November 2013

RECRUITMENT INTERNATIONAL

Ri

25 www.recruitment-international.co.uk RI-November2013

coverstory

ByRecruitmentInternational

What’sDrivingDarwin?

Vibrant, driven and keen to make an impact, the board at Darwin Recruitment explains why developing the ideal staffing dynamic is a key part of their growing expansion.

Emerging from what they admit has been a period of lowexposure, Darwin are keen to focus on expansion anddevelopingawarenessoftheirbrand,thecomponentsofwhich,diversity,excitementandinnovation,tonamethree,underpinthecompany’sgrowthstrategy.

The Fast Track business specialises in the European IT andTelecoms sector and is performing notably well. Over thelast 3 years robust growth has been achievedwith 2013 netfee income growing by over 20%, client growth of 31% andemployees growth at 47% against 2012. Impressive by anystandard!

Thecompany’ssuccesshasn’tgoneunrecognised.TheywereawardedTop250statusbyRecruitmentInternational,reached75thpositioninTheJobCrowd’s2013/14graduatesurvey,‘TheTop100CompaniesToWorkFor’andrankednumberteninthe‘Top42BestTradingPartners’listinthePlimsollITRecruitment

IndustryAnalysis2012.

Co-founders Paul Kirby and Daniel Mulholland, 36 and 37respectively,establishedDarwinin2001.ChiefExecutiveOfficerKirbyhadanimpressivehistoryinsalestouseasleverageforthe startup, while Chief Development Officer Mulhollandhad previous experience in a Fast Track 100 international ITrecruitmentbusiness.

Most recruitment companies aspire to go global, butDarwinstandoutinthattheyalreadytradeinScandinavia,DACHandtheBenelux regions,andalreadyhavebusinesses setupandlocatedintheNetherlandsandinSwitzerland.WhatsetsthemapartisthattheirheadofficeintheUK,whichistheonlyplacetheydonothaveanybusiness! That’ssettochangethough,Kirbysays,“We’relookingataUKbusinessaspartoftheoverallstrategy,whichiswhyinthenextsixmonthstheteamwillmovetoanew,vibrantandbuzzingoffice,withincreasedcapacityfor150people.”

Expansion strategyKirbyisnaturallyexcitedasherevealsanewstrategyisintheprocessofbeing launched, stating theywould like toexpand

The Darwin Recruitment board L-R: Chris Southgate, Alf Davis, Paul Kirby, Miles Hunt, Daniel Mulholland, Simon Lawton

ByRecruitmentInternational

coverstory

threefold in the next three to five years, ideally hoping toachievea50%growthannually,forthenextthreeyears.Darwinaims to be a recognised European specialist in applicationdevelopment,cloudcomputingandTelcostaffing.

Supportedbyanestablishedseniormanagementteamandsixboardmembers(includingKirbyandMulholland),Darwinisinaprimepositiontocarryoutitsexpansionstrategy.The110-strongworkforce has recently benefited from the appointment ofanewboard tohelpguide it through its crucialgrowthplan.MilesHunt,vastlyexperiencedinglobalexpansionandthenewnon-executive Chairman, has personally invested in Darwin

recognisingitspotentialandhavingfaithinitsgrowthstrategy.Allcompellingreasonsforjoiningtheboard.Hesays,“Focussingon the 3 core sectors of cloud, applicationdevelopment andtelco, inveryspecificgeographies, Icanonlyforeseethatthemarket’sgoingtobesupportiveofourgrowth.”

SimonLawton,non-executiveFinanceDirector,alsojoinswitha largeamountof expansionexperience.He is currentlyCFOboard advisor to 5 SMEs and holds 4 non-executive directorposts.

AlfDavis,isthenewChiefOperatingOfficer.Hespent13yearswithModisInternational,bothpreandpostitsacquisitionandintegrationintotheAdeccoGroupandhasbeenadirectorofEuropeanstaffingcompaniessince2004.

An office in Germany is expected to openwithin the next 6monthsandofficesinNorway,SwedenandDenmarkarealsoon the cards. Plans to explore the viability of doing businessinEasternEuropearealsounderway,withtheknowledgethattheregionoffersalargesupplyofskilledandasyetuntappedlabour.

Mulholland explains, “We want to send out a message thatwe’regrowing,notjustgeographically,butinrespectofbuttheway inwhichwe trade.We’vehistoricallybeena360degreespotbusiness.Nowweareevolvingakickoutbusinesstoservecustomers on a larger scale.We’ve grown30% year on year,andwefullybelievewecanacceleratethatnowwithouraddedexpertiseandinvestmentto50%.”Afurtherconsiderationanda mouth-watering proposition to factor in is that while thecompany has so far grown organically it is now consideringacquisitionsasanoption.

The staffing battle Thebiggestchallenge,Darwin’sboardagrees, issourcingandattractingqualitystaff.Facingaclimateofplentifulworkinthebooming ITsector,there isanotableshortageoftalenttofillthese positions. Kirby says, “The nature of the challenge ofgrowing internationallyworking acrossborderswithdifferentprocesses and behaviours, requires finding peoplewho haveaninternationalmindsetandarecapableofgrowingwiththebusiness.Weknowthere’saveryshortsupplyofpeoplewiththat capability and potential. That’s going to be our biggestchallenge–nodoubtaboutit.”

Recruiting,andkeeping,skilledworkersisatoppriority,Darwinestimate that staff attrition is approximately 20%, which isaround50%better than theaverage staffing company. “The

What’sDrivingDarwin?

Paul Kirby above and Daniel Mulholland below.

staffpoolisprimarilymadeupofgraduates,whichhasbeenapositiveandconsciousdecision”.Kirbysays,“Peoplecomingincanseethatthisisalivelycultureandenvironment.We’renotpromotingonlengthofservice,we’repromotingoncapabilityandsuccesswithinthecompanyandIthinkthat’sveryexciting.”Both Kirby and Mulholland have actively liaised with localschoolsanduniversitiestoruncoursesandworkprogrammesand the company has successfully run internship and workexperienceprogrammesforthepasttwoyearsbothintheUKandAmsterdam.

A unique brandDarwinwantstobemorefocusedinitsemployeebrandingandDavisstressesthatplacingimportanceoncultureandinternalbranding is,“Quiterarenowintherecruitmentsector. Morecommonly companies feelanoverwhelmingneed tobecomeoverlycorporate.Whilstwestronglyfocusonprofessionalism,this should only add to as opposed to detracting from thecultureofanentrepreneurialcompany.”

Supportingtheentrepreneurialethosofthecompany,grassrootsdevelopment is welcomed and employees are encouragedto share ideas asmanagerial staffaim tobeapproachable inordertofosterbottom-updevelopment.Mulhollandenthuses,“Weencouragegrassroots ideas,andthat’srecognisedacrossthe business, we want people to feel they can approachmanagementtodiscussideas.”

Thecompanysupportsindividualism,butequallyplacesmuchimportance on teamwork. Knowing how to deliver customerservice fromtheoffset isessential,as isbeingproactive.Thecompany is known internally for its fun but focussed workethic, offering regular benefits as gym membership and anactivesocialagenda,alongsidetheopportunity fortravelandarangeofincentivessuchasholidaysfortopperformers.Kirby,MulhollandandDavishaveinfactrecentlyreturnedfromatripto Barcelona with a selection of sales staff. Corporate socialresponsibility isn’t left by thewayside either and employeesfollowa strictenvironmentalpolicy,while staff regularly takepartinandorganisecharityfundraisingevents.

Investing in staffAlongside recruiting dynamic professionals, Darwin strives tohonetheprofessionaldevelopmentofitsstaffthroughoutthedurationoftheirservice.Kirbystates,“Wespendanawfullotonemployeedevelopment.Theemphasisweplaceontraininginthefirst5yearsofasalesconsultant’scareerisquiterare.Weendeavourtoavoidtheregurgitatingsalesprocess.Wetrytomakethetrainingabitmoreinterestinginthesensethatoncethey’vegot to theendof twoyears theygoonanadvanceddevelopment programme which focuses on commercialskills.Ouraspiration is tomakethemmorerounded intermsof commercial business people, as opposed to being ‘justrecruiters’.Webelieve that after two years theywillwant tostarttogothroughaprogrammeofpersonaldevelopment.”

Kirbybelievesthedecisiontoofferlongtermstaffinvestmentthrough training is definitely one of the reasons why staff

Alf Davis

Chris Southgate

“We want to send out a message that we’re growing, not just

geographically, but in respect of but the way in which we trade.”

28 RI-November2013 www.recruitment-international.co.uk

publisherBroadbandTVNewsafewweeksago.Thisincludesproviding information on the ‘movers and shakers’ in themarketandevents,aswellashelpingtoincreasereadershipinexchangeforuseofajobboard.HebelievesitisthefirstdealofitskindfortheITrecruitmentindustry.

Whenposedwiththequestion,whatmakesDarwinstandoutfromthecrowd,Kirbysayshebelievesitisthecombinationoftheidentity,cultureandtrainingofthecompany,adding,“Thethreemarketsthatwe’reinandwherewe’retradingmakeusfairlyunique.TherearealotofgeneralistITproviderstryingtocovereverythingacrossawholerangeofdifferentterritories.We’ve adopted the approach that you have to be focussed;you’vegottohaveaclearidentityaboutwhoyouareandwhatyou’reofferingandtowho.”

“It gives our customers ease of understanding of what weactually do. It allows us to create very defined markets innichesthatreallydoaddvaluetoourclients.Wefirmlybelievethatwith theway that recruitment is nowmoving, includingthe use of Linkedin and social media, if we just serve thegeneral population,wewill struggle to add realmeasureableand recognisable value.”You’vegot tobeable togive clientssomething they can’t get on the open market and that’ssomethingwe are trying tomake certain of.We believe thekeywordisclarityandtogetclarityyouneedtoinvestineverysense.SoIthinkthat’swhat’smakesusunique. Idon’tthinkthereareverymanybusinessesdoingthatinourmarket.

Given their lowprofile itmaywell be that the nameDarwinRecruitment has so far slipped under your radar? The newboard are hopeful that once you have seen their impressivetrack record and been privy to their tremendously excitingfutureplansthattalentedandambitiousrecruiterswillbeopento the potential the company offers. “We are all incrediblymotivated and enthusiastic about our journey ahead andwewant to share this not only with our clients and candidatesbutwithourcurrentemployeesandnewrecruits”,concludesKirby.

To be a part of the exciting Darwin revolution email careers@darwinrecruitment.com or call the careers team on +44 1 277 637970

coverstory

ByRecruitmentInternational

One world. One future.

Bond International Softwarewww.bondinternationalsoftware.com

Specialist staffi ng software

Global VisionConnecting people and processes everywhere.

Chosen by the world’s leading recruitment organisations for its multi-lingual and multi-cultural capabilities, Adapt enables global businesses to connect their offi ces andstreamline operations via an intuitive cloud platform – revolutionising the world of recruitment.

Feature rich specialist recruitment software, Bond Adapt, is 100% confi gurable and fully scalable for effective global deployment. By managing the entire placement cycle, Adapt improves productivity, providing global organisations with the right tools to maximise their business performance.

Contact us to fi nd out how Bond Adapt can transform your business.

T +44 (0) 1903 707070 E sales@bond.co.ukwww.bondadapt.com

We wanted the ability to defi ne best practice through one global process but retain the fl exibility to adjust for local functionality and data requirements. We chose Bond because they had

the ability to confi gure and integrate to our other systems and to scale to our size

with their Adapt platform. We are now seeing benefi ts of our investment where we

have deployed. As we continue the further rollout, I expect to see extensive cost

savings and productivity improvements over additional deployments.

Hays is a global business operating across 33 countries and communication between

our 8,000 consultants, candidates and clients via the internet is a key business issue.

The latest Adapt system brings us multi-lingual capabilities, sophisticated integration options, and social media enablement combined with scalability through a web-based

delivery model. This provides a platform to enable business options that historically

could never be imagined, let alone realised…

Steve Weston |Group Technology Director | Hays, 2012

Jonas Prising | President ManpowerGroup Americas

IR Bond Adapt testimonial ad JAN_2013_v1.indd 1 11/01/2013 17:22

What’sDrivingDarwin?

retention is higher than the average recruitment company.“Itwasdefinitelyan importantdriver,wewere losinga lotofpeopleinthatwindowof2-5yearsandasabusinessthatwaswhen theywere becoming profitable.Wewanted to try andmakesureweheldontoasmanypeopleaswecould.Wedidthisbytryingtoeliminateourpeoplefeelingliketheonlythingtheycoulddotodochangetheircareerpathwastofindsomenew wallpaper. Giving them a more advanced developmentprogramme helps.” Mulholland added, “There’s lots of wayspeoplecanexperiencesuccess.”

Like any other recruitment company, Darwin has embracedsocialmedia.“Youcan’tgetawayfromit”,Kirbyjokes.Infacttheywereamongthefirstcompaniestotest-driveLinkedInandcurrentlyprovideallconsultantswithbusinesssubscriptions.

Toboost the choiceof quality applicants thatDarwinplaces,Davis explains thatDarwin confirmed a dealwith broadband

Simon Lawton

Miles Hunt