Orion promotes from within to fill Asia post

Mar 7 2008 By Greig Cameron

Urquhart's job will be to drive the business forward

Orion Group has promoted from within for its new business development manager for South-east Asia and Australia.

Andrew Urquhart will move to Singapore and believes the job offers the opportunity of a lifetime.

The 32-year-old only joined the company in January last year, but his wife and young son will leave for a new life on the other side of the world in May.

He said: "I've always been a keen traveller and now to be given the opportunity to work in one of the world's most dynamic cities is a dream come true.

"As a family we are looking forward to the change in lifestyle and the warmer climate, but above all I'm excited about the challenge of driving the business forward in another country."

The group has seen a 300 per cent increase in business in the region and hopes Urquhart can work with existing clients and open up new areas.

Steve Davison, divisional director at Orion, said: "South-east Asia, in particular Singapore, is a hive of commercial activity.

"The financial, shipbuilding and petrochemical sectors are expanding rapidly and there is a constant need to provide highquality staff for long and short-term projects.

"Our Singapore office works on a number of blue chip clients including Bovis Lend Lease, McDermott's and Tanker Pacific.

"Andrew's job will be to oversee these accounts as well as drive the business forward into new sectors."

Orion currently has more than 250 staff spread across 29 offices worldwide.

Its staff development and training scheme sees all recruiters joining the business given a company induction and go through a work shadowing programme during their first few months.

There is also an in-house recruitment and adapt course, where staff learn the processes and technology used.

Employees are then given the opportunity to work towards industry-recognised qualifications.

Davison added: "Andrew is a classic example of a motivated, self-starter who has quickly progressed up the career ladder."

Orion ranked 38 in the UK and number one for engineering recruitment in the UK.

It has up to 4,000 staff in the UK and 1,500 worldwide on assignment at any one time.

Turnover is estimated to reach £300million for the current year.