WRS Acquires Houston-Based Firm Mackinnon & Partners
Worldwide Recruitment Solutions (WRS) is pleased to announce it has acquired Mackinnon & Partners. Based in Houston, Mackinnon & Partners is an industry-leading specialist provider of permanent and contingent recruitment solutions to the US oil and gas, renewables, substation, construction and manufacturing markets.
With two decades of experience in the global market, WRS has continued to pursue a strategy of organic growth and strategic partnerships, complemented by targeted acquisitions. Mackinnon & Partners’ local expertise across all the major energy plays in the US will further strengthen WRS’s position as the technical talent provider of choice for energy staffing across the Americas.
Mackinnon & Partners was a strong fit for WRS’s long-term objectives. WRS continues to seek out businesses that share its core values, demonstrate innovation and deliver exceptional service, and Andrew Mackinnon’s own vision for the business mirrored this closely, one of the reasons he chose WRS as his partner despite considerable interest from other parties.
“I am delighted to welcome Andrew Mackinnon and the Mackinnon & Partners team to WRS,” said Mark Brown, Chief Executive Officer, Worldwide Recruitment Solutions. “Andrew and his colleagues have built a strong platform to serve clients and consultants in the US energy market. Their people-first approach to service, client focus, and compliance align closely with our own values, and we are pleased to have the team join us as we continue our strategy of diversification into specialised disciplines across the US.”
“We are proud of the business we have built, and received considerable interest from other parties as we weighed our options for the next stage of our growth,” said Andrew Mackinnon, Chief Executive Officer, Mackinnon & Partners. “WRS was the right fit: a business that shares our culture, our values and our ambition. Joining WRS allows us to leverage a truly global operating platform, while continuing to focus on delivering outstanding service to our clients and new opportunities for our consultants.”
The acquisition strengthens WRS’s ability to support both existing WRS and Mackinnon & Partners clients’ global ambitions, providing access to an even deeper pool of the industry’s top technical talent across a broader range of industries and locations. This includes reinforcing WRS’s strong presence across the Americas, Asia Pacific, Africa, and Europe.
That confidence is rooted in experience. Andrew Mackinnon brings more than two decades in the US energy and recruitment market, including significant time based in Houston working directly with many of the world’s leading energy companies. Andrew’s connection to WRS also runs deeper than the transaction itself: he and WRS Director Kenny Davies have known each other for many years and collaborated on projects across the energy recruitment sector, a shared history that gave both parties added confidence in bringing the two businesses together.
“Andy and I have known each other for a long time and worked together on projects over the years, so I have seen firsthand the calibre of what he is capable of building,” said Kenny Davies, Director, WRS. “Landing a business of Mackinnon & Partners’ standing, particularly given the level of interest it attracted, is a significant moment for our strategy in Houston and across the US.”
“We are in growth mode, and acquiring Mackinnon & Partners is a significant step forward for WRS in Houston and across the US,” said Mark Brown. “It allows us to grow our global footprint and expand our candidate database for clients. Critically, the Mackinnon & Partners team shares our commitment to continual improvement and our ambition to be the best workforce solutions provider in our sectors, values that will ensure a seamless transition into WRS and allow us to scale our offering to clients for years to come. Together, we combine world-class recruitment expertise with Andrew’s deep local knowledge of Houston, helping organisations scale efficiently while supporting local businesses in accessing global talent.”
With the entire Mackinnon & Partners team joining WRS, current clients and consultants can expect no immediate changes to operations. Andrew Mackinnon will continue to lead the Houston office, and WRS is committed to ensuring business continuity and minimal disruption for clients, contractors and employees as the business integrates into WRS, while accelerating its growth into the future.
“This is a hugely exciting move for everyone at Mackinnon & Partners, having chosen WRS for its culture, its mindset and its ability to support our growth,” said Andrew Mackinnon. “Our clients will benefit from superior access to a global pool of talent, a more diverse range of workforce solutions, and more sophisticated systems and support from the wider WRS network. For our people, it is a great opportunity to grow their careers within a bigger business, work across a broader client base and a greater range of workforce solutions worldwide, and access enhanced development programmes across the US.”
To learn more about this exciting partnership, contact us today.
