Company of the Month

November 2015: CPL Resources

By Business & Finance
27 November 2015
Anne Heraty CPL SAS Ireland
Pictured (L-R): Lauren Brennan, marketing manager, SAS Ireland; Anne Heraty, chief executive, CPL Resources; and Ian Hyland, Business & Finance

Irish recruitment and outsourcing company CPL Resources is celebrating its 25th year in business with 200 new jobs and a campaign targeting emigrants.

Founded in 1989, CPL Resources has become Ireland’s largest recruitment and outsourcing company. How better to celebrate the milestone than by announcing 200 new jobs?

Over the next two years CPL will take on a variety of skilled operational roles for its branch network, including senior global sales and digital positions, and a variety of recruitment, sales and marketing roles: 160 in Ireland and 40 in the UK and eastern Europe.

“There’s been a strong uplift in business which is why we are hiring so many people,” said founder and CEO Anne Heraty. “We work with both Irish and international companies, many of which are expanding, both in Ireland and abroad. “It’s clear that confidence is on the rise in Irish businesses.”

With economic growth of 6% predicted by the European Commission, Heraty says that the focus is shifting to finding talent as companies expand – particularly as young, talented and skilled workers are attracted to the tech industry. The workplace is changing too, with remote working, contract and freelance work, and part-time and flexi-time becoming prominent.

“The Irish market is vibrant and this is a welcome development for the many skilled candidates who moved abroad during the downturn. Cpl is committed to bringing home 3,000 Irish workers from abroad in 2016. In coming weeks we will launch our Christmas ‘Bring Them Home’ campaign as we did last year. Our aim is to complement any governmental initiatives in this area.” CPL’s jobs announcement, on November 25th, was welcomed by Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton.

CPL’s revenues have risen to €393.6m this year, with a headcount of 550 in 36 offices and nine countries. The company itself has been honoured with a series of Great Place To Work awards.

It also operates the CPL Employment Market Monitor, based on evidence it collects in the course of its work – particularly with the FDI sector. The latest report has shown 15 consecutive quarters of jobs growth in Ireland. It also found that half of employers ban social media in the workplace, 60% of hiring managers use unusual questions to test candidates, and two thirds of employers have identified lies on CVs.

Heraty and her husband Paul formed the company in 1989, and it was floated on the DCM of the Irish Stock Exchange and AIM of the London Stock Exchange in 1999 – making Heraty the first female CEO of an Irish company floated on the Irish Stock Exchange.

About the CEO

Anne Heraty is chief executive of CPL Resources, which she established in 1989. Originally from Co. Longford, she holds a BA in maths and economics from UCD. She started her career as a telesales worker at Xerox, and then moved to Grafton Recruitment before setting up her own company with her husband Paul.

Heraty was Business & Finance Businessperson of the year in 2014. She was named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2006, joining the judging panel the following year, and has received the Image Businesswoman of the Year Award 2015 and WMB Businesswoman of the Year Award 2014. She is deputy president of the board of IBEC and will become president next year.

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Business & Finance, Company of the Month

Business & Finance, in association with SAS Ireland, recognises excellence in business through the ‘Company of the Month’ award. The Company of the Month award recognises the company which best demonstrates outstanding business leadership, sustainable growth, innovative strategy, strong financial returns and employee development.