NEW TO THE MARKET: 7-11 APRIL 2025

This week’s new launches include: HRGO, Sowena Group

• UK recruitment firm HRGO has launched ‘Betty’, an AI agent tackling recruitment ghosting by ensuring all job applicants receive feedback. Since its December 2024 launch, Betty has provided personalised insights to over 40,000 candidates. A survey of 1,000 users found 90% valued the feedback, addressing a major frustration in the hiring process at scale. Betty was named after Elizabeth ‘Betty’ Parkinson, the founder of HRGO back in 1957.

• Recruitment firm Sowena Group has moved into new headquarters in Manchester city centre. Perran Cooke launched Sowena Group last summer after more than a decade in the recruitment industry, including roles as regional MD for the North at executive search company PSD Group and as a director at Axon Moore. Sowena now has a team of five and has taken office space at The Tootal Buildings on Oxford Street. The company statement says Sowena Group is expected to deliver more than £650k in revenue this year.

Senior recruitment consultants Dave Kreitz and Mackenzie Harrop have joined Sowena in recent weeks, along with Leah Allen as head of marketing and Megan Buckley as marketing executive. Cooke said he expects the team to grow to 10 by the end of this year, creating roles for recruitment consultants, back office and support staff, market research specialists and a non-executive director. Sowena Group focuses on senior finance posts in high-growth and private equity and venture capital-backed businesses across the North-West and beyond.

Human skills as important as ‘oven-ready’ tech skills

The UK skills landscape is experiencing rapid and regular turnover as employers look for “oven-ready talent” with much in-demand technical skills.

New to Market 20 May 2025

UK Hiring Taskforce launches to develop new hiring strategies

A UK Hiring Taskforce was launched on Friday [16 May 2025] at the Houses of Parliament to develop strategy, technology and policy for “the end-to-end process of hiring in as new a way as possible”.

New to Market 19 May 2025
Seb-O'Connell

Org Group acquires Manchester-based tech recruiting firm

Multinational professional services provider Org Group has acquired Manchester-based technology recruiting firm Venturi.

Contracts 15 May 2025

NEW TO THE MARKET: 12-16 MAY 2025

This week’s new launches include: Eames Consulting, Eightfold AI, SF Recruitment

New to Market 14 May 2025
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