Xpress Recruitment is celebrating 20 years in business

by XPRESS, 02 March 2023

Scotland’s leading independent hospitality, leisure and tourism recruiter, Xpress Recruitment is celebrating 20 years in business.

Established in Edinburgh in 2003, Xpress provides over 2,000 clients across the UK with independent recruitment guidance and proactive solutions, using their industry experience to place the right candidates in hospitality, leisure and tourism jobs across the UK.

The hospitality recruitment market has changed considerably over the last few years due to Brexit and the pandemic. Where once it was a client-rich market it is now a competitive candidate-led market with a shortage of high-level candidates within the sector. This has presented an opportunity for Xpress, a business that’s scaled for growth with a new senior management team including Joyce Frankish, Ivan MacKenzie and Warren Trewick supported by Willie Wood and founding director Paul J Wilson. With over 125 combined years of industry experience, the Xpress management team brings a wealth of cross-sector knowledge. From boutique hotels and international brands to national contract caterers and well-respected bars and restaurants the team's pedigree is second to none.

Paul commented on the plans for further growth and expansion, he said: “We realised a gap in the market back in 2003 for a Scottish-based, niche, middle to senior management, hospitality, leisure and tourism agency, servicing a major contributing sector to the Scottish economy. Tourism is the third largest employment sector in Scotland and accounts for around 10% of national employment (UK Hospitality pre-pandemic figures). We have grown the business incrementally, weathering the recession, the pandemic and Brexit. Our niche is that we match the right people with efficient service in a sector that’s suffered because of external influences. We are 100% dedicated as a business to the hospitality industry which allows us to stand out amongst fellow recruitment agencies who tend to have hospitality as one of the many sectors they support. Giving back to the industry is also important to us as well as promoting the sector as a future career option through diversity, range of jobs and careers. Over the years we have contributed over £250,000 to support the industry, working with many partners such as HIT Scotland, ASVA, Springboard and STA to name a few."

Gordon Morrison, CEO, ASVA said - "ASVA has enjoyed a long and fruitful relationship for many years with the excellent, highly knowledgeable team at Xpress Recruitment. Their support for ASVA members has been outstanding, none more so than over the last few very challenging years for the sector. Xpress have proven themselves to be an organisation that provides real, tangible support to the attractions sector and it has been a pleasure for ASVA to grow and develop alongside them over the last 20 years. Congrats on the 20-year milestone to Paul and his great team!"

Marc Crothall MBE, Chief Executive, Scottish Tourism Alliance said - “May I offer my huge congratulations and thanks to Paul and the team at Xpress for reaching this year milestone and for their fantastic contribution of the Scottish Tourism and Hospitality industry. The support that XPRESS has provided to the industry has been in many different ways, be it excellent resourcing and placing the right candidates into the right jobs, offering sound advice and a shoulder to those in search of new opportunities, plus their generous financial support of industry charities and sponsorship of events, in addition to voluntary time given to many industry committees too. The Scottish Tourism Alliance (STA) are delighted to have had Xpress as a key supporter ever since the organisation was established 11 years ago. Whenever the STA have had the need to recruit new members of our team or seek advice on behalf of our members the XPRESS teams’ expertise has always shone through. We have always had fantastic well- matched candidates to the brief we have given recommended to us making the recruitment process from end to end very smooth. At a time when businesses are facing recruitment challenges and additional HR and resourcing pressures it’s great to know we have such a well- respected, professional and established Tourism, Retail & Hospitality business such as XPRESS in our own back yard! Congratulations again and here’s to the next 20!”