FORMER UK Dragons’ Den star James Caan has set his sights on Cork with the expansion of specialist recruitment firm, IGA Talent Solutions.

The move will see the firm invest €1m into the city in the next three years and create up to 20 new jobs in the area.

IGA Talent Solutions, backed by Caan’s private equity house Hamilton Bradshaw which owns 30 businesses with over £250m revenue and 1,000 employees, specialises in professional consultancy and talent advice to business sectors, including professional services, financial and investments, telecommunications and insurance across key verticals; technology, risk, legal and actuaries.

The new office on Leeside will be led by Corkman Mark Stanton who successfully pitched to the ex-Dragon for the €1m investment.

Its focus will be on recruiting change and transformation professionals for companies looking to adapt and diversify following the many challenges created by the pandemic.

The new office, based out of Republic of Work on the South Mall, will be the firm’s fifth outpost as the business continues to expand in the UK and overseas.

Commenting on the opening, Mr Caan said that Cork represents an exciting opportunity.

“The city is home to a talented workforce, and some fantastic multinational businesses and European HQs with growing HR needs, specifically in the change and transformation space and we’re connected to the best talent out there to fill these roles,” he said.

“We’re excited to attract some of the best talent in Cork and can’t wait to get started.”

Cork office lead, Mark Stanton, described the experience of pitching to the ex-Dragon as “pretty surreal”.

“I had started to identify a growing market for change and transformation roles in Cork, which presented a really exciting opportunity and after working in the UK for five years, I was ready to move home, while staying connected to the network I built in London.

“Pitching to an ex-Dragon was pretty surreal but James is very supportive and luckily saw the great opportunity too - to see this now come to fruition is amazing,” he said.