Member Article

Optionis hires former Capita director

Business and freelancer support provider Optionis has appointed a former director of outsourcing giant Capita to its senior management team.

Iftikhar Ahmed spent 12 years at Capita, playing a key role in the delivery of several central and local government contracts.

He occupied senior roles including managing director (BPO) at Capita Insurance Services and, more recently, operations director with responsibility for the Capita Secure Border Services partnership with the Home Office.

The 47-year-old joins Warrington-based Optionis as group operations director. He will oversee the operations functions of employment services provider Parasol, and small business and contractor support specialist ClearSky.

He said: “There are three things that attracted me to this role.

“Firstly, this is already a highly successful company but there is a powerful ambition and determination to grow. Secondly, the senior management team that I’ll be joining is knowledgeable, passionate and highly skilled.

“Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, I find the whole ethos of the organisation very appealing – particularly the friendly atmosphere and the way that employees are respected and looked after.

“Like Capita, Optionis is fundamentally an outsourcing specialist, so my skills and experience are extremely relevant. I am looking forward to helping Optionis become even more dynamic and efficient as an organisation.”

The Optionis group employs around 250 head office staff across sites in Warrington, Greater Manchester, London, Poole and Dorchester. That number is expected to reach 350 by March 2016.

Group turnover for the current financial year is forecast to be £335m.

Optionis managing director Derek Kelly said: “Ifti brings with him a wealth of expertise, and we’re thrilled to welcome him aboard. His experience in business process outsourcing (BPO) will be invaluable as we enter the next phase of our growth plans.”

Rob Crossland, chief executive at Optionis, added: “Ifti will be an excellent addition to our senior management team. His track record speaks for itself, and I’m sure he will enable us to improve our operational efficiency even further.”

The Optionis management team recently completed a secondary buyout (SBO) backed by international investment firm MML Capital Partners.

The investment comes as Optionis looks to establish its ClearSky Business brand as a ‘one-stop shop’ for small firms seeking fixed-fee support and advice on business functions including accountancy, human resources, employment law, tax and payroll.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .