WHO WE ARE

Urban Connect are a collection of experienced construction recruiters working in design and project management across the built environment, infrastructure and transportation sectors.

We offer true multi-disciplinary project coverage from conception to completion.

OUR STORY

Urban Connect is a specialist consultancy in Architecture, M&E, Structural & Civil Engineering, and Project & Cost management, as well as our specialist Rail & Infrastructure team. From our head office in Spinningfields, Manchester, we operate across the UK.

Our varied client base includes:

large international multi-disciplinary consultancies
international and local construction contractors
regional and national single discipline design practices
national and regional open market/private market housebuilders
international and local property developers
independently owned housebuilders specialising in smaller and more luxury builds

Andrew Kerr

Director

Founder Andrew Kerr centres his business on building relationships with people. From his experience at two leading specialist construction and engineering recruitment firms, Urban Connect benefits from Andrew's long-standing personal network and specialist industry knowledge.

His team of expert consultants work within their own niche markets, supporting him in growing Urban Connect's extensive client base.

James Caan CBE

Chairman

James Caan CBE is one of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurs. He made a global success of his recruitment companies, Alexander Mann and Humana International. In 2004, he founded private equity firm Hamilton Bradshaw which now has a portfolio of 30+ businesses.

He is well known for joining the hit BBC show – Dragons’ Den, and The Business Class on CNBC. A passionate supporter of small businesses, James chaired the government’s Start-Up Loans scheme and invests in and mentors Recruitment Entrepreneur's portfolio partners, including Urban Connect .

Angus McDowell

CFO

Angus leads the finance function conducting due diligence and ensuring we have best practice in place.

As well as paying our bills, Angus is also heavily involved in designing and developing the forecasting and growth strategy for the business. He has a wealth of managerial and board level experience and an MBA at Cass Business School.

Sam Proctor

Marketing Director

With over 20 years of delivering marketing, communications, digital, PR and events programmes for global brands across multiple industry sectors, Sam brings a wealth of marketing knowledge and experience.

Having spent the past 10 years specialising in recruitment, she sets the strategy for all externally-facing marketing activity for Urban Connect and its partner portfolio brands.

Greg Hollis

Managing Director

Greg is focused on the strategic growth of Urban Connect and its portfolio partners in Manchester and beyond. With over 22 years of business development and management experience, Greg is best placed to scale our new ventures and to drive the progress of new industry sectors.

Abid Hamid

CEO

Abid trained as a lawyer working in corporate finance before entering recruitment 25 years ago. He’s worked in over 35 countries in various CEO roles and was investor and director of a UK FTSE 250 company, as well as a non-executive director for many different types of recruitment companies.

As the founder of ARBP, a global training company responsible for training recruiters in over 22 countries, he has a wealth of experience in building and managing growing teams.

Daisy Betteridge

Head of Operations

Daisy oversees and manages all operational activity across Urban Connect and plays a key part in onboarding new starters.

She implements best-practice business strategies and works closely to ensure everything runs efficiently, allowing us to focus on running the other aspects of the business.

OUR PARTNERSHIP

We are delighted to be part of the Recruitment Entrepreneur group owned by James Caan CBE of Dragons' Den fame. Backed by their unrivalled financial, strategic and operational support, we are able to offer the very best service to our clients and candidates.

As Chairman, James Caan takes an active role in the investment process, working closely with Urban Connect. His hands-on approach and mentoring enables our team to learn from his considerable experience in founding and scaling recruitment businesses.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

We combine technical engineering expertise with efficient and savvy recruitment practice to help those working in these sectors secure new roles, alongside supporting clients to hire across the UK.

Architecture

Our specialists in Architecture & Design work with some of the country's most well-known design firms, niche architecture practices and developer/contractor businesses, as well as local and national government authorities and global multi-disciplinary organisations.

We recruit across multiple sectors including Residential, Education, Hospitality, Leisure, Commercial and Heritage/Conservation.

Civil engineering

Our Civil Engineering division covers a wide range of fields, both locally and nationally. We work with large international design consultancies, main contracting professionals and local civil engineering businesses across design and project management.

We recruit for roles ranging from Civil Technicians to Transport Planners and Site Agents.

Structural engineering

Our clients are responsible for the Concept, Developed and Technical Design of a wide range of buildings, bridges and other Built Environment structures. We envelope right the way through to assisting in periodic reviews during the construction process and eventual Handover/Close Out.

We recruit for permanent, fixed term, temporary and contract bases roles, ranging from Junior Technician to Director and Principal level.

M&E engineering

Our M&E team recruit for consultancies, joint ventures and contractors for the Mechanical, Electrical and Public Health (building services) design and project management sectors.

We have a strong track record in delivering recruitment solutions for roles such as Revit MEP Technicians, M&E Project Managers, CAD/BIM Managers and more.

Cost & Project Management

Our team of construction and property experts work across a number of diverse sectors, such as Real Estate and Engineering, as well as specialist Project and Cost Management consultancies for both temporary and permanent recruitment.

From buyers to quantity surveyors and project planners, we recruit for all roles at all levels.

Rail & Infrastructure

Our Rail & Infrastructure team specialise in placing professionals into the infrastructure and engineering roles across the country, whether that be small or large scale UK projects, such as HS2.

We place personnel into all stages of Design, Planning & Pre-construction, Geotechnical & Earthworks, Sub-Structure & Super Structure, Drainage & Utilities, Finishes, Operation, Repair, and Maintenance & Management.

WHO WE ARE

OUR STORY

Andrew Kerr

James Caan CBE

Angus McDowell

Sam Proctor

Greg Hollis

Abid Hamid

Daisy Betteridge

OUR PARTNERSHIP

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Architecture

Civil engineering

Structural engineering

M&E engineering

Cost & Project Management

Rail & Infrastructure

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