ISL celebrates 10-year anniversary with record turnover

A Bristol recruitment firm set up in 2007 by a 30-yr-old who was fed-up with the way the industry treated its workforce has celebrated its 10th anniversary with a record turnover.

ISL Recruitment, based in Baldwin Street, was founded by recruiter Henry Keeys and recorded a turnover of ￡3.1m in 2016-17, along with an increase of 35 per cent on their net fee income from the previous year.

Henry runs the business with director Alan Furley, who joined in 2008 aged only 29, and his father Geoff, who is also the co-founder.

And the entrepreneurs have ambitious plans to more than double the business in size in the next three years – taking them from the current 28 employees to 60.

Henry, now aged 41, said: “The past decade has undoubtedly been a rollercoaster, but when we set out it seemed like the only way to stay in recruitment.

“Alan and I were both put off by a lot of the heavy-handed tactics and mindless activities that focus solely on numbers.

We wanted to build a business that aims to help consultants pursue quality over quantity.

“This strategy allows people to have autonomy and to put trust in their abilities and attitude – and it’s an approach we’re happy to see is working.

“The past three years have been particularly strong and showed a solid upward trajectory, so we’re pleased to be heading into our 11th year in good shape.”

ISL recruits nationally into skilled and senior IT and engineering roles. It is now looking to extend into new markets and overseas expansion.

Alan said: “Our successes are testimony to the whole team.

We are proud to have very low staff turnover, as well as having been shortlisted by the CIPD Awards for our career development programme.

“This approach to talent attraction and retention within our own business is something we will be concentrating on even further in the coming 12 months as we seek to create new opportunities both at home and further afield.”

About ISL

ISL Recruitment (ISL) is an independent recruitment consultancy established in 2007 and run by partners Alan Furley, Henry Keeys and Geoffrey Keeys.

It is headquartered in Bristol, specialising in recruiting into skilled and senior positions across the UK’s engineering and IT sectors.

ISL was shortlisted for the 2016 Chartered Institute of Professional Development awards for its groundbreaking ‘Project Evolution’ professional development model which promotes autonomy and personal responsibility.

www.islrecruitment.co.uk