News

HeadFirst Group climbs to second place in the Flexmarkt Turnover Ranking Top-100 2020, published this week, which lists the 100 largest flex companies in the Netherlands based on their revenue in 2019. Whereas last year we made the top 3 for the first time and were the biggest grower in the flex market, we reach a new milestone with the second spot. With a turnover of over 1 billion, we are proud to be the largest - and growing - intermediary and MSP service provider in the Benelux.

The Flexmarkt Turnover Ranking Top-100 is a prestigious list, which companies in the flex market look forward to every year. Mike Korenvaar, CFO at HeadFirst Group: "This list visualizes the giant steps we are taking as an organization. Last year we experienced organic growth of over EUR 100 million, a 13% increase over 2018. An unprecedented achievement in a year that, after two acquisitions, was partly marked by operational integration of working methods and locations in Utrecht, Rotterdam and Hoofddorp and the migration of the various IT systems. That makes me enormously proud."

Coronacrisis won't get hiring market down
Still, it is extraordinary to look back at 2019 figures when we are currently in the midst of the corona crisis. The economy is under considerable pressure, which naturally also has its impact on the hiring of flexible labor. Gert-Jan Schellingerhout, CEO at HeadFirst Group, explains his view: "We saw that the number of new hiring requests dropped rapidly in March. The pandemic also had its impact on the number of hours worked by the 12,000 professionals working for clients through us. However, we can say overall that the impact has been limited for us so far. The type of professional we mediate, mostly highly educated knowledge workers and often working in mission-critical processes in organizations, can perform their work at our clients largely remotely. And we have a good, healthy spread of clients in various industries, including many government organizations that have remained a stable hire."

These observations provide a slightly positive outlook. Schellingerhout: "Despite the corona pandemic and a number of uncertainties, we are continuing our growth and acquisition strategy. As we are, entrepreneurial and hard-working, we are pulling out all the stops to still make 2020 the celebration year we originally envisioned because of our 25th anniversary."

Source: flexmarkt.co.uk

About Flexmarkt Turnover Ranking Top-100
The Flexmarkt Turnover Ranking provides an overview of flex companies, from small to large, providing a variety of services in staffing and hiring. In addition to staffing agencies, it includes numerous payroll companies, as well as secondment companies, zzp intermediaries and MSP service providers. The Flexmarkt Turnover Ranking Top-100 is published annually by Flexmarkt in cooperation with Corporate Finance International (CFI). This leading ranking covers more than half of the total Dutch flex industry in terms of turnover and thus provides a clear, representative picture of developments in the market.

About HeadFirst Group
HeadFirst Group is market leader in the Benelux in the professional organization of external hiring. The organization offers a diversity of flex solutions, including contracting, payrolling, matchmaking, global sourcing, Managed Service Providing and business consultancy. Currently, more than 12,000 professionals work daily for over 200 clients in Europe, with which HeadFirst Group realizes an annual turnover of over 1 billion euros. Part of HeadFirst Group are the organizations HeadFirst, Myler, Staffing Management Services, Source, Pitch Payroll and Select.

For further information
Do you have any questions or comments in response to this message? Please contact Bart van der Geest, manager of marketing & communications at HeadFirst Group, at 023 - 568 56 30 or bart.vandergeest@headfirst.nl.

Suitcase filled with flex solutions symbolizes composition of HeadFirst Group

HeadFirst, Source, Myler and Staffing Management Services are united in HeadFirst Group. The composition of these companies enables HeadFirst Group to provide a solution for any hiring issue. The organization, which went off the Amsterdam stock exchange at the end of 2018, was still trading under the name HeadFirst Source Holding but the management now announces that it will continue as HeadFirst Group. With the aim of simplifying the name, but above all clarifying the story to clients.

Solution for every hiring issue
According to Gert-Jan Schellingerhout, CEO at HeadFirst Group, HeadFirst Group's strength lies in creating value by serving organizations across the board with flex services. "We see our group as a suitcase filled with solutions - such as contracting, payrolling, matchmaking, global sourcing, Managed Service Providing and business consultancy - with which we support and guide our clients in the journey to a professional hiring process for every hiring issue." Which solution is most appropriate depends on the organization and its needs. Schellingerhout: "Our business consultants use analyses and discussions with the client to determine what stage of hiring maturity an organization is in. Based on that, we recommend a type of service."

Label strategy remains spearhead
The organizations HeadFirst, Myler and Source have been united to benefit from synergy advantages, such as streamlining work processes, economies of scale and sharing expertise. Staffing MS remains an independent business unit within the group, anchoring its independence - which is essential as a Managed Service Provider. Staffing MS does use the strengths of the group.
HeadFirst Group is the umbrella brand above all the companies, offering the wide range of flex services to clients under one common name. Schellingerhout agrees that working from HeadFirst Group has advantages. He does stress that for the time being the label strategy will also be retained. "The various brands have a powerful name, to which our relations also have a strong connection. Therefore, we are not just saying goodbye to them."

International footprint
HeadFirst Group is also taking steps towards a leading role internationally. Schellingerhout: "Besides the Benelux, we are already active in Germany, Scandinavia, Switzerland and Italy, among others. We want to further expand our market share in Europe by convincing clients of our unique services, based on our extensive experience in the Benelux. A common name and common story contribute to this."

About HeadFirst Group
HeadFirst Group is market leader in the Benelux in the professional organization of external hiring. The organization offers a diversity of flex solutions, including contracting, payrolling, matchmaking, global sourcing, Managed Service Providing and business consultancy. Currently, approximately 9,500 professionals work daily for over two hundred clients in Europe, with which HeadFirst Group realizes an annual turnover of approximately 950 million euros. Part of HeadFirst Group are the companies HeadFirst, Myler, Staffing Management Services, Source, Pitch Payroll and Designated Professionals.