Pictured above: Colin Birchall has been appointed CEO
of Employment Service Holdings (ESH) Group
One of the world's leading providers of welfare to work,
training and recruitment services has announced the appointment of
a new group CEO.
West Midlands-based businessman Colin Birchall has been
appointed CEO of Employment Services Holdings Group (ESH). ESH has
a turnover of £150 million and holds contracts both in the UK
and Australia to tackle unemployment and social exclusion.
The global business includes Birmingham-based Pertemps People
Development Group (PPDG), which was acquired by ESH in September
2008 and has an annual turnover of £40 million.
ESH board chairman Greg Smith said he was delighted with the
appointment and that he was confident that Colin was the ideal
choice to take ESH forward into the next decade.
"As the founder and CEO of our UK operation, Colin has
successfully led Pertemps People Development Group for the past 13
years," he said. "The organisation has a growing reputation in the
industry for delivering business excellence for the benefit of
local communities and broader society through a highly competent
and engaged workforce.
"This appointment will enable the ESH Group to develop from a
strong platform and will undoubtedly have a positive impact upon
our ability to secure additional contracts in the future."
The move comes at a time when PPDG is tendering for the
opportunity to deliver new contracts on behalf of the Department
for Work & Pensions and the Ministry of Justice.
In Australia, ESH merged IPC Employment, PVS Workfind and IPA
Personnel to create a national group which is now the largest
private employment services provider in the country.
Commenting on his appointment, Colin Birchall said: "There are
opportunities and challenges that lie ahead for ESH both here and
in Australia. In the UK, the group is excited about the new
coalition government's welfare reforms represented by the proposed
Work Programme. We are up for the challenge and are fully committed
to work alongside the government to ensure value for money
delivery. In Australia, welfare reform and opportunities for
unemployed people are high on the politic and recently published
outstanding star ratings reveal ESH to be the highest performer for
organisations that have five or more locations.
"There is incredible potential for us to grow on both sides of
the globe and I am proud to be given the responsibility of leading
the group during this exciting phase of its development."
In the UK, PPDG works in partnership with Jobcentre Plus and
other organisations, to deliver employment and training initiatives
including Flexible New Deal, Employment Zone, Lone Parent
mentoring, and Learndirect training programmes. More than 100,000
job seekers have been helped into sustained employment by the
company since the projects began. It has trained 130,000 people in
vocational skills, and over 175,000 people have benefitted from
professional information, advice and guidance services.