Recruiter Eden Scott says it is set to break the £13m turnover barrier in its 20th anniversary year as the Scottish jobs market remains “buoyant” thanks to investment in energy and technology.
Edinburgh-founded Eden Scott was founded in 2003 by Michelle Lownie, Guy Martin, and Chris Logue and today has clients including Skyscanner, The Bank of New York and Glenmorangie.
Founding director and group CEO Ms Lownie says the company learned lessons from the impact of the 2008 recession and moved early into new industries including fintech and space exploration.
Now she says turnover is set to rise from £10.3m to £13.4m this financial year - up more than 30% - with pre-tax profits on track to rise 10% to £1m despite rising costs and global economic worries.
She said: “The Scottish jobs market remains extremely buoyant, and our growth over the past year or so shows the value companies place on effective talent acquisition.
“Sectors including energy, renewables, semiconductors, the space industry, and technology – particularly start-ups – are seeing significant investment and with that comes growth, and there is huge demand for talent to facilitate it.
“Our industry specialist teams are working closely with clients to identify where that talent comes from – from within those industries or outside; on these shores or from overseas – and attract them to Scotland through our programmes and initiatives such as (start-up programme) Talent Spark.
“We have a strong, people-focused approach to recruitment built on client and candidate relationships developed over years, not single projects or transactions, and the success of that approach is what continues to set Eden Scott apart.”
Ms Lownie said the company had learned from its experiences in 2008 and the Covid-19 pandemic and was well-placed for future growth.
She said: “The pandemic accelerated the evolution of the company. It taught us that volume is not always the key to success, and we are more focused and determined, and keep a sharp eye on day-to-day operations with eyes on the future.
“For example, in 2008 our biggest sector was construction, which virtually died overnight, and we had to adapt. Whilst it ultimately led to the birth of our renewables and energy division – now one of our most successful – I believe we were too slow to react.
“This time we have been far more agile, proactive, and forward thinking and identified sectors and industries likely to thrive and invested resources there. We are well aligned with industries that have to grow, for example through government-mandated sustainability targets.
“Spotting which industries are likely to be affected by an economic downturn early and making contact with consultants to cement those relationships has also been important to prevent competitors from moving in and putting us in a far better position to expand further.”
Now the group is focusing on sectors including tech and energy, and supporting start-ups through Talent Spark.
