EA First
EA First is a UK-based recruitment consultancy placing permanent, temporary, and contract candidates across finance, IT, legal, sales, marketing, engineering, and cyber security sectors, serving employers nationally and in select European markets via consultant-led engagements.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersGirton, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What EA First does
EA First is a UK-based recruitment consultancy that delivers permanent, temporary, and contract placement services across 15+ professional sectors including Finance, IT, Legal, Marketing, Sales, Engineering, Human Resources, Logistics, Cyber Security, Manufacturing, and Executive Search. Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Cambridge with Midlands operations in Birmingham, the firm serves both employers seeking to fill vacancies and job seekers pursuing career opportunities. Its client base includes notable enterprises such as ARM, CIPS, Wellcome Sanger Institute, CATS, and Atom, alongside a charity partnership with ExtraCare Charitable Trust for 2025.
The company operates without proprietary technology infrastructure. Its service delivery rests on a consultant-led model — branded as "Expert Advisers" — supported by a standard website job board that enables CV upload, candidate registration, job search, and online applications, plus content marketing via a blog covering hiring trends and career advice. There is no public API, no software platform, and no documented AI or automation layer. The firm's competitive narrative centers on long-term relationship management rather than transactional volume, with the senior team carrying significant individual tenure (Anil Pattni at 11 years, Hayley Murfitt at 19 years, Raj Baden at 17 years in senior finance recruitment).
EA First generates revenue through placement fees charged to employers upon successful candidate hires — a standard contingency/transaction-fee recruitment model with individually negotiated, non-publicly-disclosed fee structures. Geographic reach spans the UK (Cambridge, London, Leeds, Birmingham) and select European markets (France, Spain, Germany). In November 2025, the firm secured a £450,000 debt facility from Skipton Business Finance to fund growth plans, acquisitions, and continued national expansion. Operational signals point to active demand: January 2025 saw a 47% MoM increase in new vacancies and over 950 candidate conversations, suggesting momentum in pipeline activity.
EA First firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- EA First
- Legal name
- EA First Ltd
- Website
- https://ea-first.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- EA First is a UK-based recruitment consultancy placing permanent, temporary, and contract candidates across finance, IT, legal, sales, marketing, engineering, and cyber security sectors, serving employers nationally and in select European markets via consultant-led engagements.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
EA First industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Recruitment Services
- NAICS
- Employment Placement Agencies (561311), Employment Placement Agencies and Executive Search Services (56131), Executive Search Services (561312)
- SIC
- Services-Employment Agencies (7361)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Agent of Record (AOR) / Contractor Engagement Services (BPACAGAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Independent Contractor Compliance & Classification (IC vs Employee) (BPACAGAA)
Keywords
Where EA First is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Girton
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
EA First business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Recruitment Placement Fees: EA First generates revenue through placement fees charged to employers when candidates are successfully placed. As a recruitment agency, they connect job seekers with employers and facilitate employment placements, earning commissions or fees upon successful hiring.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels3 records
EA First product offering
Product offeringCore offering
EA First is a UK-based recruitment consultancy that connects employers with qualified candidates through permanent, temporary, contract, and executive search placements across sectors including Finance, IT, Marketing, Sales, Legal, Engineering, Logistics, Cyber Security, and Not-for-Profit. The firm operates on a relationship-driven model where experienced Expert Advisers work directly with both hiring organizations and job seekers to source, screen, and place candidates, supported by an online job board for vacancy listings and candidate applications.
Product overview
EA First is a Midlands-based recruitment agency operating from Cambridge, UK, offering staffing and talent acquisition services. The company provides temporary, permanent, and contract placement across diverse sectors including Finance, IT, Technical, Legal, Marketing, Sales, Engineering, Human Resources, Administration, Logistics, Executive Search, Product Development, Cyber Security, Manufacturing, and Not-for-Profit. The firm operates nationally with offices in Cambridge and Birmingham, and is expanding into European markets including France, Germany, and Spain. EA First's service model centers on relationship-driven recruitment supported by a website platform enabling job search, CV upload, candidate registration, and job applications. The company also publishes market insights through blog content covering hiring trends and workplace advice.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Permanent Recruitment Services Executive search and placement services for permanent full-time positions across all sectors served, matching candidates with long-term career opportunities for employer clients.
- Temporary/Contract Staffing Placement of candidates in temporary, fixed-term, and contract positions, including interim roles across Finance, IT, Administration, and other sectors for employer clients.
- Sector-Specialist Recruitment Specialized recruitment divisions covering Finance, IT, Technical, Legal, Marketing, Sales, Engineering, Human Resources, Administration, Logistics, Manufacturing, Cyber Security, Product Development, Executive Search, and Not-for-Profit sectors.
- European/International Recruitment Cross-border talent acquisition services expanding into European markets, including active recruitment in France, Spain, and Germany for employer clients.
- Job Board and Application Platform Online portal enabling job seekers to search vacancies, upload CVs, register accounts, and apply for positions, while supporting employer job postings and candidate management workflows.
Quantifiable outcome
- 47% increase in new vacancies in January 2025 compared to December 2024, with over 950 candidates spoken to during the month.
Companies that use EA First
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
EA First technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
EA First partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- ExtraCare Charitable TrustminorEA First appointed ExtraCare Charitable Trust as their Charity Partner for 2025, supporting the charity's initiatives through their corporate social responsibility program.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
EA First competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- PageGroup (Michael Page, Page Personnel): Listed UK-headquartered global recruiter operating across mid-senior permanent placement in finance, IT, legal, marketing, sales, and engineering, several of which are EA First's named sectors. A close comparable in service mix and target seniority, though materially larger and internationally diversified.
- Hays plc: UK-listed global recruitment group spanning accountancy, finance, IT, engineering, and HR - core disciplines also covered by EA First. Comparable fee model (percentage of salary) and candidate/client base, with much broader geographic reach.
- Robert Half: Global specialist recruiter focused on finance, accounting, IT, and administration - a direct overlap with EA First's finance and administration disciplines. Listed US firm with a large UK presence, comparable in mid-market placement model.
- Reed: The UK's largest high-street recruitment agency, offering permanent, temporary, and contract staffing across virtually every sector EA First serves (finance, IT, legal, marketing, sales, engineering). Operates at vastly greater scale but competes head-to-head with EA First for many of the same UK mid-market mandates.
- SThree: UK-listed specialist STEM recruiter covering engineering, technology, and technical disciplines - relevant overlap with EA First's engineering, IT, cyber security, and technical practices. Comparable contract and permanent placement model.
Direct peers
- Harnham: UK-based specialist recruiter focused on data, analytics, and finance recruitment, with multiple UK offices including London. Highly comparable to EA First in size, relationship-led service model, and senior-finance placement focus.
- Investigo: UK mid-market professional services recruiter covering finance, IT, change management, and executive search - direct overlap with EA First's sector list. Similar size and growth-stage profile.
- Cooper Lomaz: East Anglia / Cambridge-region recruitment agency covering finance, IT, sales, and HR - highly comparable in geography and sector mix to EA First's Cambridge headquarters and multi-sector offering.
- Goodman Masson: London-based specialist recruiter covering finance, accounting, IT, and HR - core overlap with EA First's London and Leeds finance and IT desks. Very similar mid-market positioning and relationship-led model.
- Marks Sattin: UK specialist recruiter focused on finance, accountancy, tax, and senior professional appointments. Operates in London and other UK cities similar to EA First's coverage and is comparable in senior-finance placement focus.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
EA First social profiles
Digital presenceEA First financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
EA First leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
EA First funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
EA First M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about EA First
What does EA First do?
EA First is a UK-based recruitment consultancy that connects employers with qualified candidates through permanent, temporary, contract, and executive search placements across sectors including Finance, IT, Marketing, Sales, Legal, Engineering, Logistics, Cyber Security, and Not-for-Profit. The firm operates on a relationship-driven model where experienced Expert Advisers work directly with both hiring organizations and job seekers to source, screen, and place candidates, supported by an online job board for vacancy listings and candidate applications.
Is EA First a public or private company?
EA First is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was EA First founded?
EA First was founded in 2019. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is EA First based?
EA First is headquartered in Girton, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does EA First make money?
One revenue line is on record: recruitment Placement Fees.
Who are EA First's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are PageGroup (Michael Page, Page Personnel), Hays plc, Robert Half, Reed and SThree. Direct peers are Harnham, Investigo, Cooper Lomaz, Goodman Masson and Marks Sattin.
Does EA First have an API?
No public API is recorded for EA First.
What industry is EA First in?
EA First's product category is Recruitment Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACAGAB, Agent of Record (AOR) / Contractor Engagement Services, with a secondary code of BPACAGAA, Independent Contractor Compliance & Classification (IC vs Employee). Its NAICS code is 561311 and its SIC code is 7361.