Hamilton Bradshaw (HB) chairman James Caan and managing director Tristan Ramus have created a new war chest worth up to £50m to advance the company’s merger and acquisition activity and private equity work, all in the recruitment sector.

Through this latest fund, HB’s third, the firm plans to step up its “platform buy and build” strategy early this year to achieve leverage in targeted staffing sectors within the UK, as well as extend the group’s international reach in professional specialisms described by Ramus as “an inch wide, a mile deep”. Various brands within HB have recently opened new offices in Angola, Switzerland and the US (Houston). The company is also in discussion about acquisitions in Asia.

“The fund is very flexible,” Ramus told Recruiter. “It will encourage direct buyout opportunities and retiring shareholders to do a little cash-out but continue in the business if they want. It will allow management teams to fund their buyout opportunities, and with management teams who have a buyin target, we will help fund the acquisition of that target.”

This latest acquisition drive comes as HB is also cutting loose a number of its investments. With the exception of its property ventures, HB is divesting
itself of all non-recruitment businesses.

Caan contributed most of the financing of the fund. Ramus is also contributing. However, the fund also potentially involves the added benefit of bank “support for our development”, Ramus said.

HB’s staffing group, HB Human Capital, most recently reported turnover of £323m, up from £248m the previous year.