t enough. We require the sales candidates to be proactive and strong communicators. We need those who have strong business and technical acumen.
But above all else, the one trait that shines through is ‘grit’. Those that have the tenacity and determination to keep pushing through and moving forward tend to be the ones who perform at a high level.
Q. Can you share a memorable interview story?
▶ There is one particularly memorable interview experience that was also one of the longest hires I have made at Tridge. Not to spoil anything right away, but it was a successful hire. However, it was a journey that lasted at least eight months.
I selected this example as it displayed how long I was prepared to stand by a candidate. I knew he was the right fit for Tridge both on an experience and culture fit level. We put the candidate through multiple interviews and on two occasions interviewed him for two different roles. We even turned him down twice! Therefore it was even more imperative that I brought a high degree of transparency in my communication in order to keep this candidate on side. Luckily for me the candidate was a willing and highly patient individual. This made the candidate all the more impressive.
So, the conclusion to draw from this is, if you’re a candidate and we don’t find the right role for you today, we will strive to work with you until the more appropriate position is available.
Q. How do you collaborate with hiring managers and HQ?
▶ The Global Recruitment team is spread across three continents and we have regular contact with our Global HR team based in our South Korean Head Office. We have scheduled bi-monthly hiring meetings, but also bi-monthly one-to-ones. These meetings are used to keep each side abreast of the most critical hiring updates, candidate pipeline health, as well as sharing any useful insights and market trends.
I value the necessity to have regular contact with hiring stakeholders - I subscribe to the principle that recruiters are essentially business partners - playing an important and influential advisory role to the business and hiring process.
Q. How do you ensure a candidate’s experience reflects our values?
▶ While skills, experience, and education for that matter are important components in selecting a candidate. We are also scrutinising culture and core value fit. The great thing about Tridge is our core values are short and easily understood. Our values comprise of three principles; Discipline, Intensity, and Care.
At each interview stage we are appraising the candidate’s culture fit. We have structured specific questions so that we have a well-rounded picture of the candidate.
Q. What does “care after hire” look like at Tridge?
▶ We have a rather comprehensive and robust onboarding program in place for our new joiners. We want to ensure our new Tridgers are getting optimal care and attention in their first few months and beyond.
The first months are critical for any new staff. We have adopted the 30/60/90 Day Review approach, whereby we track the new joiners' first three months, split into three monthly one-on-one sessions.
During these most crucial and impactful months we can learn from the staff their most important needs.
Q. Can you share a story where your care efforts made a difference?
▶ There have been many instances where I have helped new joiners navigate their first few days and weeks at Tridge.
I am part of the onboarding team and my session is specifically focusing on HR and people matters. My aim is to help the new joiner understand that no matter the significance of the question or issue, they should not feel afraid to reach out to me.
My hope is that by being a reliable HR partner, the new staff can focus on their main responsibilities.
Q. How do global hires perceive Tridge after joining?
▶ One of the aspects that surprises most new global hires after joining is the Tridge solutions and the depth of our technology and services. They are often taken aback by how complex the solution is and that it requires a longer period of learning. Another perception is our global reach and the extent of where and who we can sell to.
Q. What does a truly “meaningful hire” mean to you?
▶ Finding the right candidate that makes an impactful imprint on the business - that satisfies all the hiring criteria. One who has longevity. The candidate that leaves a positive impression on the company and their colleagues. Meaningful not just for the hard skills, but how they complement our core values and interact with the team.
The meaningful hire is one that advances the team's pursuit of excellence and contributes to the success of the company.
Q. How do you witness people grow over time here?
▶ Tridge has a solid, traditional, and linear career path. We haven’t deployed a complicated multi-tiered career matrix - we have kept it simple. The global members know what is expected of them to advance.
Although career progression is in line with tenure, we have made many exceptions to this rule. We are in a flexible position to promote at any given time based on meritocracy and performance.
Growth can be viewed at two fold - it can be promotions and taking career steps up the ladder, but growth can also be building your soft skills or business acumen.
I’ve also been part of this growth journey at Tridge as I was given a promotion a year ago which was based on my contributions to the team and business.
Q. If you had to describe Tridge in three words, what would they be?
▶ Innovative, Pivotal, Dynamic.
Tridge constantly evolves, releasing cutting-edge features to enhance global food trade. Our platform plays a critical role in helping agri-food players make smart decisions. Operating from over 80 countries, our reach and insight make us truly dynamic in responding to global market needs.
