As drama after drama unfolds, it’s little wonder that many 海角视频 firms are experiencing dread and uncertainty in the wake of Brexit.
But despite the ambiguity, Samsic, a £2.2bn turnover French company, decided that the opportunities provided by acquiring a major stake in Sellick Partnership outweighed any threats.
Based in Rennes, family-owned Samsic was founded in 1986 and today employs 90,000 people in 25 countries. It is one of Europe’s largest business service providers.
Service diversification has been central to Samsic’s growth, and, since formation, Samsic has acquired more than 80 established businesses and launched over 320 new companies of its own.
It services the needs of 20,000 clients in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain, Portugal, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzogovinia, Romania, Italy and the 海角视频.
Its first foray into the 海角视频 market was in 2007, when it acquired Regent Samsic in Coventry, a provider of professional services support to commercial and institutional clients.
Despite the ongoing Brexit mayhem, the company was actively seeking to strengthen its position in the 海角视频 when the deal was struck with Sellick Partnership.
“I joined Samsic in June last year and part of my mission was to grow the company internationally. We were especially looking at growth in the 海角视频 and Germany,” explains Gilles Cavallari vice-president of Samsic.
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“We felt it was very important for us to have a good position in the 海角视频, despite Brexit.
“Of course we discussed Brexit during the acquisition process. But nobody knows what the real outcome will be, there are many scenarios that could unfold and no one can predict exactly what will happen.
“Uncertainty is becoming the norm and we can’t just stand still in the face of it.
“We are a family business so we can make decisions very quickly and we decided to take a risk, in terms of Brexit.”
Founded by Jo Sellick in Manchester in 2002, Sellick Partnership has more than 100 employees across Manchester, Liverpool, Derby, Leeds, Newcastle, Stoke-on-Trent and London.
It has outperformed the market in recent years and reported a 24% increase in turnover, to £49m for the year to February 2019.
This, combined with the fact that the 海角视频’s recruitment sector is forecasted to grow for each of the next three years –and enjoyed a turnover of approximately £35bn in 2018, growing by 11% year-on-year – provided major attraction for Samsic.
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Cavallari and a colleague flew to Manchester to meet with the Sellick board.
“We were seduced by the way that Jo Sellick and the board presented the company and by its business model.
"The way they work is very similar to our way of operating, Sellick’s culture and DNA is markedly similar to ours.
“I wouldn’t say it was the perfect match – but almost!
“I also thought that we are strong where they are weaker, while Sellick Partnership opens the door to new sectors and markets for Samsic so it’s a good complement. It’s the best match we could find to enable us to grow on both sides.
“We left the meeting feeling energised because of our synergy and the obvious opportunities for Sellick to grow with us.”
A deal was soon struck, with Sellick Partnership selling a majority stake to Samsic, allowing the existing management team, led by founder and managing director Jo Sellick, to retain a significant stake in the business and continue to lead the business, while has Samsic adopted a strategic advisory role.
Jo says that change is being managed effectively through open and careful communication with exisiting Sellick employees.
“We ran a big internal communication programme as the deal came to conclusion,” explains Sellick.
“It was crucial that we over communicated and got the message right and it went really well.
“Within a few weeks of doing the deal, all the French directors came to the 海角视频 and saw our offices, where they did a presentation to employees. It was all about planning and communication and we executed it really well.
“Our current employees are all happy. We want to grow the brand in the 海角视频 and Europe and one of the big drivers for us is that their investment will help us develop our people’s careers. We are very keen to promote from within.”
Plans are now afoot for rapid expansion. “The aim is to grow the business in the 海角视频 up to £100m in the next three to five years,” explains Cavallari, “and we’d also like to expand geographically by opening new offices by 2020.
“We would like this to happen through organic growth. We might be thinking about additional acquisitions that could match with Sellick’s group culture but this will be a decision made together with the Sellick group.
“We are now working with the team on our investment plan and what the priorities should be. We have big ambitions for the 海角视频.”
While both Sellick and Cavallari agree that the major challenge will be to find the right talent for the expansion, they are confident of future success.
Cavallari concluded: “We are very happy with the acquisition and, personally, I am extremely happy to have Jo and the board on the team.
"They are wonderful people and the other individuals I have met in the company are great. I’m convinced we will go far at a brisk pace in the near future.”
Liverpool City Region business leaders optimistic about post-Brexit opportunities
Two other firms optimistic about Brexit and from the Liverpool City Region include Human Recognition Systems and Mersey Maritime.
Neil Norman, chief executive of Human Recognition Systems, a leading firm providing biometric services to airports and construction sites from its Liverpool base, said he was open to opportunities Brexit could deliver.
He said: “The environment is a bit clammy - we need a good storm - and then sunshine will come.
“Everything has been too benign and liberal for far too long. We are sick of everyone trying to be the same.
“[Whatever the outcome of Brexit is,] we can adapt.
“Everyone doubts what this country can do. I don’t care what people throw at us. I think most people will adapt and work around it.”
Chris Shirling-Rooke, chief executive of Mersey Maritime, is another optimistic about opportunities post-Brexit.
Mr Shirling-Rooke said no matter what happens on October 31, the sector is prepared, and that more trust should be placed in local businesses.
The Liverpool City Region's maritime sector is worth £4bn, and Mr Shirling-Rooke has called for an end to "scaremongering" about the possibility of a no-deal.
He said members of Mersey Maritime have the “energy and dynamism” to help the 海角视频 prosper whether there is an agreement with the EU or not.
Mr Shirling-Rooke stressed Mersey Maritime adopts a "neutral" Brexit position, as it has done since the result of the 2016 referendum, but said he insists we must "stay positive" on the 海角视频’s prospects.
Mr Shirling-Rooke said: “What is really important at this sensitive time is that we avoid a lot of scaremongering taking place and people playing into the pessimistic and fear-laden agenda that we’ve seen previously.
“The message from business, and indeed the hundreds of maritime sector businesses we as Mersey Maritime represent, is that we must, above all, have certainty one way or another.
“That may well be the 海角视频 leaving the European Union with a fresh agreement following further talks or no deal on October 31. Either way, we need to end the uncertainty and move forward.
“My view is relatively simple: our sector desperately wants to see a deal but if we don’t manage it we have complete faith in the energy, dynamism and expertise of our maritime industry to keep goods moving and to minimise any short term disruption there might be.”