What SThree PLC does

SThree plc is a London-headquartered, London-listed (LON:STEM) STEM workforce consultancy founded in 1984 and operating across 11 countries through approximately 2,700 employees and 33 offices. The company monetizes specialist recruitment — placing contractors and permanent hires in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics roles — using a House of Brands model in which each sub-brand targets a defined vertical: Computer Futures (IT), Progressive (engineering, energy, life sciences), Real (life sciences), Huxley (technology, engineering, finance), Global Enterprise Partners (ERP projects), Madison Black and JP Gray (data and mathematics). FY2025 group net fees were £323M (vs £369M in FY2024), with contract/contingent fees representing roughly 85% of revenue and permanent fees around 15%.

The firm pairs permanent and contingent placement with a Global Employment Solutions service that sources STEM professionals in 145 countries, providing compliance, payroll and right-to-work support without clients needing local entities. SThree's technology stack centers on a recently completed Technology Improvement Programme (TIP) powered by Microsoft, which reshaped digital infrastructure across the group's operating model and brand portfolio. Thought-leadership assets include the STEM Skills Index (built with Cebr), the STEM Skills Outlook, and an annual STEM Workforce Report polling 5,000+ professionals on AI adoption and skills gaps, all of which function as marketing-led data products supporting consultant sales motions.

Customers span approximately 6,000 organizations across enterprise engineering, life sciences, technology, energy and manufacturing end-markets, with named engagements including Schneider Electric, Mondelez, Stadtwerke München and Jera Cross. Distribution is direct enterprise field sales delivered through the specialist brands and regional offices (London HQ, Brussels, Frankfurt, Paris, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Manchester, Tokyo, Dubai), supplemented by content marketing, research reports and a corporate graduate program that feeds recruiter hiring.

Name

SThree PLC

Legal name

SThree plc

Website

https://sthree.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

SThree plc is a London-listed global STEM workforce consultancy that places contract and permanent specialists in science, technology, engineering and mathematics roles across 11 countries, operating through specialist sub-brands for approximately 6,000 enterprise clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Staffing and Recruitment Services

NAICS

Human Resources Consulting Services (541612)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Global Employer of Record (EOR) Services (BPACAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Employer of Record (EOR) & Global Payroll (FSAMAKAB)

Keywords

• STEM workforce consultancy
• Specialist recruitment services
• Contract staffing solutions
• Permanent placement services
• Global employment solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Contract/Contingent Staffing Fees: Fees from placing contractors and contingent workers in STEM roles. Contract net fees represented 85% of total at £124.9 million for H1 2026.
2. Permanent Placement Fees: Fees from permanent recruitment placements in STEM sectors, representing approximately 15% of total net fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SThree PLC is a global STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) workforce consultancy that connects sought-after STEM specialists with dynamic organizations. It provides contract and permanent staffing recruitment services through a House of Brands strategy — including Computer Futures, Progressive, Real, Huxley, Global Enterprise Partners, Madison Black, and JP Gray — and offers Global Employment Solutions enabling clients to hire in 145 countries without establishing local legal entities.

Product overview

SThree PLC operates as a global STEM workforce consultancy with a multi-brand strategy. The core offering consists of specialist recruitment brands including Computer Futures (IT & Technology), Progressive (Energy & Engineering, Life Sciences), Real (Life Sciences), Huxley (Banking, Finance, Technology & Engineering), Global Enterprise Partners (ERP Solutions), Madison Black and JP Gray (Finance sectors). The company provides permanent and contract placement services, global employment solutions spanning 145 countries, and research publications including the STEM Skills Index and STEM Workforce Report. The portfolio is unified under the SThree parent brand with 2,700+ employees across 11 countries operating under the House of Brands model.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Computer Futures: IT and Technology specialist brand with expertise in software development, IT, information management, Cloud/DevOps, data and agile.
• Progressive
• Real
• Huxley
• Global Enterprise Partners
• Madison Black
• JP Gray
• SThree Temp Experts

Products and services

• SThree STEM Workforce Consultancy
• Computer Futures (IT & Technology Recruitment)
• Progressive (Engineering & Energy Recruitment)
• Real (Life Sciences Recruitment)
• Huxley (Technology & Engineering Recruitment)
• Global Enterprise Partners (ERP Project Solutions)
• Global Employment Solutions
• STEM Skills Index
• STEM Workforce Report

Quantifiable outcome

• Net fees of £323 million in FY2025 from 6,000+ clients
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• MicrosoftcoreTechnology or Integration · 26 March 2024Microsoft is powering SThree's Technology Improvement Programme (TIP), a major digital transformation initiative that has fundamentally reshaped SThree's digital infrastructure and business operations.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Robert Half International: Global staffing firm with dedicated technology, finance, and administrative professional placement divisions. Directly comparable to SThree's STEM specialist model with similar multi-segment professional recruitment focus and global enterprise client base.
• Hays plc: UK-listed global professional recruitment firm specializing in skilled trades and STEM-adjacent sectors including technology, engineering, life sciences, and construction. Closest comparable in size, listing geography, and STEM vertical mix.
• PageGroup: Global professional recruitment firm operating Page, Michael Page, and Page Personnel brands across technology, engineering, and life sciences verticals. Comparable mid-cap professional recruiter with similar STEM vertical focus and international footprint.
• Kforce Inc: US-listed tech and finance staffing specialist focused on Technology and Finance & Accounting segments. Directly comparable to SThree's STEM-focused contract and permanent placement model with similar reliance on technical verticals.
• Insight Global: US-based IT and engineering staffing firm with significant North American presence in technology, government, and engineering placements. Comparable STEM vertical focus and contract-heavy revenue mix, though primarily North American rather than European.
• Aerotek: Engineering, technical, and STEM-focused staffing subsidiary of Allegis Group, one of the largest staffing firms globally. Directly comparable specialist STEM and engineering recruiter serving enterprise clients with contract and permanent placement.
• Akkodis: Global STEM talent consultancy and engineering services firm operating across technology, engineering, and digital verticals. Direct competitor in pure-play STEM workforce consulting with similar Smart Industry and digital transformation positioning.

Broad incumbents

• ManpowerGroup: Global staffing and workforce solutions leader with significant STEM and technical placement offerings as part of broader portfolio. Overlaps with SThree's STEM vertical but competes as a generalist incumbent at much larger scale.
• Randstad: World's second-largest staffing firm with broad professional, technical, and STEM offerings through Randstad Technologies and specialized brands. Competitor in STEM verticals but operates as a broad incumbent rather than pure-play specialist.

Regional players

• Cpl Resources: Ireland-headquartered recruitment firm with strong STEM and technology vertical focus, operating across UK, Ireland, and continental Europe. Comparable STEM specialist recruiter but with primarily European footprint rather than SThree's broader global reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sthree-plc
• Xx.com/sthreeplc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SThree PLC