Trio of employees completes MBO of Stirling-based recruiter Contract Scotland

Three long-standing employees of Stirling-based recruiter Contract Scotland – who all started at the firm as trainees – have completed a management buyout (MBO) from its founder.

John-Paul Toner, who has been with the company for 18 years, become the majority shareholder. Picture: contributed.

Directors John-Paul Toner, Julie Fleming and Alan Shave will now lead the technical and professional recruitment consultancy while Colin Woodward, who set up the firm in 1990, takes up an advisory role.

The trio behind the MBO has almost 50 years of collective experience at the company. Together, the leadership team will focus on continuing to build sustainable growth and creating career opportunities for its workforce.

With 25 employees and a current turnover of £14 million, the company recruits for positions from senior management to business support roles, placing people in permanent and temporary jobs for national and independent clients across Scotland.

The management buyout (MBO) is billed as securing “a strong future for the business, leaving it well-placed to take advantage of the opportunities that will arise as it emerges from the pandemic”.

The deal sees Mr Toner, who has been with the company for 18 years, become the majority shareholder, with both Ms Fleming and Mr Shave taking up directorships and acquiring notable shareholdings.

Mr Toner said: “Colin has built a successful and respected company over the last 30 years, which has redefined recruitment. Succession planning has always been high on the agenda and having developed my own career here and been part of the company’s journey, I’m excited and enormously proud to be part of the leadership team shaping its future.

“Together with Julie and Alan, our ambition is to build on the legacy Colin has created, and retain the values and ethics that the business was founded on that are an integral part of our culture.”

Mr Woodward added: “I’m delighted to be able to hand over the ownership of the business to the individuals that currently run it and have been doing so for the past couple of years, through some of the most turbulent times in our 30-year history.

“There are many exciting challenges and opportunities ahead, which John-Paul, Julie and Alan have the capability and experience to navigate.”

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