Internet recruiter aims for base of millions

A woman passes by a Liepin.com billboard in Shanghai, March 9, 2014.[Photo/dfic.cn]

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"Warburg Pincus has been following the Internet-based recruitment sector closely in recent years and was impressed with Liepin's unique business model and the changes Liepin has brought to the recruitment sector," said Julian Cheng, a managing director of Warburg Pincus.

Cheng said traditional Internet-based recruitment agencies basically operate as advertisement platforms for employers, but Liepin.com has created an online model that is built around the needs of professionals and members.

"After witnessing the rapid growth of Liepin.com in the past three years, Matrix Partners China is more and more convinced that Liepin's business model is shaking up the current Internet-based recruitment sector and has singled itself out as the one to win," said David Zhang, a founding managing partner of Matrix Partners China.

Zhang said the new investment will help the company improve its vertical platform, which incorporrates personal computers, mobile and call center services. That in turn will maximize the value it will provide to its professional members.

According to Zhang, Matrix Partners China favors investing in platform companies, and Liepin.com is a career development platform connecting employers, headhunters and professional managers, and catering to their recruitment needs.

"But operating a good platform company is very difficult, and Liepin.com has made it, so we are not afraid that the Internet giants such as Baidu, Alibaba or Tencent will enter the market," said Zhang.