Recognition
Guus Franke named to the SIA Staffing 100 Europe 2026
Staffing Industry Analysts has named Guus Franke, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Circle8 Group, to its 2026 Staffing 100 Europe. The list recognises the leaders shaping the European workforce solutions industry.
Guus Franke, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Circle8 Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: CIRC), has been named to the Staffing 100 Europe 2026 by Staffing Industry Analysts. SIA published the list on 28 July 2026.
The Staffing 100 Europe is SIA’s annual list of the most influential leaders in the European workforce solutions industry. SIA’s profile recognises Guus as the founder of Circle8 and as the executive leading the group through its 2026 combination with Atlantic International.
From founder to listed group
Guus founded Circle8 in 2021 with a clear thesis: build a European IT talent and technology platform through disciplined acquisition and operational focus. The group grew from a single market into a pan-European business across the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland, adding Seven Stars, Swisslinx and Königstein along the way.
By March 2024, all five Circle8 companies had grown organically and combined annual turnover had passed €1 billion.
In January 2026, Atlantic International Corp acquired Circle8 in an all-stock transaction, creating a transatlantic platform with around $1.2 billion in annual revenue. Guus joined the board as Executive Chairman. On 30 June 2026, the board appointed him Chief Executive Officer, and the company announced it would rename to Circle8 Group and trade on Nasdaq under the ticker CIRC.
A year of delivery
The recognition follows a year of measurable progress. Circle8 extended its offer beyond specialist talent into applied AI, cybersecurity, cloud and data-centre infrastructure. It won a four-year framework worth around $380 million to supply senior technology, data and cybersecurity specialists to DUO, the executive agency of the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. It won a further Dutch government ICT framework worth at least $52 million, selected from a field of sixteen bidders.
The listed group reported record first-quarter 2026 revenue of $249.9 million, up 143% year on year. Circle8 Netherlands climbed to No. 5 in the FlexNieuws 2026 Top 100, up from No. 14 in 2021, on 15.2% organic growth.
About Circle8 Group
Circle8 Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: CIRC) is an international technology and business transformation platform operating across North America and Europe. Through its specialist operating companies, Circle8 combines technology consulting, technology solutions, managed services and specialist technology talent. The group serves more than 500 enterprise and government clients and generated more than $1.2 billion in gross revenue during 2025.