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New to Market

6 May 2025
Public sector, Creative/Digital/Media

NEW TO THE MARKET: 5-9 MAY 2025

• Heidrick & Struggles has launched a new Government & Defense Tech Practice, aimed at serving the growing demand for technology leadership within public sector organisations. With governments estimated to account for 10% of global technology and IT services spending, the firm sees this as a significant market opportunity. The practice consolidates the company’s experience from over 200 engagements to provide leadership solutions for organisations delivering technology to national, state and local governments worldwide.

The new practice will support clients by offering leadership search, development and organisational effectiveness services. It brings together more than 30 experienced partners across sectors such as IT services, aerospace and defence, energy and private equity, operating globally across North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. The initiative addresses the increasing reliance of governments on advanced technologies like AI, cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity and robotics.

• Workforce management solutions firm Matrix has supported more than 10,000 individuals across the UK into employment between March 2024 and April 2025 through its Social Value team. The efforts focused on a wide range of community initiatives, including employability workshops, career guidance and volunteering opportunities. These programmes were designed to help students, jobseekers and public sector employees gain essential skills and access new career pathways.

• UK start-up Project Brains has launched ProdigyPB, an AI-powered platform designed to revolutionise job description creation and recruitment. Tailored for SMEs, growing businesses, and HR teams, ProdigyPB helps define precise hiring needs by aligning job roles with specific business challenges. The tool generates clear, bias-free job descriptions in seconds and enables users to engage with vetted fractional specialists from Project Brains’ talent pool, according to a company statement. ProdigyPB is currently available in Beta across the UK.

28 April 2025
Life sciences, Engineering

NEW TO THE MARKET: 28 APRIL-2 MAY 2025

• Jobmatch Sweden, a leader in occupational psychological testing, is expanding in Norway through a new partnership with consulting firm Sund Raad. Sund Raad, which focuses on enhancing employee engagement for small and medium-sized businesses, will integrate Jobmatch’s DNV-certified Talent test into its services. This marks Jobmatch’s second partnership in Norway, following its 2022 collaboration with Hapro Jobb og Karriere. Jobmatch Talent is a scientifically validated tool used for recruitment and employee development, according to the company press release.

• STEM recruitment specialist Matchtech has launched STEM Futures, a free, on-demand employability platform aimed at helping young people break into engineering and technology careers. The programme includes expert-led sessions on job search strategies, CV writing, interviews and personal development, and is part of Matchtech’s broader initiative to address the STEM skills gap and support emerging talent.

In addition, Matchtech has awarded the first two grants from its Materna Fund, a £2.5k bursary created to support engineering students facing financial hardship. The inaugural recipients, Sergio Carreno Vargas and David Sarembock from the University of Portsmouth, are using the funds to focus on their studies and development without the added pressure of financial strain.

• Meet Life Sciences has launched Synergy, a new standalone service designed to tackle people capability challenges in the life sciences sector that go beyond recruitment. As part of Meet’s evolution into a full-service talent solutions partner, Synergy offers tailored support in areas like workforce planning, leadership development, skills mapping, culture embedding and organisational design. Led by vice-president Kirsty Wilson, the service is built specifically for the life sciences industry and is focused on delivering measurable, outcome-driven solutions. Unlike traditional consulting, Synergy provides hands-on support from design through to implementation, helping clients build the capability needed to grow, adapt and lead in a competitive global market.

• Right Management, part of ManpowerGroup, has launched a refreshed brand strategy called ‘The Right Way’. It’s a human-centred, data-backed framework that aligns workforce development with business strategy. The new identity centres on ‘The Right Way loop’, a distinctive visual element with modern colours and typography that will be used across all brand touchpoints.

25 April 2025
Construction & property, Graduates/Apprentices/School leavers

National student lettings agency launches apprenticeship scheme

In a bid to support young people and grow skilled and knowledgeable individuals for the student lettings sector, loc8me recently launched its 18-month programme, which is open to anyone aged 16-18. The scheme will offer hands-on experience, mentorship and the opportunity to engage in paid work.

Raffaele Russo, founder of loc8me, said: “We’re thrilled to launch this apprenticeship programme, giving young professionals a real chance to learn, grow and begin building a career in an exciting industry.

“Now more than ever, young people are seeking opportunities, guidance and goals to pursue. With this programme, we’re investing in their future – and in the future of the lettings sector.”

Apprentices will have the chance to study the theoretical and practical elements of the lettings industry, and on starting, they will be given a mentor from the loc8me team to support their development via regular meetings throughout the course.

loc8me now operates in 13 major university cities across the UK, including Loughborough, Durham, Nottingham, Manchester, Leeds, Cardiff, Newcastle, Birmingham, Liverpool, Leicester, Hull, Bath and Bristol.

Freya Watson-Russo, academy co-ordinator, said: "At loc8me, we’re committed to nurturing the next generation of letting agents. … We’re giving young people the chance to build a future, gain confidence and carve their own path.”

Founded in 2008 by Russo, loc8me manages more than 2,500 properties and employs more than 75 staff members.

(L-r) Apprentice Ollie Coe, loc8me's marketing assistant and academy co-ordinator Freya Watson-Russo and apprentice Isabel Tebbutt ©loc8me

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14 April 2025
Creative/Digital/Media, Engineering

NEW TO THE MARKET: 14-18 APRIL 2025

• Manufacturing and engineering specialist Busy Bee Recruitment has relaunched its website. The refreshed online platform has a modern design and enhanced user functionality, offering an intuitive browsing experience that makes it easier than ever to explore current vacancies, submit CVs quickly and securely, access expert recruitment advice via a blog and submit vacancies directly online.

• Deel, a global payroll and HR provider, has launched a suite of AI-driven products to help companies hire, manage, and pay international teams. Deel will offer an all-in-one global workforce platform integrating payroll, HR, and IT, designed to support compliant operations across borders. Key updates include: Real-Time Payroll in over 53 markets (expanding to 130+ by 2027), offering instant calculations and faster processing; Deel PEO for offering top-tier benefits without enterprise-level costs; Benefits Admin for simplified, compliant benefits management across countries; Deel Talent for streamlined recruitment via trusted agency networks; Workforce Planning, Compensation, and Engage tools – powered by AI – for smarter headcount strategy, global pay management, and employee development; IT Lifecycle Management features like MDM, IAM, and EPP, supporting global device and security control.

9 September 2024
Banking/Financial services, Legal

Search firm Major, Lindsey & Africa grows Partner Practice Group in London

Five consultants, specialising in partner level searches for law firms globally, are joining from legal search boutique LTN & Partners.

The expanded Partner Practice Group brings together significant experience across the UK and key European markets, complementing the launch of MLA’s Dublin office earlier this year. Beyond Europe, the new team has a track record of working in the US legal sector, and the expanded team will collaborate closely with MLA’s global network of offices, especially in the US.

This addition will also further bolster MLA’s expertise in priority practice areas including financial services, private equity, disputes, restructuring and capital markets.

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3 September 2024

REC launches campaign to champion flexible working in the UK

The new Labour government will unveil a long-awaited Employment Rights Bill later this autumn that is aimed to bolster protections for vulnerable and exploited workers. However, there are concerns that the Bill could go too far in stemming flexible contracts that benefit workers in work-life balance, accommodating personal life issues and enabling them to pursue long-term goals.

“Highly regulated agency work already offers employment rights and in-work progression,” the REC said in a statement released today. “And when the government reforms the Apprenticeship Levy as promised, it should also create more opportunities for them to upskill.”

For the ‘Voice of the Worker’ campaign, REC commissioned Whitestone Insight to interview 520 temp agency workers in Britain online in June 2024 to hear what they thought about agency work and why it mattered to them. Polling found:

  • Almost eight in 10 temp agency workers (79%) say their work provides an important need for flexibility.
  • More than two-thirds of temp agency workers (68%) say that their work provides a greater work-life balance.
  • More than half of temp agency workers (53%) believe that this is the right kind of role for their current stage in life – an active choice.

“Britain’s temporary labour market is working well for people, firms and the modern economy – with about a million temps working every day. And its success at bringing and retaining people in the labour force is vital to the new government’s central mission of driving growth,” the REC said.

Key points of the Voice of the Worker campaign are:

  • Flexibility serves a social purpose – more than two-thirds of temps say that their work provides them with a greater work-life balance.
  • Britain’s labour market is a source of competitive strength, with workers having a wide range of permanent, temporary and contract-based options.

The REC will highlight video and written case studies of temporary workers, in a variety of sectors in the UK economy, in which they explain the reasons for wanting flexibility and the benefits of temp working.

REC CEO Neil Carberry said: “Flexibility at work is something to feel optimistic about. It is working for millions of people. Individual choice and employers’ need for a versatile workforce can be brought together to deliver better careers and higher productivity. As our new survey and video case studies show, flexibility is a vital bridge to work for people who need to balance caring responsibilities, work despite health issues, combine work and study, and upskill.

“Government needs to make sure new rules support temps and that means having a real understanding of their lives. Firms too should always ensure that they think of temporary workers as people to support and develop. Getting this right is crucial because our acute labour and skills shortages mean we need to fill record numbers of vacancies, with a mix of temporary and permanent jobs. And we can close productivity gaps by giving people more varied and developmental career paths.

He went on to say: “Good and lasting workforce changes that are effective for workers and businesses happen when employers and government work together to determine what works for everyone. We passionately hope our new campaign will help even more policymakers appreciate the opportunity temporary work brings, the benefits it offers and why it is life-changing in many ways.

“The new government has won a huge mandate to go for growth - and we are excited to be working with them to support that,” Carberry said, “but as our Voice of the Worker campaign shows, success in that mission rests primarily on getting the people stuff right in workplaces around the country.”

• For more on this story, see the Sep-Oct 2024 issue of Recruiter, out next week

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3 September 2024
Creative/Digital/Media, IT/Telecoms

NEW TO THE MARKET: 2-6 SEPTEMBER 2024

• Gi Group Ireland has opened a new office in Cork, Ireland, and plans to grow its workforce by 25-30% in the next 6-12 months, according to a company announcement. Gi Group recently acquired longstanding temporary and permanent staffing supplier Kelly Services Ireland, and so is marking its first phase of expansion with a new office facility for its Cork-based team. The new office will offer candidate testing rooms and private meeting rooms, with its location enabling easy access for local candidates.

• Holistica Consulting, led by expert Ayub Shaikh, has passed the 100-hour mark of video training content in the IT recruitment training sector. Holistica has successfully trained tens of thousands of clients globally, transforming how recruitment professionals engage with the ever-changing world of technology. The global business has trained consultants from the largest recruitment and consulting firms around the world, including Hays, Capita, PageGroup, Manpower and LA International.

• Jobilla, a European digital recruitment firm, has launched a new set of AI-powered recruitment tools designed to streamline the hiring process. These tools automate time-consuming tasks such as creating ads, landing page content, and email drafts, cutting campaign setup and running time by at least half. They also enhance candidate screening to identify the best profiles for open positions. A key feature of the platform is its localisation function, which produces native-level content in multiple languages, helping companies attract talent in new markets. Jobilla has also secured €6m (£5.05m) in funding to support further development of its AI-driven platform and expand its market presence in Europe.

27 August 2024
Recruitment Process Outsourcing, Commercial & office support, Industrial/Manufacturing

Two branches merge to create Kingdom People Manchester

The company says this strategic move “aims to enhance the provision of industrial and commercial recruitment and staffing solutions across the North-West”.

Experienced recruiter Scott Owen (above, right), who also oversees sales for Kingdom People Bolton, Rotherham and Lincolnshire, has been appointed sales director for the new Manchester branch to lead the firm’s ambitious growth plans.

Alex Thompson, operations director at Kingdom People, who oversees all operations, said that merging the two Manchester recruitment businesses was a logical step, following several key strategic acquisitions across the UK, and the consolidation “allows us to leverage our brand more effectively across the North West”.

Mike Rogers (above, left), chief operating officer of Kingdom People, welcomes the merger and Owen’s appointment: “Kingdom People Manchester is a key player in our branch network, which Alex and Scott will steer. The network now sits at five locations, with plans to increase to six or seven by the end of the year.”

According to Rogers, the network, supplemented by its managed services division, will deliver £70m of labour solutions across the UK, and “will exceed £100m soon”. 

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