The recent launch of the Kellan Group’s Robinson Keane Finance Professionals brand for mid-to-senior level qualified candidates could leverage moves into HR and legal recruitment, managing director Lynne Hardman has told Recruiter.

The portfolio of Hardman, who joined Kellan in the summer from Badenoch & Clark (B&C), has grown since her arrival. In addition to the accountancy and finance businesses, Hardman now oversees Quantica Search and Selection, which operates in pharmaceutical & biotechnology and food & drink manufacturing.

Within the existing client bases of the businesses she oversees, “there are some large organisations who could buy other things from us”, Hardman said. “So joining the dots a little bit while maintaining the distinct specialisms…is going to be part of the focus. And as we go forward, we want to use that Robinson Keane Finance Professionals brand to launch into other specialist areas. So we’re looking into two areas in particular, HR and legal, both of which I’ve run businesses in.”

Before her two-year tenure at B&C, Hardman spent 12 years at recruiting giant Hays. She told Recruiter that her desire to work in a more niche, boutique business instead of a large organisation prompted her move from B&C, which is owned by global recruitment giant Adecco. “The more I looked at it [RK Accountancy], the more I thought, ’This is a really interesting business’,” she said. “[Kellan] has got a core of well-respected brands in niche markets where they can really dominate or own a good portion of it. They’re ready to be optimised, and that’s perfect for me. That’s what I love doing.”