EXKLUSIV: Alles zur Ehe von UNIVERSUM & STEPSTONE

Wo die Liebe hinfällt 😉 Universum & StepStone gibt es ab sofort unter einem Dach. Gerade ist der Kauf von Universum durch Stepstone bekannt geworden. Was die beiden Parteien sich davon versprechen, erläutern Universum CEO Petter Nylander (oben links) und Stepstone Geschäftsführer Dr. Sebastian Dettmers (oben rechts) im exklusiven saatkorn. Interview. Auf geht’s (aus naheliegenden Gründen heute mal in Englisch):

saatkorn.: At first: congratulations! I think that Universum & StepStone working together is a great story. But please introduce yourselves at first to the saatkorn. readers.
Sebastian Dettmers: StepStone helps connect people to their dream job and employers to the right talent. We strongly believe that choosing a job is one of the most important decisions in a person’s life. A company`s success depends heavily on identifying and winning the right talents. Using the latest technologies and aggregating a vast amount of data, we help companies und jobseekers to make the right decision – with the support of almost 3,000 employees in more than 23 countries around the world.
Petter Nylander: Universum was founded in 1988 and works with 2,000 employers from all over the world. We provide services ranging from analytics to advisory and activation services for employer brands and we have introduced new cutting edge digital solutions for the industry such as Access and Access Social. We have a multi-faceted portfolio of services to help employers become more attractive to talent. Among our clients are a significant portion of the world’s largest and most attractive employers.

saatkorn.: Sebastian, from a StepStone point of view: why is Universum so interesting to you, that you bought the company?
Sebastian Dettmers: When it comes to attracting the best talent, a strong employer brand can positively influence the recruiting process. For more than 30 years, Universum has been a pioneer in this industry, using effective state-of-the-art data driven analyses. By acquiring Universum, we will strengthen our position as an important strategic partner for all recruitment needs. In times of an ever-growing shortage of skilled workers and increasing competition for the right applicants, StepStone and Universum will now be able to offer customers excellent tailor-made solutions for finding and securing the best talent.

saatkorn.: Petter, you started the process of selling Universum some months ago. Are you happy with StepStone as the new owner of Universum?
Petter Nylander: We have been careful in finding the right company to be acquired by. We have turned down more than one prospective buyer since we were looking for someone that has all the pieces we lack to accelerate the next steps in our development. We believe that Axel Springer and StepStone have the right ambitions and culture to do this successfully. It’s just the beginning but we already see tremendous opportunity with StepStone as owners.

saatkorn.: Thinking about the Employer Branding and Recruiting value chain – why do Universum & StepStone belong together?
Sebastian Dettmers: A company recruiting staff needs an attractive employer brand. Recruiters are aware of the importance, but still rely on their personal experience and perception rather than using verifiable data and research, when presenting their company. Universum is now an important member of the StepStone family. United we will offer a holistic service and outstanding customer experience.

Petter Nylander: StepStone have vast experience in the global talent industry with many offerings within recruiting, as well as ownership of many large media outlets through Axel Springer, that would be very beneficial to keep building our ranking currency on a global level. Furthermore, they are very strong in key markets in Europe, such as Germany, France and UK. They are expanding into our growth regions in Americas and APAC.

saatkorn.: What’s the plan now – will you keep both entities separately or are you planning to form a more integrated bigger company?
Petter Nylander: Universum will remain unchanged and continue to operate independently. Universum is renowned for its high-quality data gathering on employer attractiveness and is thus a reliable source for both employers and employees. Day-to-day business activities will also stay the same for Universum employees.

saatkorn.: From a Stepstone customer perspective: what can you expect now, what kind of new products or services will Universum & StepStone offer together?
Sebastian Dettmers: We want to enable candidates to really experience companies. A job is much more than just a list of tasks and responsibilities, as described in job advertisements. Our goal is to provide insights into the culture of companies, their work, daily routine and everything that makes that specific job stand out from the crowd. This explains why Universum & StepStone are the perfect match.

saatkorn.: And vice versa: how can Universum customers benefit from StepStone?
Petter Nylander: Universum will benefit from the StepStone Group’s resources. In future we will be able to offer customers an even better service.

saatkorn.: I am pretty sure, that you want to provide more data to your respective customers. Is there a plan to acquire more data driven companies?
Sebastian Dettmers: We are constantly committed to providing talents and businesses with better and even more customized recruiting solutions. Data is a core part of our business and key to successfully connect talent with organization. Therefore, we are continuously investing into innovations organically to improve our products. However sometimes an acquisition is a good option for us, too.

saatkorn.: What does the deal mean for the German market? What are your plans on an international level?
Petter Nylander: From a Universum perspective Germany is very interesting. Since it’s a major market and we would like to have a larger market penetration. We believe StepStone can help us there. Internationally speaking, our current business plan includes global expansion as well focus on digitalizing the business. Universum will keep doing business as currently planned.
Sebastian Dettmers: Many StepStone customers already use Universum as an employer branding service. This enables us to strengthen our position in the German market and help us develop more international business opportunities.

saatkorn.: Thank you very much, Petter and Sebastian – have lots of fun and success with Universum & StepStone in the future!