DRIVER HIRE DOWN UNDER

DRIVER HIRE DOWN UNDER

Bradford-based Driver Hire is now an international business. It’s just established its first overseas office in Perth, Western Australia and has ambitious plans to create a state-wide network of recruitment centres.

A combined team from Squire Sanders' international offices advised Driver Hire on the new venture. Leeds-based corporate partner, Jonathan Jones led the team alongside Perth-based partner Bruce Legorburu and Leeds-based senior associate Jayne Aarons.

Initially Driver Hire Australia will offer a temporary recruitment service for the supply chain and logistics sector, providing everything from manual workers to managerial and senior roles. Its sister business, dh Appointments, will offer a similar service to a wider sector of industries including mining, construction, tourism, accountancy and IT. Both Driver Hire and dh Appointments will shortly add a permanent recruitment service.

The man behind the Driver Hire name in Australia is Dean Hewitt, who recently emigrated from the UK, where he was responsible for leading and developing Driver Hire’s operations in Scotland. As well as the core recruitment business, Dean is also planning to introduce training services over the coming months.

“This is a very exciting development for us,” says Chris Chidley, Driver Hire’s Chief Executive. “The economy in Western Australia is growing at a staggering rate, providing plenty of opportunities for our range of services. Dean has received a warm welcome from local businesses, many of whom were already aware of the Driver Hire name. We’re also working closely with the British Consulate’s Head of Trade in Perth to ensure that our new venture gets away to a flying start.”

Commenting on the deal, Squire Sanders corporate partner, Jonathan Jones said: "We were delighted to act for Driver Hire in connection with the establishment of their new business in Australia. Not only did it represent an opportunity to follow up our work on the original LDC-backed MBO in 2011, it also gave us the chance to showcase our global offering in the form of our newly opened Perth office."