Founder pair of Ma Foi launch a new HR outfit

CIEL HR Services, armed with technology and analytics, promises to be a next-gen path breaker in the Indian HR services industry.

Eleven years after selling their company to the Dutch head hunting firm, Vedior NV, the two founders of Ma Foi, K. Pandia Rajan and Latha Rajan, have co-founded another HR outfit – CIEL HR Services.

Headquartered in Bengaluru, CIEL, the French word for sky, promises to be a next-generation HR services company. CIEL will utilise the power of technology and analytics to offer a range of services, such as permanent and flexible staffing, executive search, selection and managed services programmes.

The company will specialise in providing solutions in talent acquisition, engagement and retention.

The Rajans had launched Ma Foi in 1992, which was acquired by Vedior in 2004. Meanwhile, Randstad had forayed into the Indian market in 2005 through two consecutive acquisitions – EmmayHR and Teams4U.

In 2007, Vedior was globally acquired by Randstad and the company changed its name to Ma Foi Randstad. However, in 2012, Randstad shed the Ma Foi brand and rechristened itself to Randstad India.

K. Pandia Rajan, chairman of CIEL HR Services, says, “It is indeed great to be back in the business we pioneered. With CIEL we want to rediscover and define new meanings in HR, especially using the power of analytics.”

“All our offerings in staffing, search and selection will be driven by data-based insights using new sciences to find the best talent,”

The company will start operations in four cities — Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai and Baroda. Hyderabad, Delhi, Kolkata and Pune are next in the pipeline to ensure a national network.

Latha Rajan, director & co-founder, CIEL, adds, “The new outfit will retain the core values of Ma Foi, which are growth, dignity, transparency and diversity. We will build on the expertise we have gained on analytics and consulting in the last three years.”

The company has appointed Aditya Narayan Mishra as CEO, and Santosh Nair as the COO.

Mishra, an engineer from Sambalpur University, is an old Ma Foi hand who has spent around 16 years with the company, even post its merger and acquisition by Randstad. His last designation at Randstad India was president-staffing.