{{Short description|Consulting firm}} {{Infobox company | name = Aquent | logo = AquentA Orange-01.svg | type = Private | traded_as = | area_served = Worldwide | key_people = John Chuang <small>(co-founder and CEO)</small> | industry = Professional services | services = Employment agencies | revenue = | operating_income = $500 million (2006)<ref name="revenue">{{cite news|title=John Chuang|url=http://www.biztechmagazine.com/article/2007/11/john-chuang|publisher=BizTech|date=November 27, 2007}}</ref> | net_income = | assets = | equity = | num_employees = 10,000<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-07-22 |title=Aquent named to SIA's list of the Largest Staffing Firms in the United States for 2024 |url=https://aquent.com/news/aquent-named-to-sias-list-of-the-100-largest-staffing-firms-in-the-united-states-for-2024 |access-date=2026-04-11 |website=aquent.com |language=en-US}}</ref> | homepage = [http://aquent.com/ aquent.com] | foundation = 1986 | location = Boston | locations = }}
'''Aquent''' is a staffing company specializing in placing temporary employees in marketing and creative industries. According to Staffing Industry Analysts, it is among the "largest marketing/creative staffing firms in the United States".<ref name="market">{{cite web|title=2015 Largest Marketing/Creative Staffing Firms in the United States|url=http://www2.staffingindustry.com/site/Research/Research-Topics-Reports/North-America/2015-Largest-Marketing-Creative-Staffing-Firms-in-the-United-States|website=Staffing Industry Analysts|access-date=2016-05-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161026102542/http://www2.staffingindustry.com/site/Research/Research-Topics-Reports/North-America/2015-Largest-Marketing-Creative-Staffing-Firms-in-the-United-States|archive-date=2016-10-26|url-status=dead}}</ref> Aquent also operates internationally with offices in Japan, Canada, Australia, France, UK, and the Netherlands.<ref name="History">{{Cite web|url=https://aquent.com/about-us/history|title=History|website=aquent.com|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-10}}</ref>
==History== Harvard College students John Chuang, Mia Wenjen and Steve Kapner in 1986 founded a typesetting business called Laser Designs from their Harvard dorm.<ref name="revenue"/><ref name="founder">{{cite news|title=Litl Introduces Its Web-Based Netbook|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2009/11/04/litl-introduces-its-web-based-netbook/|publisher=Wall Street Journal|date=November 4, 2009}}</ref><ref name="mactemps">{{cite news|title=Sites to Help Professional Workers Who Like to Go It Alone|url=http://partners.nytimes.com/library/tech/99/10/circuits/articles/14agen.html|agency=New York Times|date=October 14, 1999}}</ref> The business grew and they added temporary staffing related to Mac training as an offering and called it MacTemps.<ref name="revenue"/> MacTemps grew, adding non-Mac as well as permanent placements. With MacTemps no longer reflecting the business, they changed their name to Aquent, intended to mean "not a follower" in Latin.<ref name="name">{{cite news|title=A Generation of Freelancers|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/08/15/business/preludes-a-generation-of-freelancers.html|agency=New York Times|date=August 15, 1999}}</ref>
The company has grown substantially and entered into new business areas through acquisitions.
The company saw a drop in revenue in 2001 in the aftermath of the dot-com bubble with revenue dropping in 2001 compared to 2000.<ref name="renaissance">{{cite news|title=Aquent acquires Renaissance|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2001/12/31/story7.html|publisher=Boston Business Journal|date=December 31, 2001}}</ref> To counter the drop off in business, Aquent purchased Renaissance Worldwide Inc., an IT consultancy and staffing firm, for $106 million.<ref name="renaissance"/> Aquent at that time had been known for offering staffing of print and web designers.<ref name="renaissance"/> The deal allowed Aquent to also offer back end support staffers, which was considered by the company to complement well as a package solution.<ref name="renaissance"/> The acquisition of Renaissance also included a municipal and state government IT consulting subsidiary, which as initially planned was sold months later in 2002 to EOne Global for $45 million.<ref name="govconnect">{{cite news|title='E-Taxes' Fuel Merger|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/18/business/technology-briefing-software-e-taxes-fuel-merger.html|work=New York Times|date=April 18, 2002}}</ref>
In 2003, Aquent Studios was launched as a marketing division within Aquent that provides companies with an on/off site studio, which produces creative and marketing content. Aquent Studios also operates internationally.<ref name="History"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://aquentstudios.com/process-2/|title=Our Approach|website=Aquent Studios|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-10}}</ref>
In 2003 the company made a hostile takeover offer for Computer Horizons Corporation, a computer network services company with a staffing business segment.<ref name="takeover">{{cite news|title=Computer Horizons Buys RGII Technologies|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/10/business/technology-briefing-deals-computer-horizons-buys-rgii-technologies.html|agency=New York Times|date=July 10, 2003}}</ref> Aquent through its investment banker Robert W. Baird & Co. had initially approached Computer Horizon's management on April 3, 2003 with an invitation to have dinner, which was rejected by Bill Murphy, the President and CEO of Computer Horizons.<ref name="offer">{{cite news|title=Computer Horizons rejects Aquent bid|url=http://www.marketwatch.com/story/computer-horizons-rejects-aquent-hostile-bid|publisher=MarketWatch|date=May 2, 2003}}</ref> Aquent then proceeded to launch a cash tender offer on April 14, 2003 that valued Computer Horizons at $154 million.<ref name="offer"/> This proposal was opposed by management and in May the offer was rejected.<ref name="offer"/>
Aquent acquired Corporate Project Resources Inc. (CPRi), a staffing agency for marketing jobs, in 2005 for $25 million and renamed it Aquent Marketing Staffing while keeping its operations in Chicago.<ref name="adage">{{cite news|title=Aquent acquires CPRi|url=http://adage.com/article/btob/aquent-acquires-cpri/261164/|agency=Ad Age|date=July 25, 2005}}</ref>
In 2006, Aquent acquired Seattle-based Sakson & Taylor, a content design and development consulting and staffing firm with a significant presence at Microsoft, along with offices in several cities. The Sakson & Taylor brand (with "an Aquent company" appended) was retained for some years, but is no longer used. The former Sakson & Taylor headquarters are now Aquent's Seattle offices.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sakson & Taylor acquired by Aquent |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2006/02/20/daily24.html |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=www.bizjournals.com}}</ref>
== New Divisions == In 2011, Aquent launched a new division, Vitamin T, which focuses on placing "digital creatives" with marketing departments and advertising agencies for contract assignments.<ref>{{Cite web|date=May 11, 2011|title=Aquent launches new division Vitamin T|url=https://vitamintalent.com/blog/aquent-launches-new-division-vitamin-t|url-status=live|website=Vitamin Talent|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201025082805/https://vitamintalent.com/blog/aquent-launches-new-division-vitamin-t |archive-date=2020-10-25 }}</ref>
In 2012, Aquent launched Gymnasium offering free online courses for creative talent.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Our History|url=https://aquent.com/about-us/history|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160917231345/http://aquent.com:80/about-us/history |archive-date=2016-09-17 }}</ref>
In November 2022, Aquent announced that its talent and recruiting business and its Vitamin T brand will together become Aquent Talent. <ref>https://aquent.com/news/aquent-s-staffing-and-recruiting-business-and-vitamin-t-brand-become-aquent-talent-to-address-high-demand-for-specialized-remote-workers</ref>
==Company Structure== In November 2022, Aquent announced a restructuring.<ref>https://aquent.com/news/aquent-s-staffing-and-recruiting-business-and-vitamin-t-brand-become-aquent-talent-to-address-high-demand-for-specialized-remote-workers</ref> The restructuring positions Aquent LLC as the parent brand of these global work solutions products: * Aquent Talent * Aquent Studios * Aquent Robohead * Aquent Scout * Aquent Employer of Record * Aquent Gymnasium
== Sustainability == Aquent announced a goal to erase its entire carbon footprint of 35 years. From 2019 to 2021 the company reported a 90% reduction of its carbon footprint.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-31 |title=Corporate Sustainability Initiative {{!}} Aquent |url=https://aquent.com/about-us/sustainability |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=aquent.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Diversity+ == Aquent launched a diversity recruiting solution for hiring managers called Diversity+. This solution provides diversity recruiting strategies to clients.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-10-08 |title=Aquent to help businesses committed to improving workplace diversity {{!}} Aquent |url=https://aquent.com/news/aquent-to-help-businesses-committed-to-improving-workplace-diversity |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=aquent.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Publications == Aquent releases a yearly Salary Guide for marketing, creative, and design talent. The 2023 Salary Guide revealed that despite inflation peaking at 9.1% in 2022, salaries across these positions increased by just 1.1%, and gender and ethnicity wage disparities are still prevalent. <ref>https://aquent.com/news/aquent-s-2023-salary-guide-reveals-stagnant-wages-and-narrowing-gender-pay-gap</ref>
== Recognition == * Aquent ranks as one of the top firms on the Best Temp Staffing Firms list and Best Professional Recruiting Firms list.<ref>{{Cite web |last=PEACHMAN" |first="RACHEL RABKIN |title=America's Best Temp Staffing Firms 2023 |url=https://www.forbes.com/lists/best-temp-staffing-firms/ |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref> * Aquent CEO, John Chuang, named to SIA’s 2022 staffing 100 for North America.<ref>{{Cite web |title=John H. Chuang – The Staffing 100 |url=https://si100.staffingindustry.com/john-h-chuang/ |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=si100.staffingindustry.com |language=en-US}}</ref> * PRO Unlimited is a global innovator of contingent workforce management software and services. When it announced its Global Supplier Awards for Service, Aquent was singled out as the sole Platinum winner.<ref>{{Cite web |title=PRO Unlimited Honors Suppliers for Superior Service in Contingent Workforce Management |url=https://www.prweb.com/releases/pro-unlimited-honors-suppliers-for-superior-service-in-contingent-workforce-management-808363042.html |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=PRWeb}}</ref> * Aquent received recognition for offering health insurance to part-time workers.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-07-29 |title=10 employers that provide health benefits to all employees equally {{!}} Aquent |url=https://aquent.com/news/10-employers-that-provide-health-benefits-to-all-employees-equally |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=aquent.com |language=en-US}} </ref> ==References== {{Reflist}}
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Category:Human resource management consulting firms Category:Consulting firms established in 1986 Category:Temporary employment agencies