RSG, the long-established Bristol-based recruitment business, has brought its four core companies together under the same brand in a move that coincides with its annual turnover reaching the £500m mark for the first time.
Privately-owned group RSG (Resource Solutions Group), which was founded 40 years ago and includes the Sanderson, Resource Management, FirstPerson Executive and Intelligent Consulting businesses, is now operating under the Sanderson brand. 
Co-founders Keith Dawe and Mike Beesely still lead the business, which has gained a high profile in Bristol from its sponsorship links with Bristol City FC, where Mr Dawe was an investor and served as chairman for seven years. Both RSG and Sanderson have been the club’s main shirt sponsors.
Growth at the group – the UK’s biggest independent recruitment group – has been particularly strong over the past 10 years with annual turnover increasing more than fivefold from £100m in 2008 to £500m this year. Last year alone it soared by more than £130m to £426m.
It has also opened 10 offices stretching from Edinburgh and Glasgow to Southampton and Dublin to add to its Clifton Down headquarters.
In June it acquired Sopra-Steria’s UK recruitment business – now operated under the Intelligent Resource name – and in October it expanded its international reach with iKas International, a recruitment business based across the UK and Asia, with offices in Hong Kong, Singapore and Sydney.
The rebrand, which was carried out by Edinburgh-based brand agency Studio LR, brings together the 300 staff previously spread across its four companies as one team.
Sanderson said the new brand identity represented their shared ethos and ability to offer the best recruitment solutions from across the group.
Sanderson managing director Jon Ball, who joined the company as a trainee recruitment consultant 23 years ago, said the group’s strong growth over the past decade had brought with it certain complexities linked to running a recruitment business which hosts such a broad portfolio of brands and services.
“Although each part of the group has a different focus, our purpose remains the same – we’re built on collaboration and working in partnership with our clients to solve their recruitment challenges and business problems, whatever shape that solution takes,” he said.
“This is what differentiates us from other agencies. We’re not a contingent recruitment company – we have a diverse offer including outsourced recruitment and managed services for clients. This is why we’ve taken the strategic decision to rebrand as Sanderson, streamlining the client and candidate experience so that they can seamlessly access the breadth of experience and recruitment expertise from across the group.
“For our clients and candidates, it’s business as usual. Each of the companies have been part of the Sanderson family for years. Now we are reflecting our shared vision and passion by coming together under one name.”
Sanderson has a number of long-standing clients in sectors such as insurance, government and banking. The group’s expansion has taken it into new markets including outsourcing, executive recruitment and consulting in sectors such as financial services, IT, change management, government, defence and professional services.
The four core businesses brought under the new Sanderson brand are:
- The service currently known as Sanderson, specialising in IT, business change and professional services
- Resource Management, experts in the provision of RPO (Recruitment Process Outsourcing) and MSP (Managed Service Provider) solutions
- FirstPerson Executive, the research based executive search and headhunting arm of the group
- Intelligent Consulting, which specialises in interim resourcing solutions through the delivery of packaged teams and a full consultancy offering.
