This is according to the international specialist staffing group’s unaudited interim results for the six months to 30 June 2017, published this morning. 

The results reveal that overall revenue jumped from £106.1m in H1 2016 to £173.4m in H1 2017, while net fee income (NFI) rose from £27.2m to £34.4m over the same period.

In the UK, revenue rose from £32.0m to £43.9m along with NFI from £9.2m to £12.1m year-on-year – a result that the group attributes largely to its investment in tech recruiter ConSol Partners in October 2016. But Empresaria said that political uncertainty in the UK is starting to adversely affect business confidence, with a noticeable slowdown in the hiring process after the result of July’s general election.  

However, the group said it continues to see good levels of vacancies coming to the market, and candidate shortages across its key sectors in the UK.

Further afield, in Continental Europe, the group saw revenue rise from £43.2m to £46.5m year-on-year, though NFI fell from £8.1m to £7.8m. In Asia Pacific, revenue rose from £16.2m to £64.2m, with NFI up from £7.9m to £11.1m. In the Americas, revenue rose from £14.8m to £18.8m with NFI up from £2m to £3.4m.

Changes involving the group’s brands over the period included those in the technical and industrial sector in the UK, the group’s Reflex brand being merged into FastTrack, in professional services its Mansion House and LMA brands being brought closer together and simplifying their reporting structure, and the launch of a Monroe Consulting office in Vietnam.

Elaborating on the group’s performance over the period, chief executive Joost Kreulen pointed to a record first half result that demonstrated the strength of the group’s diversified business model.  

“We are focused on delivering our strategy: strengthening a multi-branded group, with an emphasis on developing leading brands that are diversified and balanced by geography and sector.
 
“We are pleased with how both Rishworth Aviation and ConSol Partners have integrated into the group, and we see good opportunities for them to grow their businesses as part of Empresaria. In line with the group's strategy to invest in its leading brands, Empresaria has invested £500,000 in new staff, bringing together certain brands and opening a new office in Vietnam.  The benefits of these actions are expected to be demonstrated over the coming periods.
 
“We see good growth opportunities across our brands and from further potential investments. We remain confident in our ability to meet current market expectations for the full year."