ATSCo leads groundbreaking recruitment delegation to the Gulf

Trade delegations to Brazil and Singapore to follow
Attended by over 20 senior recruitment executives
ATSCo members have won significant new business in fast growing Gulf markets just as the UK heads into a slowdown following the first ever UK recruitment trade delegation organised by the Association of Technology Staffing Companies (ATSCo).

The majority of UK recruitment companies travelling to the Gulf as part of the ATSCo delegation secured new business meetings with companies operating in the Middle East as a result of the trip, with a significant number winning contracts to supply staff even before returning to the UK Several ATSCo members attending the delegation are now planning to open offices in the region.

Over 20 ATSCo members attended the three-day trade delegation to Abu Dhabi and Qatar, which was organised in association with UK Trade and Investment, the Government-backed body which helps UK companies succeed in international markets.

Abu Dhabi and Qatar are forecast to experience astonishing economic growth in 2009. The two economies grew by 6% and 21.4% respectively.

The delegation was the first of what is planned to be a regular service provided to ATSCo members. Two further trade delegations are planned for 2009. Brazil and Singapore are the two destinations voted for by ATSCo members.

Ann Swain, Chief Executive, ATSCo, comments: ìThe delegation was a huge success and was massively over-subscribed. We expected about 10 senior recruitment executives would go, so to take over 20 greatly exceeded our expectations. The vast majority of delegates have made strong business links from the trip and a number have already won new business, so the returns have been immediate.î

ìItís no coincidence that the UK recruitment businesses that have posted the strongest results in recent months have reported strong performance from overseas divisions. At this moment some of the hottest economies in the World are in the Gulf, and they have huge shortages of skilled workers, so with the UK economy slowing now is the perfect time for UK staffing companies to move into these markets.î

She adds: ìWinning business overseas is not something you can do at arms length. You have to actually go to these markets and build trust. A trade delegation is the perfect forum for that. It would be prohibitively expense for many recruiters to gain a foothold in these markets without this service.î