Ep 7 – Lugera’s Gerard Koolen: Meet the Maverick of Recruitment M&As
Recruitment Transactions International is the first global matching platform for buyers, investors, and sellers in the recruitment and staffing industry. Our seventh podcast comes out of the left field as RTI Managing Partner Simon Childs talks shop with the enigmatic entrepreneur, Gerard Koolen, Group Managing Partner of Lugera. In this episode, Gerard shares his experiences as an entrepreneur who has built a powerhouse portfolio of brands in a challenging region that includes Russia and Ukraine.
Gerard co-founded Lugera in 1996 in Trencin, Slovakia. The idea was to build a great staffing agency and help as many people as possible with better jobs. The company now has more than 400 employees across 33 offices in 11 countries. In addition to Ukraine, it is in the United Kingdom, Armenia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark in the Netherlands, Romania, Morocco, and Slovakia. In 2014, as part of the international expansion of Lugera, it acquired GIT in the Czech Republic, and at the end of 2016, Adecco Ukraine and Adecco Russia. In 2019, Adecco Morocco also joined the Lugera family.
Ep 6 – Enter the Dragon’s Den: Inside the Amazing World of Recruitment M&A Legend James Caan
Recruitment Transactions International is the first global matching platform for buyers, investors and sellers in the recruitment and staffing industry. For our sixth podcast and first for 2023, RTI Managing Partner Simon Childs speaks with former Dragon’s Den ‘Dragon’ James Caan on what worked, what could have been done differently through his legendary career in recruitment, staffing and outsourcing. He offers unique insights into the world of recruitment M&As from his vast experience as a founder, seller, buyer and investor.
Ep 5 – Banking on Recruitment M&As: The Entrepreneurial Journey of Shark Tank ‘Shark’ Andrew Banks
In our fifth podcast, RTI Managing Partner Simon Childs speaks with former Shark Tank ‘Shark’ Andrew Banks on his unique entrepreneurial journey, from his roots as a Shakespearean actor to his successful transition to recruiter, entrepreneur and investor par excellence.
Ep 4 – Recruitment M&As in Japan, making multiple exits and the pivot to HR Tech – with Nick Johnston
In our fourth podcast, RTI Managing Partner Simon Childs speaks with Nick Johnston on his remarkable journey of starting, building and selling a recruitment business in Japan, his pivot to recruitment and HR tech investing, and making a string of successful multiple exits along the way.
Ep 3 – Starting, growing and selling the first and largest search firm in China – with Louisa Wong
Recruitment Transactions International is the first global matching platform for buyers, investors and sellers in the recruitment and staffing industry. In our second podcast, RTI Director Simon Childs speaks with Louisa Wong on “Starting, growing and selling the first and largest search firm in China.”
Ep2 – Accelerating Strategic Growth through M&As with Peter Zukow
Peter is a business builder with an extraordinary track record of delivering results and positive outcomes for key stakeholders, including leveraging M&As to fast-track strategic growth. As an executive search leader with close to 30 years in the recruiting and staffing space, he is a trusted advisor to clients, colleagues, and business partners.
Ep1 – The Savage Truth Behind M&As in the Recruitment & Staffing Industry with Greg Savage
Greg is a 40-year recruitment veteran, founder of four highly successful businesses, and widely respected as a trusted advisor and respected voice across global recruitment on the subject of M&As in the industry given his first-hand experience in both the buyer and seller side of noteworthy transactions.