Ardent is the new name for national and international recruiter ECHM and Imprint Search and Selection which has offices in Leeds, Manchester and the Midlands.
 
The consultancy, which has its head office in Leeds and is headed by chief executive David Colgrave, was formed after a management buyout from Imprint plc in December last year.  Imprint acquired the business in 2005.
 
“Being part of a plc did not suit our organisation and we will now be looking to double in size over the next three years,” said Mr Colgrave, who led the MBO and had been in the business since 1993.   “We are a regional business delivering national and international solutions.”
 
Ardent’s two main areas of operation are a finance and accountancy recruitment business and an executive search practice with clients ranging from blue chip plcs to entrepreneurial small and medium sized companies.
 
“Since becoming private again our performance has boomed, having previously lost some of our character, identity and flexibility.  There is an excitement and energy about the business that speaks volumes for regaining our independence,” said Mr Colgrave.
 
Mr Colgrave said that in the current year Ardent wanted to cement its position as the premier regional recruiter while expanding its interim and temporary division and the creation of an outstanding Search product that would be better connected than other consultancies.