YEAR OF GROWTH: Paul Rayner, Oakstone International Chief Executive Officer, whose Poole-based Software and FinTech executive recruitment consultancy has increased its number of clients by 135 per cent in 2022.

Growing global software and fintech executive recruitment consultancy Oakstone International has seen a 135 per cent increase in new clients during 2022.

The long-established business also reports increased global hires for clients by 35 per cent year-on-year.

Oakstone has secured an average 15.3 per cent increase in salaries for candidates in the SaaS (software as a service) and FinTech (financial technology) sectors.

And the consultancy is predicting business growth of between 15 and 20 percent in 2023.

Headquartered in Poole, Dorset, Oakstone International is an executive search firm based in the UK delivering recruitment solutions to SaaS, Fintech and Technology companies globally.

Chief Executive Officer Paul Rayner, who founded the firm in in 1995, put the dramatic increase down to a strategic growth and business development initiative.

He said: “Our directors and consultants have had more of a focus on partnering with companies they truly believe they can assist and help grow.

“Oakstone has made more executive leadership placements that in any other year. We’re prioritising helping companies make key hires to drive success.

“We are then helping these key hires expand their teams further by assisting hiring teams globally – and it is certainly working, judging by the amount of repeat business we achieve.”

Oakstone’s revenue growth trajectory, between 10 and 20 per cent a year, has continued, enabling internal investment with the firm’s team increasing to 30 specialists during 2022.

Paul added: “There are undoubtedly challenges ahead – the war in Ukraine, Brexit, the post-pandemic world and the financial downturn are all taking a toll – with some tech companies laying off employees.

“However, tech continues to drive growth across all areas of business and, although some expectations will need to be restated, it is most likely that tech will be the leading industry coming out of the downturn.

“It is also the case that while there may be more talent on the market, companies are still having to pay more to keep the top talent from their competitors. The hiring hasn’t disappeared, even though the economy is on a downturn.”

“The outlook for 2023 remains positive in our sectors despite the general economic challenges facing many economies. Employment in general is strong with the labour market in the UK increasing by over 107,000 in October 22, reaching a record of 29.9 million people employed and this is not restricted to the UK.

“Given that we work in predominantly high growth industries that must grow to maintain and grow market share or not survive, I see that whilst the dramatic growth we have seen over the last two years may not be maintained, most companies in our sector will need to continue growing, and therefore require our services.

“I expect to see our growth percentage reduced slightly during 2023, but I plan to grow by between 15 per cent and 20 per cent against 2022.”

Oakstone is based in Poole, with another office in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, where the business was first established.

The consultancy opened an office in Chicago in 2022, headed by Arran Campbell, Managing Consultant North America, to better serve its many clients and candidates in the USA.

Oakstone also supports the charity One Tree Planted to help reforestation efforts across the world with 530 trees planted, linked to placements, since July 2022.