Barrister-led training, compliance and technology business Briefed in Belfast has been acquired by London-based Omni Partners and will be merged with merged with legal and governance talent search company DMJ Recruitment in what has been described as a “landmark” deal.
Founded in 2012 by barrister and entrepreneur Orlagh Kelly, Briefed employs 10 people, including three barristers, delivering expert on-line support for professional firms in the legal sector across the UK through a suite of programmes delivered on a dedicated digital platform.
Orlagh, who will assume the role of chief executive of the newly merged business, said: “Omni has a strong track record in supporting founders and I am thrilled that they share my vision and ambitions, evidenced by their investment in Briefed.
“The newly combined UK business will triple in size overnight. Our aim is to use that strength to become a leading global resource by providing specialist training, development and recruitment solutions to professionals in legal, corporate governance and compliance roles.”
She added: “I established Briefed to help organisations reduce their exposure to risk by not complying with key employment and compliance legislation and increasing employee effectiveness – that will now be further enhanced by our ability to source and place the most experienced fully trained employees.”
Steven Clark is founder of Omni Partners, which invests in mission-led, fast-growing and profitable businesses that are looking for their first external capital.
He said: “We see a real opportunity for the combined business to become an innovative full-service talent manager that helps legal, corporate governance and compliance professionals match their talent with opportunities and supports their professional development and growth at all stages of their career. We are confident that, under Orlagh’s experienced leadership, the combined entity will flourish.”
Following its participation in a number of Invest NI programmes, Briefed has secured a total of £460,000 investment from the agency to assist in R&D to develop its digital platform and create new jobs.
Invest NI executive director of business growth Jeremy Fitch said: “’This announcement is a testament to the collective effort and expertise of the entire Briefed team, led by Orlagh Kelly. They’ve shown how combining professional knowledge with innovation can drive business growth, and Invest NI is proud to have supported them from inception to this significant milestone.
“This acquisition and Orlagh’s role in leading the newly merged company are clear endorsements of her professionalism, vision, and dedication—qualities that highlight the strength of Northern Ireland’s growing entrepreneurial landscape.”
Tughans in Belfast represented Orlagh and Briefed on the legal aspects of the deal with Omni.
