National diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) specialist, eQuality Solutions Group (eQS), has unveiled its new senior leadership team, which is spearheading a major investment programme and targeting further acquisitions.
Chief executive, Michael Hall, group managing director, Andy Gough, group head of people and culture, Camila WilliamsJohnson and founder, Femi Otitoju, lead a rapidly-growing business that has seen a £20 million funding package and the acquisition of four niche companies in the last three years.
eQS Group provides DEI services and products including consultancy, assistive technology, training, e-learning, mentoring, learning support and assessment of learning disabilities across workplaces and higher educational settings.
The firm, which is headquartered in Hebburn, has doubled Group turnover and increased its headcount from 40 to 100 in the last 24 months. A further 20 jobs are being created, including a DEI project manager for the workplace sector, mental health and Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) mentors for higher education and an apprentice to support the People and Culture team.
In 2020, eQS secured a £20 million funding package from London-based Shard Credit Partners, which has seen it acquire and integrate four businesses – DEI training and consultancy businesses, Equality Works Group (EW Group) and the Challenge Consultancy, as well as educational psychologists, The Educational Guidance Service (EGS) and Non-Medical Help providers, Amano.
In line with its growth strategy, the restructure of the senior team has seen Michael Hall move into the position of chief executive, from chief financial officer. He will lead the next stage of growth, which will see continuing acquisitions, expansion into key sectors of higher education, finance and ‘creative and culture’ and the development of new revenue streams. The strategy also includes the launch of a new, inclusive recruitment service, which will match neurodiverse talent to higher education opportunities and inclusive job vacancies.
Since becoming chief executive, Michael has prioritised the Group’s people proposition with the aim of harnessing its inhouse DEI expertise to build a leading, inclusive culture and experience internally, developing an infrastructure that can support the next phase of growth and integrating the acquired businesses to ensure a unified culture. Supported by an experienced leadership team, Andy Gough being responsible for operational excellence, Camila Williams-Johnson on people and culture and Femi Otitoju on DEI.
Michael Hall, said: “When we embarked upon our acquisition strategy in 2020, we knew we had a good business that did good things, but we operated in a niche market that limited our growth potential.
“We’ve now successfully acquired and integrated four businesses, with each one adding incremental value to our offering. We are one of the largest independent businesses in our sector in the UK and have deep specialism across all areas of inclusion. I’m extremely proud to have built that from our North East base with a total of four offices across the country, including London.”
e-q-s.com
