The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Long-term growth spurs new strategy for Insights
Fast-growing Dundee learning and development group consolidates operations
Dundee-headquartered learning and development group Insights saw its sales and profits rise last year as it moved to increase its global footprint.
Insights is one of the world’s leading personal development companies.
Its services are based on the teachings of Jungian psychology and are designed to give individuals a better understanding of their strengths and weaknesses and help them focus on areas for improvement.
Many major blue-chip clients have put employee teams through the Insights programme in the hope of improving internal communication and teamwork, enhancing productivity and bolstering leadership skills.
Newly published accounts for the Insights Group Limited show revenues jumped by almost £10 million to £42.17m in the year to March 31.
Pre-tax profits also moved forward in the year from £5.91m to £6.54m.
The accounts state Insights implemented a new sales model during the year that is dedicated to supporting clients operating on a global scale.
In his strategic report to the accounts, group co-founder and chief executive Andy Lothian said the business had made progress.
“During the year the group achieved strong growth in turnover and operating profits, “Mr Lothian said.
“This has been organic growth and has come from strong performance across the majority of the group’s geographic regions.
“Europe and the US have performed particularly well and it is encouraging to see the ongoing expansion of the group into Asia, including the opening of a formal base of business operations in Singapore.”
The group also moved to consolidate operations in order to give it the platform it needs for long-term growth.
The strategy saw it acquire the 70% of Insights Schweiz it did not own in December 2016 and also increase its holding in the Polish business, with a view to owning it outright by this March.
In the current financial year, the group has brought a further eight coowned units in-house and, in late June, it moved to acquire long-term technology partner DOGFI.SH Mobile.
The purchases were underpinned by funds made available through a refinancing of the business with HSBC.
“To achieve its future global growth ambitions and to effectively scale the company in the longer term, it is now essential that the group has a global approach to managing all its business operations which ensures it is able to meet customer needs in a consistent way,” Mr Lothian said.
“With this in mind, a strategic decision has been taken to create a single, global, Insights Learning and Development organisation via the acquisition of all co-owned businesses.”