Academic Appointments Limited

KBS Corporate Finance has successfully advised the shareholders of Academic Appointments Limited, a teacher recruitment firm based in Yorkshire, on a deal with Solingen Private Equity Limited.

Academic Appointments is a leading supplier of long term, short term and permanent teachers, teaching assistants and support staff to schools in West and South Yorkshire, working with primary, secondary and SEND schools throughout the region. The directors and staff of Academic Appointments possess over 100 years of experience in the education and recruitment sectors, as ex head teachers, school governors and recruitment consultants. It is this expertise in the education system, combined with unrivalled knowledge of recruitment that has enabled the company to differentiate from its competitors, build a strong business model and an enviable reputation.

The shareholders of Academic Appointments, Mo and Richard Parkin, approached KBS Corporate Finance as they were ready to take their business to the next level, having achieved succession planning and development of the management team, who were ready to take on more challenging roles within the business. Significant buyer activity within the recruitment sector, and more specifically, the teacher recruitment sector, provided KBS Corporate Finance with numerous leads and routes to market. Interested parties included trade buyers and private equity investors, looking to benefit from a buoyant education recruitment sector.

From KBS Corporate Finance’s research strategy, a significant number of potential buyers emerged to learn more about the opportunity to acquire Academic Appointments. Buyer meetings were held and offers followed, with the most attractive offer being made by the eventual acquirer, Solingen Private Equity Limited (SPEL).

SPEL is a Leeds-based private equity firm. Acquiring a majority stake in Academic Appointments, the vendors and existing senior management team retained a substantial minority holding in the company. Academic Appointments’ close proximity to central Leeds was a key motivator for SPEL, allowing them to take a hands-on role in the deployment of the company’s business plan.

John Hunt, Director at KBS Corporate Finance, advised upon the deal and commented, “KBS Corporate Finance worked closely with Mo and Richard, supporting them at management presentations and ultimately securing the final deal with SPEL. The transaction offers SPEL an excellent opportunity to grow the business in the years to come and also presents the vendors with additional value in the equity they retain in the company. I wish Mo and SPEL all the best in the continued growth of Academic Appointments.”