Key Takeaways
- • Bain Capital Private Equity acquired a 55% majority stake in House of HR, a Belgium-based European leader in HR services and temporary staffing, in a transaction announced May 28, 2022.
- • House of HR generated €2.2 billion in sales in 2021 and places over 57,000 workers monthly across Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Poland, Romania, Hungary, and Spain with a workforce of 4,300 employees.
- • Existing shareholders House of HR Management, Naxicap (the previous majority investor), and founder Conny Vandendriessche retain the remaining 45% equity, maintaining entrepreneurial continuity alongside Bain Capital's operational support.
- • Bain Capital's investment will focus on scaling House of HR's digital platform into new geographic markets and increasing digital technology investments, leveraging existing proprietary solutions including NOWJOBS, SWOP, Gighouse, and Book'u.
- • The transaction represents one of the largest private equity acquisitions in European HR services, with legal counsel from NautaDutilh (advising Bain) and Latham & Watkins supporting the deal execution.
Summary
Bain Capital Private Equity has established itself as the new majority shareholder in House of HR following the execution of a share purchase agreement announced on May 28, 2022. The Boston-based private equity firm acquired a 55% stake in the Belgium-headquartered HR services provider, displacing French private equity firm Naxicap from its previous majority position. House of HR Management, Naxicap, and founder Conny Vandendriessche collectively retain 45% ownership, positioning the transaction as a continuation of the company's established ownership structure while introducing a new strategic anchor investor.
House of HR operates as a pan-European staffing and HR services platform with significant scale. The company generated €2.2 billion in revenue during 2021 and maintains a workforce of over 4,300 internal employees across eight countries. Monthly, it places more than 57,000 workers across small, medium, and large-sized client enterprises. Founded in 1995 as a single Accent office in Roeselare, Belgium, House of HR has expanded into a multi-brand, multi-geography operation with offices spanning Belgium, the Netherlands, France, and Germany, supplemented by recruitment agencies across Poland, Romania, Hungary, and Spain. This geographic and brand diversification strategy targets specialized markets and candidate segments including healthcare, IT, public sector, engineering, legal, and financial services.
Bain Capital's investment thesis centers on accelerating House of HR's digital transformation and geographic expansion. The company maintains market-leading proprietary digital platforms designed to meet evolving worker demand for flexibility, including NOWJOBS (a fully digital matching platform for students and flex workers), SWOP, Gighouse, and Book'u. Bain Capital's stated objectives include maintaining House of HR's entrepreneurial culture and multi-brand operational model while funding scaled investments in digital infrastructure and market expansion initiatives. The transaction was supported by legal counsel from NautaDutilh (representing Bain Capital) and Latham & Watkins, underscoring the transaction's scale within European private equity dealmaking.
House of HR operates as a pan-European staffing and HR services platform with significant scale. The company generated €2.2 billion in revenue during 2021 and maintains a workforce of over 4,300 internal employees across eight countries. Monthly, it places more than 57,000 workers across small, medium, and large-sized client enterprises. Founded in 1995 as a single Accent office in Roeselare, Belgium, House of HR has expanded into a multi-brand, multi-geography operation with offices spanning Belgium, the Netherlands, France, and Germany, supplemented by recruitment agencies across Poland, Romania, Hungary, and Spain. This geographic and brand diversification strategy targets specialized markets and candidate segments including healthcare, IT, public sector, engineering, legal, and financial services.
Bain Capital's investment thesis centers on accelerating House of HR's digital transformation and geographic expansion. The company maintains market-leading proprietary digital platforms designed to meet evolving worker demand for flexibility, including NOWJOBS (a fully digital matching platform for students and flex workers), SWOP, Gighouse, and Book'u. Bain Capital's stated objectives include maintaining House of HR's entrepreneurial culture and multi-brand operational model while funding scaled investments in digital infrastructure and market expansion initiatives. The transaction was supported by legal counsel from NautaDutilh (representing Bain Capital) and Latham & Watkins, underscoring the transaction's scale within European private equity dealmaking.
Go deeper than the headline
Research every firm in this story, track the ones that matter and get the daily briefing — free for 7 days.