People on the move: Core Talent; Matthews & Goodman

City centre recruitment company Core Talent has itself recruited an industry expert to help take the business forward.

John O’Sullivan worked as a director for several top global staffing companies before founding Best International Group which grew to £130m turnover before he sold it to Spring Group.

He now focuses on helping selected high growth recruitment companies acting as non-executive director, strategic adviser or investor.

Core Talent, based in Lloyd Street in Manchester, was founded 10 years ago by Damian Diggles and David Nesbitt who moved into recruitment from vocational roles in engineering, manufacturing and purchasing and supply chain.

They created an agency specialising in these areas as well as construction and IT Sales and have clients right across the UK including Kellogg’s, Glen Dimplex Home Appliances, Danone Nutricia, JCB and Skanska.

The company has an annual turnover of £5m with plans for £20m over the next three to five years.

O’Sullivan said he chose Core Talent because “I really admire what the company has achieved so far.

“The founders are keen to out-perform the market and reach a position of real market leadership. I’ve met all the key people in their business and firmly believe the exceptional team can grow and grow.”

Damian Diggles said: “In our first two months of working together, John has helped us form a vision for our next three financial years as well as defining mine and David’s roles within Core Talent. He has a very down-to-earth manner which suits us perfectly.

“We’re looking forward to working with him over the coming years and also looking forward to creating jobs for experienced consultants and university graduates in Manchester.”

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National commercial property specialists Matthews & Goodman has appointed Sean Ludden as partner and head of the business valuation team.

With many years’ professional experience, licensed and leisure sector specialist Ludden is responsible for enhancing the Valuation capability of the business across the banking, individual and corporate operator and private equity sectors.

He joins Matthews & Goodman from Colliers, where as director. He specialised in valuing a wealth of trading business and real estate assets for clients including the UKs major brewers and pub companies, national and local nightclub operators and national and local adult gaming centre owners.

Ludden has also provided trading related and real estate loan security valuation advice on amusement arcades, sports and conference arenas, restaurants, gyms and health and fitness clubs for most of the UKs high street banks and challenger banks.

Prior to that, he was hotel valuation director at CBRE in London, focusing on high value single asset hotels and large portfolios across the UK and in Spain, France, Sweden and Holland.

He began his career with Christie + Co, where in the space of five years, he progressed from graduate surveyor to irector, culminating in him heading up its Leeds office between 2007 and 2010.

James Hewetson, head of Matthews & Goodman’s national Valuation team said: “Sean’s extensive trading valuation skills and experience will strengthen our existing service offering and help lenders to make informed decisions, based on reliable trading related advice.

“I am confident he will make a valuable contribution to the valuation team and the firm.”