Member Article

Stockport job site acquired by US CareerBuilder LLC

Stockport-based jobs website Oil and Gas Job Search.com has been acquired by CareerBuilder LLC for an undisclosed sum.

The deal was made with advice from investment bank, Altium, while the bought firm received legal support from Rob Buckley and Jan Winstanley from the Manchester office of Kuits.

Oil and Gas Job Search.com has a database of more than 550,000 industry specialists across the world, which it has built up since it launched in 2000.

The buyer, CareerBuilder LLC, is one of the largest job sites in the world, and is owned by US media giants, Gannett Co., Tribune Company and The McClatchy Company.

Oil and Gas Job Search.com will still run as a separate site, and the deal will enable it to expand its worldwide presence and establish a stronger foothold in North America.

Duncan Freer, chief executive of Oil and Gas Job Search.com, said: “Our clients value global reach as they seek out the best talent in the oil and gas sector.

“Joining the CareerBuilder network offers us the chance to accelerate our growth and continue building relationships in key markets across the world.

“It moves Oil and Gas Job Search.com on to a new level and this is a hugely exciting time for our clients and staff.”

This deal is the third major transaction advised by Altium’s Manchester office in the energy sector across the past 12 months, which included the £85m acquisition of Manchester-based pump and valve manufacturer Bifold Group and the £140m management buyout of Warrington-based recruitment firm Fircroft last June.

Andy Clarke, director at Altium, commented: “As an e-commerce business in the global energy sector, Oil and Gas Job Search.com is perfectly positioned for organic growth.

“Duncan and his management team have created a platform which is trusted by recruiters, energy companies and employees in the sector.

“This deal offers the business increased access to the North American market as it looks to further grow its global footprint.”

Shareholders of Oil and Gas Job Search.com were advised by a team at Altium, led by Simon Lord and Andy Clarke, with support from Adam Sivner.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Miranda Dobson .