Andrew Woosnam, a recruitment entrepreneur whose previous two businesses have entered insolvency proceedings since September 2025, appears to have reemerged in the industry with a third firm. Woosnam’s earlier company, Premier Group Recruitment, was placed into administration last year with debts exceeding £2.9 million, including a £647,000 liability to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). Despite these financial difficulties, Woosnam’s assets included a £2.2 million property in Berkshire, once owned by comedians Dawn French and Lenny Henry, which insolvency practitioners are now pursuing on behalf of creditors owed more than £3 million collectively.

Premier Group Recruitment was majority-owned—99%—by Woosnam and had been a prominent player in the recruitment sector, boasting industry awards and significant revenues. After entering administration, its assets were acquired just days later by a newly formed entity, PGGBR Ltd, also under Woosnam’s control. He made an initial payment of £10,000 and committed to transferring a further £600,000 via monthly installments over two years. Although this sum exceeded a £321,000 cash offer from a rival bidder, the pre-pack administration arrangement, which enables a connected party to repurchase business assets on deferred terms, has faced criticism for often resulting in poorer outcomes for creditors.

Subsequent developments appeared to confirm those concerns. PGGBR failed to deliver the promised payments and accrued an additional £400,000 in debt to HMRC, according to recent filings submitted to Companies House. Woosnam had also taken significant financial benefits from the two insolvent companies, receiving £1.2 million in director’s loans from Premier Group and nearly £2 million in dividends since 2022. Additionally, he obtained about £200,000 in director’s loans from PGGBR before it was placed into liquidation in May 2026.

Despite these setbacks, Woosnam’s presence in the recruitment sector seems to have continued. Since July 2026, at least eight former Premier Group employees reportedly have been working at a new recruitment venture named Xpertis Talent. This latest company is strikingly similar to Woosnam’s previous businesses in branding and operations, to the point where even staff appeared uncertain about the connections. Marketing materials associated with Xpertis Talent have referenced awards originally won by Premier Group in 2022, and some employees noted joining the new firm prior to its formal registration with Companies House.

Unlike the two earlier companies, Woosnam is not listed as a shareholder in Xpertis Talent. Instead, filings show that the company is wholly owned by an individual based in Thailand. While Woosnam is known to have family ties to Thailand, any direct involvement in the new business has not been confirmed. Woosnam did not respond to requests for comment, and one of the joint administrators for Premier Group declined to provide statements regarding the case.

The trajectory of Woosnam’s recruitment enterprises highlights ongoing questions about the use of insolvency procedures and phoenix company arrangements in the industry, particularly regarding the protection of creditors and taxpayers. The UK government and regulatory authorities have previously scrutinised such practices, noting their potential risks and impacts.