Recruitment Ventures, the Aberdeen-headquartered specialist recruitment group, has appointed a new managing director and operations director as it plans to double turnover to £20 million.
Highly experienced sector veteran Drew Alexander takes over the leadership role of the three-business group, which includes Granite Recruitment, Ingenii Resource and Omni Subsea.
It is part of the Doug Duguid and Michael Buchan owned I7V Renewables.
Drew has a 24-year track record in recruitment and prior to joining Recruitment Ventures was managing director of Cammach.
He will lead UK and international expansion of the brand with the objective of doubling current £10m annual revenues over the next five years.
‘Drive substantial revenue and growth’
As operations director Mila, previously European head of talent acquisition at a global food and beverage company, will support the ambitious growth strategy with her extensive experience in systems and financial management.
Doug, I7V Renewables chief executive, said Recruitment Ventures was entering a new phase in which it would add to its existing UK bases in Aberdeen and Great Yarmouth, while establishing a presence in mainland Europe and potentially North America.
He said: “Our vision for Recruitment Ventures is to internationalise the brand and its three component companies while growing revenues to circa £20m over subsequent years.
“Drew Alexander has an excellent reputation in the sector, is customer focussed, very strong on business development and is highly motivated to realise the full potential of the business.
“Ably supported by Mila Nickerson, we have no doubt the management team can open up international markets and drive substantial growth in headcount and revenue.”
Global energy sector reach
Recruitment Ventures’ reach extends across the global energy sector .
Granite Recruitment operates predominantly in offshore oil and gas personnel; Ingenii Resource in renewables, particularly wind and solar; and Omni Subsea mainly in the subsea and ROV space.
Drew said: “This is a great opportunity to take a well-established and respected Scottish business and to replicate its success in the UK energy sector across the major global energy hubs.
“Recruitment Ventures’ strength is that it sits astride the traditional hydrocarbon sector but is equally strong in the fast growing renewables environment, and that combined expertise is a strong foundation for significant growth in the coming years.”
Recruitment Ventures ‘strong position’
Granite Recruitment founders and Recruitment Ventures directors Craig and Laura Phillips have left the business to take up fresh opportunities after a period of managing sustained growth and increasing turnover.
Craig said: “After 10 years, we have decided we are ready to embark on a new challenge.
“We are proud that the group is currently in the strongest position it’s been in, and therefore the time feels right to hand the business over to our competent successors Drew and Mila.
“We look forward to seeing the group begin its next phase of growth by expanding on its ever-increasing international presence.”
Doug and Michael have led two very successful international businesses including EnerMech, which the duo grew into a global engineering services firm that was acquired by Carlyle Group in a £450m deal.
Previously, they led pipeline and well interventions specialist PSL which was acquired by Halliburton in 2007 in a £128m deal. They launched 17V in 2020.
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