FINANCIALS: First Call and Robert Walters profiting in UK

Permanent and temporary recruiter First Call Contract Services grew significantly in 2012, while the third quarter of 2013 also saw a good performance from publically listed professional recruiter Robert Walters, with the UK division a top performer.
Tue, 8 Oct 2013Permanent and temporary recruiter First Call Contract Services grew significantly in 2012, while the third quarter of 2013 also saw a good performance from publically listed professional recruiter Robert Walters, with the UK division a top performer.

First Call Contract Services
Last year [2012] saw First Call increase turnover by a quarter from £21.9m to £27.7m, while profit for the year rose by 50%, according to results obtained by recruiter.co.uk at Companies House.

Net fee income (NFI) of £4.6m compares with £3.5m in the previous year, while bottom-line profit was up from £538k to £757k.

All turnover was generated in the UK.

The year saw the company increase its staff from 37 to 47, and the directors “look forward to a healthy profit in 2013”.

Robert Walters
The UK operation of the firm was the strongest of the recruiter's three established divisions for the fifth quarter running.

NFI in the UK rose 21% versus Q3 2012 to £15.8m, and now represents well over a quarter of the group. The embryonic ‘Other International’ section, comprising the US, South Africa, Brazil and the Middle East, now represents 4% of the group NFI of £51.9m, after growing by 19% in the quarter.

While the firm’s APAC division saw NFI drop by 1% to £23.7m, this actually accounted for a 7% rise when adjusted for currency fluctuations.

The opposite story was seen in Europe, where 8% growth was actually no change when currency is taken into account.

The UK growth was underpinned by “excellent growth in [recruitment process outsourcing division] Resource Solutions and the regions in particular”. The firm set up a new legal recruitment team in Manchester last month.

The year to 30 June also saw fellow professional recruitment group Hays return to profit in the UK.

APPOINTMENTS: 14-18 APRIL 2025

This week’s appointments include: Eventus Recruitment Group, Matrix, SPG Resourcing

People 14 April 2025

CONTRACTS & DEALS: 14-18 APRIL 2025

This week’s new contracts & deals include: Greene King, Insights, Workday

Contracts 14 April 2025

NEW TO THE MARKET: 14-18 APRIL 2025

This week’s new launches include: Busy Bee Recruitment, Deel

New to Market 14 April 2025

Cheshire-headquartered Gap Personnel acquired by Rcapital

Cheshire-headquartered recruitment agency Gap Personnel has been acquired by Rcapital in a corporate carve-out.

Contracts 14 April 2025
Top