Competentia and Airswift merge

Airswift, the global workforce solutions provider, and Competentia, the global recruiting and workforce management specialist, merge to form one of the world’s foremost workforce solutions providers serving the energy, process, infrastructure, mining and technology industries.

The combined entity, which retains the Airswift name, will offer clients a truly global service and an unrivalled candidate database, giving them access to the top technical talent in the markets in which they operate – with a particularly prominent presence in the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe and Africa.

Airswift chief executive, Janette Marx, will be CEO of the merged entity and Competentia Group CEO, Jayden Wallis, will play a key role on the executive team, as Chief Marketing Officer and SVP of ASPAC. Kyle McClure will become CFO of the combined company.

Marx says: “There has long been mutual admiration between Airswift and Competentia. As two high-performing businesses, we share a focus on continual improvement and a mutual ambition to become the workforce solutions provider of choice for clients, candidates and contractors in the energy, process, infrastructure, mining and technology industries.

“In a rapidly digitizing, post-pandemic environment, companies across the world’s technical sectors must quickly respond to new ways of working to achieve sustainable, long-term growth. We believe that our combined size and experience, and our firm focus on the energy transition, perfectly positions us to help clients respond to the complex workforce challenges of the future. Through digital and people-based solutions, we will ultimately shape the technical sectors of tomorrow.”

As a result of the merger, mid-market and blue-chip companies alike gain access to an even broader range of truly integrated services. Talent acquisition, professional search, international contractor management, global employment outsourcing, consultancy and payroll management are just a few of the workforce solutions on offer.

Wallis adds: “We see this as an opportunity to create the world’s most forward-thinking workforce solutions provider.

“We also believe we have a key, supporting role to play in enabling the energy transition, not only in the industries we serve, but through responsible business operations, business models, investment in technology and innovation, and collaboration with our peers. Our combined strength and shared ambition mean we’re even better placed to deliver on that.”

Ian Langley, Airswift’s Chairman, initiated early discussions with Odd Arne Kleveland, Chariman of Competentia. Langley comments: “It was obvious from our opening call that a potential merger had great merit. Not only did our combination make perfect commercial sense, but we found that our organizations had similar cultures and aspirations, and we quickly discovered a unique alignment.”

Airswift and Competentia’s private equity backers, Wellspring Capital and Reiten & Company respectively, are retaining their stakes in the merged entity and will continue to be actively involved with the business. Airswift has also issued a bond on the Norwegian bond market to ensure maximum flexibility and access to alternative funding in the future.

Matthew Harrison, Managing Partner at Wellspring Capital, comments: “Airswift and Competentia share the same foundational values and are guided by both delivering excellence to their clients and creating a great employee experience. Together they can do this even better, and I look forward to seeing the new merged company do great things.”

Bård Ingerø, Managing Partner at Reiten & Co concludes: “These are two companies with such similar cultures and successful track records, which we believe will fit together seamlessly to offer the market the greatest possible breadth, depth and quality of services, wherever clients may operate.”