Samuel Knight International, the global recruitment and project man-power specialist headquartered in Newcastle, has announced significant investment from Gresham House Ventures. Samuel Knight, which was established in 2014 and has offices in London and Bristol, provides skills and energy solutions to the energy and rail sectors on a permanent, contract and temporary basis.
The company has demonstrated impressive growth since its formation. Last year, it achieved £13m turnover and took home ‘Team of the Year’ at the Great British Entrepreneur awards. 2018 also saw Samuel Knight securing major new client contracts in more than 30 countries, boosting headcount and expanding the business to accommodate business growth.
The growth capital investment from Gresham House Ventures, using funds from the Baronsmead Venture Capital Trusts, will fund Samuel Knight’s near-term growth plans. These include increasing headcount at the offices in Bristol and London and adding local talent to the Newcastle team, from entry level graduates to experienced consultants. The company is also planning international expansion with the potential acquisition of two sites abroad.
The recruitment drive is geared up to support expansion across the energy and rail space given increasing demand from clients and candidates. Samuel Knight is focusing on achieving greater market share and boosting awareness of the brand through targeted marketing and business development. The investment will also allow Samuel Knight to further invest in technology to continue innovation within the business.
Steven Rawlingson, CEO at Samuel Knight said: “We have a clear vision of what we want to achieve with the investment, and how this will help us to support commercial goals. We are delighted to have secured the funding from Gresham House Ventures, who share in our ambition and vision to grow the business. The investment will enable us to strengthen our global offer, expansion plans and team growth.”
Paul Kaiser, Katy Lamb and Michael McCulloch from UNW LLP provided financial advice to Samuel Knight International.
Katy Lamb, Senior Corporate Finance Manager at UNW who led the transaction said: “Having worked with the business since late 2017, helping management prepare for the investment, we were delighted to advise on the finance raise and have enjoyed working with such a dynamic, fast-growing business. It’s also great to see investment into the North East.”
Steve Cordiner, Director at Gresham House said: “Steven and the Samuel Knight team have done a fantastic job in growing the business so rapidly in such a short time period and we are proud to be partnering with such an ambitious team. There is huge scope for Samuel Knight to expand globally and we look forward to supporting the business on this phase of its journey.”
Anthony Evans, Adam Rayner and Harry Hobson from Muckle LLP provided legal advice to Samuel Knight International.
Shoosmiths LLP provided legal advice to Gresham House and Dow Schofield Watts provided the financial due diligence.
The Gresham House Ventures team invests equity of up to £5m in growth businesses, supporting founders with bold ambitions for the future, whilst providing transformational capital and expertise to accelerate business potential.
Samuel Knight International on track to continue major growth following investment
Samuel Knight International, the global recruitment and project man-power specialist headquartered in Newcastle, has announced significant investment from Gresham House Ventures. Samuel Knight, which was established in 2014 and has offices in London and Bristol, provides skills and energy solutions to the energy and rail sectors on a permanent, contract and temporary basis. The company […]
Sign up to our quarterly newsletter to receive the latest and most relevant updates, interviews and opinions from finance’s leading lights.
Subscribe
View the latest issue of the Wealth & Finance digital magazine which features business profiles of leading industry insiders who are thriving in the finance and investment sector.
See Latest Issues
Bitcoin is known as the “gold standard” of cryptocurrency. Chances are you’ve heard of it but may not really understand its importance and growing relevance. In recent years, however, banks, governments and crucially divorce lawyers are beginning to take a much more forensic interest. And if you own bitcoin or have a spouse that does […]
As UK businesses enjoy a positive start to 2014, a leading international training organisation warns that growth could be severely curtailed for those that fail to address their immediate sales-base requirements.
Emerisque Brands, a specialist, growth-oriented private equity sponsor based in Mayfair, announced today that Steve Back has joined the firm as an Operating Partner.
George Osborne, the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, today announced that from April 2015 individuals will have the freedom to pass on their unused defined contribution pension to any nominated beneficiary when they die, rather than paying the 55% tax charge which currently applies to pensions passed on at death.
Despite soaring rents in city hotspots, rising business rates, and inflationary pressures, brick-and-mortar shopping in the UK is undoubtedly on the rebound, with more stores opening than closing in the pandemic years of 2020-21.
As an employer, you must consider various financial aspects to ensure that your hiring process is sustainable and beneficial in the long term. From salary and benefits to training and compliance costs, these financial considerations can significantly impact your company’s bottom line. This article explores the top eight financial considerations to evaluate before hiring new […]
Experian, the global information services group, published the findings of its “Dawn of the Chief Data Officer (CDO)” survey, confirming that an increasing number of organisations are waking up to the strategic value of data.
In current times, volatility in the markets can certainly have an impact on businesses, including their procurement strategies. In times of market instability, it can be more challenging for businesses to predict demand and anticipate changes in pricing for raw materials or other inputs.
More than 4.5 billion Bacs payments are made in the UK every year, representing roughly 90% of all regular monthly payments via direct debit transactions. But until now, this vital payment system was not secured by Confirmation of Payee (CoP), a payment verification service that Pay.UK first rolled out in 2020.
There has been a radical shift in client’s behaviour towards portfolio construction. No longer is there a requirement for costly active portfolios and instead, many would rather opt for passive low-cost investment products. With a range of advisors providing this offering, the market has become fiercely competitive.
