Robert Half Finance and Accounting move into Cardiff

The worldís first and largest recruitment consultancy, specialising in the placement of accounting and finance professionals, has opened a new branch in Cardiff

Robert Half Finance& Accounting is a division of Robert Half International, founded in the US in 1948 and which now has more than 330 branch offices across North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Robert Half International achieved a turnover of over two billion US dollars in 2004 and regularly appears in Forbes magazineís list of Americaís most admired companies.

The groupís UK arm is taking over some 3,000 sq.ft. of office space in Cardiffís Fitzalan Court - where it plans to employ 20 staff within the Robert Half Finance & Accounting division.

Victoria Sprott, Manager for Robert Half Finance & Accounting, said: We feel that Cardiff has become an important centre for the accounting and finance professions and a city in which we needed a presence. We have provided services to a range of clients in South Wales from offices outside Wales but weíve reached the stage when we clearly needed to be here. We also believe that we can contribute to the regionís continued growth.

Recruiting the right staff with the right skill set is a challenge to many businesses. We have the unique experience and expertise to help clients to meet this challenge by locating and delivering the best qualified and most motivated candidates to take their business forward.

Welsh Assembly Government Minister for Economic Development and Transport Andrew Davies, said: This is great news for Cardiff and is further proof that the Cityís reputation as the location of choice for companies in the financial services industry is growing.

A spokesman for the Welsh Development Agency, which assisted the company to find a base in Cardiff added: Robert Half has identified Cardiff and the region as an area of significant potential growth in financial services and shared services. Their investment in Cardiff is a tangible vote of confidence these sectors and in the regional economy in general.

According to latest figures, the financial services sector alone now employs some 28,000 people in Wales - and the sector generates 5% of Welsh GDP.

Since the early 1990s, a range of UK and global banking, finance and insurance groups have established or expanded operations in Wales. These include HBOS, Lloyds TSB, Zurich, GMAC, GE and Legal& General.