Irish recruitment group CPL expects to expand further into the UK in 2007, according to chief executive Anne Heraty.

CPL made its first foray into the UK market last spring with the acquisition of Tunbridge Wells-based recruiter Nursefinders for an undisclosed sum.

In Ireland, CPL operates in a variety of sectors including finance, healthcare, IT and telecoms, office, pharmaceutical and executive search. The company's managed services business manages call centres and administrative services on behalf of companies.

"Our expansion is already underway, so it's a continuation of a plan, not a new plan," Heraty said, referring to the Nursefinders acquisition. The continued expansion into the UK will be through "a combination of organic growth and acquisition", Heraty told Recruiter.

Among its plans for the UK are to expand its healthcare business and to move into the IT and finance sectors. CPL is already placing IT workers in the UK, she said.

Asked which geographic areas CPL was considering, Heraty said that "the quality of the business is more important than location".

The company last month reported record results for the year ending 30 June. CPL's profits before tax were £10.6m (£7.11m), up by an impressive 83% from the previous year's £5.8m (£3.89m). Its sales increased over the same period to £148m (£99.3m) from £105m (£70.4m), a rise of 41%.

Heraty is the first woman to hold the position of chief executive in a publicly quoted Irish company.