Kartesia, the European specialist provider of capital solutions for small and mid-sized companies, is pleased to announce the investment in HeadFirst Group (“HeadFirst” or “the Company”).

Headquartered in the Netherlands, HeadFirst Group is market leader in the Benelux in the field of professional organization of external hiring. The Company offers a variety of flex solutions, including contracting, matchmaking, msp-services and business consultancy. Daily, more than ten thousand professionals work for over 350 clients in Europe, with which HeadFirst Group realizes an annual turnover of more than €1bn. The Company is currently active in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Scandinavia, Poland and Switzerland with the ambition to further penetrate these markets and to grow its presence elsewhere in Europe.

Kartesia has invested €75m in the Company from its KCO IV & V funds. This injection will be used to strengthen the group’s balance sheet, allowing it to pursue further external growth and accelerate its international development.

The deal team at Kartesia included Matthieu Delamaire, Jean Diercxsens, Gaëtan Valcke and Alexis Midol.

Han Kolff, Chief Executive Officer of HeadFirst Group, said: “The investment of a strong financial partner like Kartesia helps to accelerate our growth strategy, both within the Netherlands and elsewhere in Europe. The focus is on continuing to expand HeadFirst's role as a full-service HR services provider, innovating with smart online solutions and adding value for our clients with rich data.”

Jean Diercxsens, Director at Kartesia, added: “HeadFirst is one of the leading players in the HR services market in the Benelux, offering innovative, value-added solutions for its extensive client, supplier and freelance base. The group has a proven track record of both organic and external growth, gaining market share through technology-enabled services in a competitive environment. We look forward to working closely with the team to continue to unlock the Company’s potential across Europe.”