New owners have global ambitions for revitalised Maxwell Drummond Group
The new owners of an Aberdeen-based executive search firm have targeted ambitious growth both at home and overseas after “re-igniting” a well-known brand in the oil and gas sector.
Prominent industry figure Andrew MacDonald has re-established Maxwell Drummond Group with a fresh leadership team that is committed to investing in Aberdeen. This is heralded with a move to new city centre office space and five jobs expected to be created by the end of the year.
The group – which combines Maxwell Drummond Ltd and FG Associates (FGA) – also encompasses recruitment business Carlton Resource Solutions, originally founded by Mr MacDonald in 1981, and which retains its own identity.
The group’s board of directors possess more than 120 years’ combined experience, including Mr MacDonald as initial principal investor along with the co-founders of FGA – Craig Finnie, Andrew Burton and Phil Smith – who will head up the new venture from the Granite City.
Andrew MacDonald founded global executive search business Maxwell Drummond International (MDI) in 1994 and oversaw significant growth across offices in Aberdeen, London, Houston, Calgary and Singapore. He is the former operations director of the recruitment arm of AMEC, Primat. In addition, he co-founded Sabre Oil & Gas Ltd, which focused on exploration and production in the West African market prior to its sale to PetroSA – the national oil company of South Africa – in 2012.
Between 2000 and 2016, Andrew was majority shareholder and, latterly, chairman of MDI and Carlton before both businesses were impacted by the downturn in the oil and gas industry. He relocated to Jersey in 2015 to concentrate on other business interests.
Commenting on the new venture, he said: “The new leadership team at Maxwell Drummond Group has unrivalled industry knowledge with a truly global reach and more than 120 years’ combined experience in the recruitment sector.
“With this wealth of knowledge, I am extremely confident in our ability to drive these two well-respected brands forward in both the local and international markets and restore both companies to their former glory.”
FGA – previously based at 18 Albert Street – was launched in 2016, specialising in finding high-performing talent for key appointments through its shared risk model. Maxwell Drummond Group will continue to utilise this innovative model to provide clients with a trustworthy and vested partner in attracting and retaining talent.
Carlton, which supplies engineering, technical and commercial personnel to the oil and gas industry, will complement its sister company’s executive search expertise, whilst operating as a standalone entity. The business is currently undergoing a rebranding exercise that will include the creation of a new website.
All current Carlton staff, previously located at Waterloo Quay Properties, remain with the business to provide continuity for clients and candidates. Meanwhile, former FGA director Martyn Garvie has left, as planned, to pursue other opportunities.
Craig Finnie, group managing director at Maxwell Drummond Group, added: “Our goal is to create a market-leading local business with a strong international presence through re-igniting the Maxwell Drummond brand.
“We believe there is enormous potential to rapidly expand our unique offering beyond Aberdeen into new locations. Combined with our shared risk model, the increased scale and resources will allow us to build upon the successful growth of FGA as a start-up.”
The new owners have acted swiftly to relocate the expanded company to larger premises at 37 Albert Street, which will initially house Maxwell Drummond’s team of four as well as five existing Carlton personnel.
Further key appointments are expected in the coming months, including installing a new management team to help drive both companies forward whilst producing an integrated service to both local and international clients.
Published: 05-11-2018
