We're Blair West.

meet david and simon

With a shared vision for building a progressive recruitment business for the longer term, David and Simon founded Blair West in January 2019.

They planned to build a business capable of delivering a differentiated recruitment service for dynamic, invested businesses as they went through high-growth private equity cycles.

The company’s mission statement – to build and maintain an environment where the most talented, intelligent and aspirational recruitment professionals choose to work – underlines their commitment to keeping people and culture at the heart of the business.

David and Simon are immensely proud of what the team have achieved in the first four years, and, as the business continues to scale, they remain committed to that original Mission. They continue to recruit and empower the most talented recruitment professionals to partner with high-growth invested businesses on all their recruitment needs.

2019 the year it began

David and Simon launched Blair West with an ambition to build a scalable recruitment business. In their first 12 months they:

• • Defined Blair West Mission and Values.
• • Raised a six figure investment from two Private Equity Partners (individuals).
• • Hired five experienced, ambitious recruiters and a first-class research and systems lead, bringing the team to eight.
• • Secured prime city-centre office space in Newcastle Upon-Tyne.
• • Secured a pipeline in excess of £650,000 of live roles.
• • Exceeded their budget for income and profit.
• • Hosted a roundtable dinner for Private Equity backed CEOs and sponsored the Private Equity Category at the Journal Top 200 awards.

2020 the year we survived the pandemic

We successfully navigated the Covid-19 crisis securing long-term business viability and we:

• • Acted for 11 different PE/VC firms and multiple PE-backed businesses.
• • Designed and launched our brand and website.
• • Hired more experienced, ambitious recruiters taking the headcount to 12
• • Achieved 94% growth in income
• • Chose our Corporate Social Responsibility Partner – Crisis.

2021 the year we built a new home

After multiple periods of enforced home working we wanted to welcome the team back to an environment where they would enjoy coming to work. We:

• • Refurbished our city-centre offices into a branded, flexible, modern workspace.
• • Continued to grow by hiring experienced, ambitious recruiters taking the headcount to 20.
• • Reached a company landmark by billing our 100th different client.
• • Acted for 15 different PE/VC firms and multiple PE backed businesses.
• • Hosted and Sponsored more regional events including the InsiderMedia Dealmakers awards.
• • Achieved a further 75% growth in year 3.

we live by our values

At Blair West, our values were core to our founders’ vision and they continue to shape everything we do by guiding our behaviours, actions, and decision-making every day. They are the foundation of how we work with each other and with our clients. Those values are:

• • We keep raising the bar
• • We listen first
• • We are stronger together
• • We play to win
• • We take pride in what we do