Adecco expects improved hiring activity in France to help it achieve targeted “mid to high single” digit growth in 2015, according to the recruitment giant’s chief executive Patrick De Maeseneire.

The group’s Q4 and 2014 annual results, published this morning [11 March], reveals revenues increased 4% year-on-year to €5.17bn (£3.63bn), while earnings before interest, tax and amortisation (EBITA) was €272m.

For the full year, revenues grew 3% year-on-year to €20bn, while EBITA excluding restructuring costs was €965m.

In the UK & Ireland, revenues fell 2% to €524m, driven by a 2% decrease in revenues from the group’s IT recruitment division, its largest business line within professional staffing in the region.

For 2015, De Maeseneire told analysts the group’s operations in France, which accounted for 22% of 2014 revenues, will drive the company towards its target of “mid to high” single digit growth.

“If you look at the areas where the growth should come from, in France the market is turning flat from being negative in the fourth quarter. So gradually that will improve and that is of course an important portion of our business.

“We see that North America is holding up pretty well and holding up at the same levels we have had in the fourth quarter,” he added.

“We continue to see a pick-up in Italy. Italy was slowing down a bit. Being dependent on what is going on in the German economy, it was slowing down from 15% to 10% in the fourth quarter, but now we see it going back to similar levels in the first two months [of 2015].”

De Maeseneire added Adecco is also seeing a pick up in its business in Benelux, Iberia and Japan this quarter.

The group also announced the acquisition of Canadian career transition company Knightsbridge.

• Want to comment on this story? The Comment box is at the bottom of the page. Sorry for the glitch but just scroll right down and share your opinions!