For over ten years Campion Willcocks has focused exclusively on supplying interims to the financial services and public sector.  As Campion Willcocks celebrates 42 years in recruitment, we look back over the decades to see how they’ve become the leading provider of project, programme and change managers.

Harold Wilson was prime minister when Campion Willcocks was founded in 1968 - much has changed since then but a consistent approach, an ability to keep an eye on the future and identify seminal trends has been a key factor in its continuing success.

Shifting the focus in a changing economy

The early 1970s was an era in which experts were sent into industry to improve efficiency. Campion Willcocks established a reputation for excellence in this field by providing skilled management with manufacturing backgrounds to increase productivity and reduce costs. Campion Willcocks’ Work Study Engineers transformed the shop floor at some of the most successful and leading British companies, including British Petroleum and British Gas.

The introduction of VAT in 1973 was a milestone for Britain, and for Campion Willcocks, when they began supplying interim specialists to Barclays, advising and training staff on how VAT affects the business. 37 years on - Barclays is still a major client.

Towards the end of the 1970s, Britain’s manufacturing base began to decline and became more service-based. Campion Willcocks shifted its main focus from blue collar to white collar workers and assisted companies in increasing office productivity.  During this time, the company became increasingly involved with central and local government, as well as the NHS, and its interims were now mainly professionals with financial and office systems knowledge and experience.

The advancement of technology in the 80s and 90s saw further changes.  Companies were looking at IT solutions to help drive their businesses forward and Campion Willcocks began supplying Business Systems experts who could help companies align their IT to corporate strategy and goals.

In 1985 the first mobile phone call was made in Britain, transforming global communications. Campion Willcocks carried out essential market research for Vodafone on mobiles. In 2000 one of the earliest mobile banking services was offered by Woolwich on Vodafone phones, and in 2002 Campion Willcocks would project manage the delivery of the first electronic wallet that allowed consumers to shop on the move using web, WAP or IVR.

Broad vision brings expansion

The company began through collaboration between David Campion and Tony Willcocks, and even though David took over the company within the first two years, the name remained the same.  In 1988 his son, Mark, joined the company bringing a wealth of experience as an independent consultant.

In 1994 Mark Campion became Managing Director and continued to refocus its core competencies from productivity and management services to delivering strategic change management through experienced interims.

Today Campion Willcocks has 27 permanent staff, a client list second to none, and its values and philosophy of doing everything possible to match the best candidates with the right roles remain the key drivers of the business.  In 2010 Campion Willcocks was selected as a Premier League Interim Recruiter in an independent poll, acknowledging them as a top UK interim and change management specialist.