Recruitment industry duo raise the bar in executive search with new company launch

A pair of recruitment specialists have launched a new business aimed at delivering appointments for high growth and private equity-backed businesses.

BlairWest was established by Newcastle recruitment leaders David Blair and Simon West. In a bid to attract and retain the best people, the firm has made a significant portion of equity in the company available to the management team with the aim of raising the bar for client experiences in the sector.

David has a background in corporate finance and VCT investment and was previously managing director at another regional recruitment agency, while Simon, having previously held senior positions at NRG and Nigel Wright, ran his own ran his own successful independent search firm.

Having launched in January, the company has already completed six months of trading, operating from its Newcastle base.

Offering a ‘fresh and innovative’ approach to recruitment, BlairWest has been supported with advice from independent North East law firm Muckle LLP.

Simon said: “Having delivered executive search mandates for regional, national and private equity backed clients, as well as running our own independent businesses, David and I understand how to position senior roles and appreciate what attributes candidates need to excel at board level.

“We will spend the majority of our time in the market, meeting businesses and their leadership teams, while also concentrating on growing a team of highly skilled consultants that embody our vision and values.”

David added: “It can be difficult to differentiate a service like recruitment, especially in such a crowded marketplace, but it’s what we do behind the scenes – the genuine passion we have for every single client, our strong company values and our commitment to professionalism and transparency - that is different.

“Our sector is all about understanding what motivates people, which is why we have put a longer term incentive plan in place to attract, retain and reward the best recruitment professionals in the market, empowering them to build lasting relationships with clients, understand their needs and add value to their businesses.”