Enterprising Women magazine - February 2012

February 2012 – Gibbs S3, www.gibbs-s3.com, an IT Staffing, IT Project Solutions & Technology reSourcing business, has announced that Farida Gibbs, CEO, has received the Enterprising Women of the Year Award for 2012 by Enterprising Women magazine. This award honours women business owners who have demonstrated that they have fast-growth businesses, mentor or actively support other women and girls involved in entrepreneurship, and stand out as leaders in their communities. Many of the award recipients are also leaders in key organisations that support the growth of women’s entrepreneurship. Winners are to be recognised at the 10th Annual Enterprising Women of the Year Awards Celebration on March 12 at Office Depot headquarters and on March 13 at the Ritz-Carlton in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

“I feel incredibly priveleged and extremely honoured to received this prestigious award. It feels remarkable to be recognised for something I feel very passionate about. I love what I do, and it gives me greater pleasure helping people find employment and new career opportunities – it is what we do best for our customers who seek the best talent for their organisations” said Farida Gibbs. “Actively supporting other women involved in entrerpreneurship, and mentoring and rewarding/supporting the next generation of young children is pivotal in what we do, it gives me a great sense of perspective. I have an exceptional team by my side, and new customers opening their doors to understand who we are and supporting our traditional values, 2012 is going to be yet another ground breaking and exciting year for us”.

“Enterprising Women of the Year honorees are so deserving of being in the spotlight,” said Monica Smiley, publisher and chief executive officer of Enterprising Women. “Farida has demonstrated that she has a thriving, growing business; she has mentored or given back to support other women in business, and she stands out as a leader in her community. We could not be more proud of the accomplishments of our honorees.”

GrowthBusiness - October 2011

When times are tough, it only takes a few stars to remind everyone that success is achievable for all. GrowthBusiness unveils its Top 50 Rising Stars of 2011: the annual list of the UK's most exciting businesses with the fastest-growing sales and profits in the past year. Gibbs S3 proudly made the list. “A dedication to the team that made this happen. They are the true stars of the company and who drove Gibbs S3 to become listed as one of the Top Rising Stars for 2011, I’m extremely proud of them” commented Farida Gibbs, CEO of Gibbs S3.

Seeking to identify the 50 fastest-growing companies in the UK, the annual Rising Stars ranking is the only such research to consider both profit and turnover growth in its assessment. The Rising Stars have combined sales of £1.4 billion, up 7 per cent on last year's list, while total profits have reached £287 million, As Wol Kolade, managing partner of ISIS Equity Partners and GrowthBusiness blogger, comments in his blog post this month, the Rising Stars of 2011 represent 'some welcome light at the end of a dark economic tunnel'.

We Connect Europe - 5 October 2011

Gibbs S3, one of our recently Certified women owned businesses, and a UK based global IT Staffing, IT Consulting & Technology resourcing business, triumphed this week at the prestigious Fast Growth Business Awards 2011, walking away with the coveted Family Business of the Year Award title.

The gala awards ceremony, organised by GrowingBusiness.co.uk and sponsored by NatWest, took place on Tuesday 4 October, at the Marriott Hotel, Grosvenor Square, London. Committed to recognising pioneering businesses; those which demonstrate significant growth and entrepreneurial flair, the esteemed awards celebrated the UK's most outstanding companies and the people running them.

"We're absolutely thrilled to pick up the award at the Fast Growth Business Awards. It was a great night and the team and I were delighted when Gibbs S3 was announced as winners of the Family Business of the Year category,” said Farida Gibbs, CEO of Gibbs S3. “We're really pleased that Gibbs S3 has been recognised for its family focused culture, putting ethical principles before profits and ensuring the customer always comes first, which are some of our key values. I sincerely believe due to this we have won great respect from our existing and prospective clients which steered our dramatic growth over the 12 months. It's been a great year for us expanding the team and opening a second office in the North West. We have also just been awarded 2 significant new Contracts with major global FTSE100 clients across a number of new sectors which was one of our main objectives for 2011… and now we're really looking forward to 2012!"

Gibbs S3 is Europe's fastest growing IT Staffing, IT Consulting and Technology reSourcing business achieving 464% growth in 2010 by providing a reliable and innovative service to its clients that delivers what they need and saves them money. Gibbs S3 is a supplier to a number of FTSE 100 customers providing a full range of services, from IT professional contract and permanents staffing, to direct hire support, flexible resourcing and managed services.

Recruitment International - 14 September 2011

Gibbs S3 has been selected as a finalist in the Business of the Year category in The 2011 PRECIOUS Awards.

The PRECIOUS Awards was founded to celebrate the achievements of inspirational entrepreneurial women of ethnicity who are running businesses in the UK.

"I feel very honoured to have made the finals and I am up against some very inspiring women in the Business of the Year category. Making the finals of the Precious Awards 2011 is just incredible. I am hoping this will encourage other women to take a leap of faith and believe that they also have what it takes to make their dreams come true. We're thrilled to be finalists," said Farida Gibbs, CEO of Gibbs S3.

The Awards are passionate about recognising success and inspiring other women of ethnicity to launch their own business. The PRECIOUS Awards are an opportunity to recognise and celebrate those women of ethnic backgrounds in business and leadership, who demonstrate exceptional determination, innovation and entrepreneurial skills and talent.

Farida Gibbs is also featured as an 'Inspirational Woman' on the We are The City (WATC) online portal www.wearethecity.com which is a free information portal designed for London's female workforce.

APSCO - 12 September 2011

This has made Gibbs S3 very proud. In the quality of this year's entrants, with a higher level of competition for a finalist's spot that has been seen since the awards launched five years ago. The rate of growth experienced, and the level of improvement and resourcefulness has been demonstrated to show that British business has a huge amount to shout about.

GS3 is the partnership of two successful IT Services companies, designed to support the IT reSourcing needs of our UK and European customers. GS3 offers a full range of services, from IT professional contract and permanent staffing to direct hire support, flexible resourcing & managed services.

We also function in 25 locations across the US, UK and Europe. We are proud to have 2000 Consultants delivering IT solutions to our clients internationally. Farida Gibbs has been certified as a WBE (Women Business Enterprise) and has become one of a growing number of women owned businesses who have become accredited by WEConnect Europe, a pioneering enterprise initiative designed to connect women to multinational corporate contracts. Sue Lawton, CEO, WEConnect Europe says “Farida Gibbs is one of many women who want to take their business to the next level. WEConnect Europe exists to enable women to increase productivity and profitability by identifying contract opportunities. More and more companies recognise the commercial sense of having innovation and excellence in their supply chain which women owned businesses can provide and we are urging women business owners to capitalise on this”.

Recruitment International - 19 August 2011

Gibbs S3 shortlisted for the Fast Growth Business Awards.

Impressive growth, innovative customer service recognised as recruiter makes finalist in Growing Business' prestigious awards. Gibbs S3 , a UK based global IT Staffing, IT Consulting & Technology resourcing business, has announced that it has been selected as a finalist for the ‘Family Business of the Year' category in this year's Fast Growth Business Awards . With a combination of tremendous growth of over 450% in 2010, an innovative service that helped the Company thrive and a strong family ethos, Gibbs S3 looks to be a strong candidate for the award.

Farida Gibbs, CEO of Gibbs S3, originally set up the Gibbs Partnership in 2005, and the Company today is very much a family business: in 2005, Farida's sister Ameera left her successful job in recruitment to support her sister. In 2007, the two sisters' brother, Mo, then joined the company as did Paul, Farida's husband, in 2009. This family ethos is also extended into the rest of the Company with Gibbs S3 operating as a friendly and co-operative team with an average age well above the industry average.

“We're thrilled to be finalists in the Fast Growth Business Awards,” said Farida Gibbs, CEO of Gibbs S3. “This is the first time that we've entered and we're really pleased that Gibbs S3 has been recognised for its family focused culture and dramatic growth. By providing a reliable and innovative service to our clients that delivers what they need and saves them money, we've created strong relationships that have resulted in fantastic growth over the years that we're really proud of.”

The Awards are organised by Growing Business , the UK's leading website for entrepreneurs, and showcases the UK's most cutting edge businesses. The Award evening provides guests with the opportunity to mix and mingle with more than 300 entrepreneurs, business journalists and industry leaders, and the finalists are judged by a panel of successful entrepreneurs and business experts.

“This year's shortlisted finalists surpassed our wildest expectations,” said Ian Wallis, Editorial Director at Growing Business. “The companies that have made the 2011 shortlist for their chosen categories in the Fast Growth Business Awards ought to be immensely proud. The rate of growth experienced and the level of innovation and ingenuity demonstrated show that British business has a huge amount to shout about.”

Please visit the Growing Business website for the full listing of finalists. The Awards ceremony will take place on 4th October at the London Marriott, Grosvenor Square.

enforbusiness.com - 21 July 2011

Global IT staffing, consulting and technology resourcing business Gibbs S3 has opened a new office in Knutsford. The new facility has been set up to handle the growing relationship the firm has with its largest UK customer, a global financial services company based in the North West.

Farida Gibbs, chief executive officer of Gibbs S3, said, “This is a very exciting time for us as a global resourcing and services company; we have expanded our footprint to service our clients throughout the UK.

“We have taken market share in certain locations and as a result it was time to open up a further office to support the continued growth in resource requirements for clients.

“We look forward to building upon our already successful relationships and our enthusiasm to grow the new office location.”

Recruiter - 21 July 2011

IT recruiter Gibbs S3 has opened new offices in Knutsford, Cheshire.The firm says the move is in order to handle the growing relationship with Gibbs S3's largest customer in the UK, a global financial services company based in the North West.

Chief executive Farida Gibbs says: “We have taken market share in certain locations and as a result it was time to open up a further office to support the continued growth in resource requirements for clients.”

Recruitment International - 21 July 2011

Gibbs S3 Ltd, a Surrey based solutions provider of Information Technology staffing and services, celebrated their biggest gains in company history. Gibbs S3 Ltd recorded an exceptional increase in revenue which grew by an incredible 500% ($3million in 2009 to $16million in 2010). The entire group (Gibbs S3/Strategic Staffing Solutions) Sales Revenue hit $205 million in 2010, surpassing its sales goals and setting new internal records for revenue growth and job creation.

UK Managing Director & CEO, Farida Gibbs commented, "It has been a phenomenal year for us in the UK and to grow by 500% in an economic downturn is a true testament of our passion to deliver results to our customers,despite the market conditions. We had to modify and change our business model to meet the needs of our customers. We listened, we adapted, we delivered. Despite the reports that 2010 was a turbulent year, our customers still required IT and operational resources, yet needed alternative solutions to the traditional staffing methods. We created solutions and services which met our clients business needs and saved them money along the way by being creative and forward thinking. We took market share from some of our largest competitors because we simply innovated and were awarded opportunity based on merit".

Farida Gibbs expects the UK operation, Gibbs S3, to continue its growth in 2011 with an increased client base and international customers expanding their footprint. "I am truly excited that we have been able to help people get back into full time work. Our customers need talent fast, and we focus on delivering Quality at Speed. We very much look forward to a busier 2011 and supporting our global customers to also expand and grow".

Recruitment International - 21 July 2011

Gibbs S3 a UK based global information technology and resourcing business, has opened up new offices in Cheshire.  The office is opening to handle a growing relationship with Gibbs S3's largest customer in the U.K., a global financial services company.

“This is a very exciting time for us as a global resourcing and services company; we have expanded our footprint to service our clients throughout the UK. We have taken market share in certain locations and as a result it was time to open up a further office to support the continued growth in resource requirements for clients” said Farida Gibbs, Gibbs S3 CEO. “We look forward to building upon these relationships and our enthusiasm to grow the new location. We have been innovative in a number of resourcing initiatives created by our Professional Services team which will be shared with Customers. We are also supporting our clients throughout the UK to ensure there is minimal impact to them when the Agency Workers Regulations come into force. This means being close to our clients to support them throughout the resourcing lifecycle. ”

Strategic Staffing Solutions (S3) opened in 1990 and has posted consecutive annual revenue growth for the past 20 years, with 2010 sales topping more than $200 million. Gibbs S3 UK revenues grew a phenomenal 500% over 12 months.

Gibbs S3/Strategic Staffing Solutions has an international footprint serving the UK, Europe and US with branch locations in:

UK Locations

Surrey (HQ), London and Cheshire also servicing Edinburgh, Scotland and Dublin, Ireland.

European Locations

Spain, Lithuania servicing Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Slovakia and Sweden

U.S. Locations

Detroit (HQ), servicing Troy, Lansing and Grand Rapids, MI; Atlanta, GA; Boston, MA, servicing Connecticut; Team California – Los Angeles and San Francisco; Charlotte, NC; Denver, CO; Ft. Lauderdale, FL servicing Orlando, Tallahassee and Tampa; New Orleans, LA, servicing Baton Rouge; New York, NY; Philadelphia, PA, servicing Connecticut; Richmond, VA; Phoenix, AZ; St. Louis, MO; Team Texas –Dallas, Houston and San Antonio and Austin.