Ep 14 – Nick Baxter: Building, Selling, and Scaling a Recruitment Powerhouse
Watch the Full Episode (50 mins)
Recruitment Transactions International (RTI) is the first global matching platform for buyers, investors, and sellers in the recruitment and staffing industry. Join RTI Managing Partner Simon Childs as he sits down with Nick Baxter, former CEO and now Chairman of the IN Group, for an unfiltered conversation spanning 24 years of recruitment leadership and transformation.
Nick shares his evolution from joining a nine-person startup to co-building Investigo into a £270-million, six-brand talent solutions powerhouse. He also reveals what convinced them about partnering with Career International, a trailblazer in the recruitment industry and one of China’s first to scale globally, and how it transformed their approach from organic growth to strategic acquisition.
Discover how the 2008 financial crisis became a surprising growth catalyst (08:20), why Nick’s team made the bold decision to hire 70+ people during the depths of COVID-19 (43:48), and how a single cold call led to a game-changing acquisition by China’s Career International (20:23, 22:22). Nick also opens up about the power of autonomy, transparent leadership, and the LTIP scheme that helped attract and retain top talent through three capital events.
Simon draws insightful parallels with his own cross-border M&A experience, making this episode essential listening for anyone navigating international investment or scaling a staffing business.
Key Talking Points:
00:02 — Introduction & personal background
02:33 — Nick’s career overview & early days in recruitment
08:20 — Investigo’s growth story & navigating the 2008 financial crisis
15:22 — Becoming CEO of the In Group
20:23 — The Career International cold call
22:22 — The pivotal 4-hour meeting with CI’s leadership
34:42 — Post-acquisition autonomy & cultural alignment
43:48 — COVID-19 strategy: holding nerve & bold hiring
46:42 — In Group today: £270m turnover, 6 brands, 13 offices
47:56 — Nick’s transition from CEO to Chairman
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