As the leading marketplace for professional services, Bloom expertly connects Buyers and Suppliers across the UK's public sector.

NEPRO Frameworks bring benefits to buyers and suppliers to procure goods, works, services and technology, available across the UK.

Welcome to Connect2Surrey, your exclusive route to temporary agency roles within Surrey County Council.

Through our people, processes and technology we streamline and automate the processes that organisations use to engage agency, temporary and contingent staff.

All public sector organisations can recruit healthcare professionals from overseas using a wide range of experienced international recruitment organisations.

Providing the public sector with a range of routes and services to engage talent in professional, administrative, clerical and operational roles.

Access high quality, professionally qualified and experienced specialist third party advisory support for a range of service requirements.

All public and third sector organisations can hire a range of quality non-clinical workers through a range of engagement types including fixed-term, temporary positions and contractors.

Find suppliers who can design and build bespoke digital products and services using an agile approach.

Think Big: Network Bigger!

Transformation doesn’t happen in isolation. Building a strong professional network isn’t just about knowing the right people; it’s about creating relationships that bring fresh ideas, valuable insights, and trusted collaboration to some of the toughest challenges. This rings true across the board, in the public sector where regulated environments and procurement frameworks add extra layers of complexity, and in the private sector where speed and innovation often take centre stage.

In the public sector, professionals often face what feels like a networking paradox. On one hand, there’s a huge need for external knowledge, innovation, and collaboration, especially when managing large-scale AI or digital transformation projects. On the other, strict procurement rules and frameworks, like those managed by the Crown Commercial Service (CCS), are designed to keep things transparent and fair but can sometimes make informal knowledge sharing and relationship-building tricky. Add political visibility and risk-averse cultures into the mix, and it can be hard to connect beyond formal processes.

Meanwhile, in the private sector, networking might feel a little more straightforward but no less critical. The pace of change demands agile partnerships that go beyond simply buying products or services. Here, informal networks often lead to constructive working partnerships, collaborations that bring real value by fostering trust, enabling faster problem-solving, and sparking innovative ideas that wouldn’t surface in formal meetings.

When you’re managing complex AI-driven transformations, a strong professional network becomes essential. These projects are often multidisciplinary and high-pressure. Having a network, you can tap into gives you access to niche expertise and peer insights quickly, helps you spot risks before they become issues, and lets you share lessons learned across teams or even across sectors. It’s far more than just a list of contacts, it’s a living, breathing ecosystem of support and intelligence.

Partnerships have traditionally been seen as arrangements for procuring products or services, but leaders today know they need partnerships for ideas and insights too. Beyond vendor relationships, connections with industry experts, think tanks, specialist recruiters, and peer organisations form a kind of distributed intelligence system. These informal networks offer a space for ethical debates on AI, navigating emerging regulations, and exchanging approaches that have worked in similar projects elsewhere.

The accelerating effect of AI makes this kind of networking even more important. Technology and policy around AI move fast, often faster than organisations can adapt. A strong professional network keeps you plugged into real-time knowledge sharing and innovation ecosystems, helping you keep pace with change. It also offers early warnings about regulatory shifts and helps avoid costly mistakes, like getting locked into the wrong vendor or reinventing the wheel.

Given the unique challenges in the public sector, building networks requires a strategic and compliant approach. Professionals can engage in cross-departmental groups, attend CCS-approved forums, or participate in knowledge-sharing alliances that work within procurement frameworks. Partnering with specialist recruitment firms like Malikshaw, which have deep roots in public sector transformation, can open doors to people and perspectives not easily found through traditional channels. It’s important to remember that networking here is about transparency and good intent, not informal deals or favouritism.

At Malikshaw, we see ourselves as more than just recruiters. We’re connectors of talent, ideas, and change. Our experience bridges public service transformation and executive talent, helping clients access not only the right people but the right insights when they matter most. We support organisations in building responsible, resilient teams that can thrive in an AI-accelerated world.

Top Five Benefits of Building a Professional Network

1. Access to Expertise and Insights
   Quickly tap into specialised knowledge that might not be available within your immediate team or organisation.
2. Early Risk Identification
   Learn from others’ experiences to spot potential pitfalls before they impact your project.
3. Faster Problem-Solving
   Reach out to trusted contacts for advice or collaboration to overcome challenges efficiently.
4. Innovation through Collaboration
   Collaborate with diverse partners to spark fresh ideas and new approaches, especially critical in AI-driven projects.
5. Stronger, Constructive Partnerships
   Informal networks often evolve into strategic partnerships that bring lasting value beyond contractual agreements.

At the end of the day, the best leaders don’t wait until they need a network, they build it as a habit. In today’s AI-driven world, relationships are a form of resilience. Whether you work in public service or private enterprise, finding purposeful and compliant ways to nurture those networks is key to making your transformation successful.

If you’d like to explore how Malikshaw can connect you with the right people, ideas, and capabilities to navigate your transformation journey, we’d be happy to have a conversation.