Business software experts Opal Wave have recruited four top quality graduates into their prestigious and highly selective associate consultant programme.

The company, a specialist in SAP BusinessObjects enterprise performance management and business intelligence software, with UK offices in London and Bradford, has been joined by Gabrielle Mabon, James Mason, Matthew McLean and Philippa Wisniewski.

Ms Mabon left St Andrews University this summer with a master’s degree in maths and theoretical physics. In her first year there, she took the Deans’ List, an annual award recognising an outstanding overall result in a single year by an undergraduate. She had previously received the Award for Academic Achievement at Magdalen College School, Oxford, where she earned A* or A grades in five science-based A-levels.

Mr Mason graduated earlier this year from Manchester University with a first-class master’s degree in physics. While there, he was sponsored by the Rank Prize Fund to undertake a nine-week internship and received a gold award for actively arranging over 60 hours of voluntary work.

Mr McLean is another St Andrews University graduate, gaining a first in maths and physics and winning the Deans’ List in three of his four years there. He also won the university’s prize for the outstanding student in all physics courses during his first year, its medal for the best second year maths student and a full scholarship to spend his third year at Pennsylvania University. He then earned a master’s degree in applied maths at Cambridge University.

Ms Wisniewski completed a master’s degree in computer science this summer at Sheffield University. During her course, she spent over a year working as a technology analyst with global banking, securities and investment management firm Goldman Sachs in London. She also worked for 10 months as a software engineer with epiGenesys, the Sheffield University Department of Computer Science software manufacturing business.

Opal Wave commercial and services director Ivor Herman said:

“We’re extremely demanding in the graduates we try to recruit and are therefore delighted that all four we attempted to attract this year agreed to join us. We now wish Gabrielle, James, Matthew and Philippa well and are sure they’ll become important figures in helping us maintain our current significant growth, driven by the substantial demand for our services and skills from many business sectors.”

The quartet were selected after a rigorous recruitment process, including an assessment day, psychometric tests and an interview. The assessment day contained exercises requiring candidates to demonstrate abilities including team working skills, analytical expertise, problem solving capabilities and presentational aptitudes.

Now in its fifth year, Opal Wave’s highly selective associate consultant scheme has seen 11 outstanding young graduates join the business. The newcomers work initially under close supervision from more experienced colleagues, before becoming fully-fledged consultants.

Mr Herman said:

“Our associate consultants have brought great enthusiasm and vitality to Opal Wave over the years, with their openness to new ideas, keenness to be taught and great willingness to take on work. We’ve also benefited from the younger overall outlook they’ve delivered to the business.”

The newcomers take Opal Wave’s staffing at its offices in London, Bradford and Beirut to about 40. The company announced earlier this year that it had recorded a 50 per cent turnover increase in 2015-16 and was on course for a similar rise in the current financial year.

Established Opal Wave clients who span all sectors include: giant bookmakers Ladbrokes; green energy company Ecotricity; US-based diversified industrial company Colfax Corporation, who have signed a five-year managed cloud solution contract; leading food producers Organix; and professional services firm Mott MacDonald.