Quintet Partners acquires stake in tech recruitment firm Talent International

Sydney-based investment management firm Quintet Partners has acquired a “significant” stake in specialist technology recruitment company Talent International.

Richard Earl, founder and executive chairman of Talent, will remain the company’s largest shareholder, while Quintet founder and managing director Douglas Farrell will join the board of directors. Quintet investor Thérèse Rein, founder of employment services business Ingeus, will also work with Talent in advisory capacity.

Earl he is “delighted” to be partnering with Quintet.

“The next few years which will see further international expansion and the scaling of our digital product Talent Engage. Quintet stood out because of its industry relationships and reach, as well as the quality of its team. I have no doubt that they will help us to fulfil our vision at this exciting stage in Talent’s development,” he said. 

Founded in Perth in 1995, Talent now has 16 offices across Australia, the US, UK, and Europe serving 1,100 customers.

The company reported it has seen 20 percent revenue growth per annum for the last decade, with its annual revenue now sitting at the $550 million mark.

Rein said she is excited to be involved in a business that “embraces innovation and constantly looks to break from the pack”.

“Having founded Ingeus in the late 1980s, I can strongly identify with the path the business has taken. I look forward to using my experience and industry insights to help grow the business and support a range of initiatives including supporting women and indigenous people in tech roles,” she said.

“This is an exciting time to be involved in the tech world and there are lots of opportunities for Talent to grow as a commercial and community leader.”  

Beyond IT, Talent has been making moves in the startup sector through initiatives such as the Talent Unleashed Awards, and its Talent First Fund, set up to provide the startup sector with recruitment and HR advisory services.

Talent in 2016 partnered with coworking communities Tank Stream Labs and Little Tokyo Two, providing recruitment advice to their resident startups and, in turn, giving Talent further insight into recruitment trends in the startup ecosystem.