By ADAM GIFFORD
IT recruitment specialist Wilson White Associates has bought Wellington-based Paxus People New Zealand from Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC).
Managing director Douglas White said the acquisition boosted Wilson White's Wellington staff from six to 10, and gave it significant opportunities and access to a number of blue-chip customers.
"Paxus People is
heavily involved in the contracting market and we picked up those contracts," Mr White said.
Supplying contract staff now accounted for about a third of Wilson White's business, but he said the company intended to increase that to 50 per cent by the end of the year.
"In the past recruitment companies never got involved in contracting, but we're following the market - people don't like taking on full-time staff.
"If they've got a project they bring on people to do the job, then ship them out again."
Paxus People came on the market because CSC did not consider recruitment a core business. Mr White said there was keen bidding from at least three other recruitment companies.
"We paid what we considered a market price and both parties are happy."
He said the fact his firm's Wellington office head, Grahame Bilby, was a former general manager of Paxus People meant "there was a synergy between CSC and Wilson White".
Meanwhile, the world's largest recruitment and staffing firm, Manpower, has bought London-based information technology Elan Group for $US145 million ($278 million).
Manpower planned to merge its IT staffing operations across Europe under the Elan brand.
Chris Lewis, Auckland manager of Manpower Services said the move showed the company's commitment to IT recruitment, which already accounted for about a third of its business.
"It sets the stage for other things to happen," Mr Lewis said.
He said Manpower already has considerable experience assisting New Zealanders who want work in Britain and Europe.
"This should improve our capacity to assist the globalisation of those candidates."
And in Wellington, consultant Laurie MacPherson has left Recruitment Knowledge to form his own company.
He said it would attempt to form strong relationships with a small number of clients, rather than create a large client base.
