Newport-headquartered outsourced services specialists, Smart Solutions, is launching a new division dedicated to permanent recruitment and has appointed one of south Wales’ most respected consultants to drive it forward.

Simon Purchase, from Port Talbot, has more than 30 years’ experience in the recruitment sector in South Wales, primarily focusing on the manufacturing, technical and engineering sectors. This includes 10 years as technical permanent manager with Acorn Recruitment.

In his new role at Smart Solutions, Mr Purchase will focus on permanent staff recruitment across a range of sectors, with a particular emphasis in the waste and recycling sector.

Smart Solutions has also made a further appointment to consolidate its permanent recruitment offering, with Mark Berry from Grantham, joining as executive consultant. Mr Berry will expand Smart Solutions’ permanent portfolio by offering executive search and select services, specialising in the waste and environmental services sector.

Executive search and selection is a specialist department within Smart Solutions’ permanent division, concentrating primarily on senior management, board and advisory board level appointments. Mr Berry will work closely with clients to develop a detailed understanding of the kind of high calibre candidate they are looking for, before identifying and liaising with suitable individuals.

Mr Berry has more than 30 years’ executive search and select experience across a number of industries, and has worked exclusively in the waste sector for nearly 20 years, handling the identification and appointment of key senior staff members for many of the sector’s most high-profile companies.

Ieuan Rosser, managing director of Smart Solutions Recruitment, said: “Simon brings extensive experience of several key industry areas and in-depth knowledge of the recruitment landscape within south Wales, and the influential individuals within it. Similarly, Mark’s extensive network of contacts will be invaluable in helping our clients to find exactly the candidate they are looking for. These two key appointments allow us to expand on our position as a leader in the waste and recycling sectors by offering permanent as well as temporary solutions, while continuing the progression of the business as a whole.”

Established in 2007, Smart Solutions has become one Wales’ most successful emerging brands, and is the only business in Wales to have received a Fast Growth 50 award four times. It was also ranked in the top 50 recruitment firms by Recruiter Magazine in 2015.