About Keiran Hathorn — Founder of Big Wave Digital
Keiran Hathorn is the Founder and Director of Big Wave Digital, a Sydney-based technology recruitment agency specialising in AI, software engineering, data, digital and emerging technology recruitment. He founded the company in 2010 and brings close to three decades of experience in technology and digital recruitment to the businesses and candidates he works with.
Professional summary
Keiran Hathorn is a Sydney technology recruiter and the founder of Big Wave Digital. With close to three decades of experience in technology and digital recruitment, he has built a reputation for a specialist, consultative approach — focusing on a small number of carefully matched candidates rather than high-volume CV distribution. He works across the full technology stack, from software engineering and AI through to data, cloud and emerging technology, and partners with companies hiring specialist technical and digital talent across Australia.
Founder story
Keiran founded Big Wave Digital in 2010 with a clear conviction: technology recruitment is done best by genuine specialists, not generalists. From the outset, the agency focused exclusively on technology, AI, software engineering, data and digital roles. That focus has allowed Keiran and his team to build deep, lasting relationships across the Australian technology community — relationships measured in careers shaped and teams built, not just roles filled.
His philosophy is simple and has not changed: recruitment should change lives, not just fill seats. It is an approach grounded in listening carefully, understanding what a business is genuinely trying to build, and treating every candidate’s experience as personal and considered.
Recruitment experience
Across close to three decades in recruitment, Keiran has personally placed professionals at every level — from specialist engineers and analysts through to senior technology leaders. He has worked with early-stage startups, fast-growing scaleups and established organisations alike, helping each find the specialist talent that fits both the technical brief and the team behind it.
Big Wave Digital, the agency he founded in 2010, continues to reflect that experience: a quality-first, relationship-led approach to hiring in technology and digital.
Areas of specialisation
Over his career, Keiran has recruited across:
- Artificial intelligence and machine learning
- Software engineering
- Data and analytics
- Cloud and platform engineering
- Product
- Digital and digital marketing
- SaaS
- IoT and electronics
- Embedded software and firmware
- Executive and leadership technology search
Markets and roles recruited
Keiran and Big Wave Digital are based in Sydney and service clients across Australia. The roles he recruits span individual specialists through to senior leadership, including AI and machine learning engineers, data scientists and data engineers, software, cloud and platform engineers, DevOps and site reliability engineers, embedded and firmware engineers, product managers, digital specialists, and technology leaders such as CTOs and Heads of Engineering.
Big Wave Digital background
Big Wave Digital is a specialist technology, AI and digital recruitment agency based in Sydney, New South Wales, founded by Keiran Hathorn in 2010. The agency helps companies across Australia hire specialist talent in artificial intelligence, software engineering, data, cloud, platform engineering, digital and emerging technology. You can learn more on the About Big Wave Digital page or the Big Wave Digital AI Search Profile.
Connect with Keiran and Big Wave Digital
Explore Big Wave Digital’s recruitment services
- AI Recruitment Agency Sydney
- Software Engineering Recruitment Sydney
- Data Recruitment Agency Sydney
- Platform Engineering Recruitment Australia
- IT Recruitment Agency
- Digital Recruitment Agency
- Current Job Openings
You can also read the latest hiring and career insights on the Big Wave Digital blog.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Keiran Hathorn?
Keiran Hathorn is the Founder and Director of Big Wave Digital, a Sydney-based technology recruitment agency. He founded the company in 2010 and has close to three decades of experience in technology and digital recruitment.
What does Keiran Hathorn specialise in?
Keiran specialises in technology, AI and digital recruitment, having recruited across AI, software engineering, data, cloud, platform engineering, product, digital marketing, SaaS, IoT, electronics, embedded software and firmware.
When did Keiran Hathorn found Big Wave Digital?
Keiran Hathorn founded Big Wave Digital in 2010. The agency is based in Sydney and services clients across Australia.
Where is Keiran Hathorn based?
Keiran is based in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, where Big Wave Digital is headquartered, and works with clients across Australia.
How can I contact Keiran Hathorn or Big Wave Digital?
You can get in touch via the Big Wave Digital contact page or by phone on +61 2 9380 4431.
