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Our History
How It Started
VANRATH was founded in 2000 by Wayne Sullivan, a qualified accountant, when he discovered that professional recruitment services for accountants was not quite the experience he had expected. This was the ‘light-bulb’ moment that encouraged him to start a recruitment agency like no other.
The goal was to recruit in the same way, and to the same standard, that an employer would recruit into their own business to ensure the client would get exactly what they required.
VANRATH’s first official home was on the 6th floor of Lesley Suites in Belfast City Centre which enabled the business to hit the ground running with the establishment of our Accountancy Recruitment Team.
IT recruitment was VANRATH’s next big venture, and by 2004 the team had grown into the largest IT recruitment business in Northern Ireland.
In 2019, VANRATH secured a significant stake-holder investment from prominent Mercedes business owner and property investor Neil McKibbin FCA - who, as of 2024, has acquired 100% of the VANRATH business!
How It's Going
As the business continued to grow, naturally the team also expanded and the need for additional office space was identified, which was when we bought Victoria House.
This growth has been, and continues to be, supported through significant investment in marketing, our team and our clients and candidates. We look forward to what the next 24 years will bring.
Some of our key Clients
Over the years, we have worked with the best clients and candidates in the Northern Ireland market and carried out recruitment campaigns for some of the best-known names in the world of business, amongst them Allen & Overy, AquaQ Analytics, iManage, Johnson Controls, TP ICAP, CME Group and Allstate.
Some of our Proudest moments of the last 23 Years
'Time to Care' Initiative
'Time to Care’ is a unique partnership opportunity for up to 30 businesses in Northern Ireland, to part fund the annual salary of a qualified children’s nurse at the Children’s Hospice. We have since worked closely to support the hospice through many fundraising campaigns over the years, raising significant funding for their vital work.
Significant Growth in 2019
Later in the year, we secured a significant stake-holder investment from prominent Mercedes business owner and property investor Neil McKibbin FCA. With this investment came the purchase of Victoria House in Belfast City Centre by Wayne and Neil, in a £12.5 million deal, allowing the company to move into brand new state of the art offices and continue their ambitious growth plans.
Our Team
We have transitioned from a team of 3 accountancy focused consultants to a team of 40 sector-specific consultants covering a diverse range of sectors. Building successful careers and supporting our clients with the best talent in the market is at the heart of everything we do. We are driven by a passion to help people build careers that meet their goals, and help businesses achieve success through great and strategic talent.
