While revenues are down at international recruiter Empresaria, the group has witnessed an encouraging end to last year and start to 2010, in its results for the year ended 31 December 2009.

The group’s results reveal:

• revenue fell by 6% to £195.2m
  
  
• net fee income down 20% to £41.4m
  
  
• adjusted profit before tax fell by 50% to £3.2m
  
  
• net debt improved by £1.1m to £8m
  
  
• 65% of net fee income in 2009 generated outside the UK, up 59% on 2008.

Chief executive Miles Hunt says: “While the macro-economic environment remains fragile, we have confidence in our prospects for the current year. 

“We are encouraged by the progress now being made by operations in emerging markets, particularly in Asia, which are expected to generate a significantly greater contribution to group profits in 2010.”