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We supply the people
Permanent, interim and executive search across Internal Audit, Governance, Risk & Controls and Sustainability. Briefs are shaped by practitioners, not by a consultant working from a job description they cannot interrogate.
Our approach
Most specialist recruitment fails in the same place. A brief is taken at face value, a search runs against its keywords and a hiring manager spends six weeks discovering that the candidates cannot do the technical part.
That failure is built into the model. If the person taking the brief has never held the role, they cannot tell which requirements are real and which are copied from the last job description. They cannot tell a candidate who built a disclosure from one who reviewed it. So the filtering gets pushed onto you, in interviews, at the most expensive point.
We move that filtering to the front. A partner takes the brief and challenges it: what is genuinely non-negotiable, what is a preference and whether the shape of the role is even findable in this market at this budget. Then the technical screening is done by someone who has sat in the seat.
You see fewer people. The ones you see can do the job.
How we hire
Which one fits depends on the permanence of the need and how visible the search has to be.
Roles that build long-term capability: managers through to Chief Audit Executives and Heads of Sustainability. Single hires, team builds and phased hiring plans where a function is being stood up from a standing start.
Typically retained or exclusive for senior appointments; contingent where the market is deep enough to justify it.
Specialist resource for peaks, projects and gaps: typically three to twelve months. Maternity and sickness cover, a reporting cycle, a remediation programme or the bridge while a permanent search runs.
Fast to mobilise. We do not lower the technical bar because the engagement is temporary.
Confidential, mapped searches for appointments that cannot be advertised: a successor to an incumbent who does not know yet, a first Head of Sustainability or a board-level audit appointment.
Full market map, referenced longlist and a process run discreetly enough to protect everyone in it.
The process
Indicative timings for a permanent search. Interim moves faster; executive search takes longer at the mapping stage and shorter at the shortlist.
A partner takes the brief and pushes on it: what the role must deliver in year one, which requirements are real, what the team around it looks like and whether the package matches the market. You get an honest view on findability before we start, not after four weeks of silence.
We map the population that could genuinely do this role, not the population that has the job title. For scarce specialisms (IT audit, climate and nature, ESG data), that map is often small enough to show you in full.
Candidates are approached by a practitioner and screened on substance: what they actually built, what they would do differently and how they handle being challenged. Rehearsed framework knowledge does not survive this conversation.
A short shortlist, with written notes on where each person is strong, where they are not and what you should test in interview. We would rather present three people we can defend than eight we cannot.
We manage scheduling, feedback and expectations on both sides. Counter-offer risk and notice-period reality are raised early, because the late surprise is what loses hires.
We stay in contact with both sides through the notice period and the first months. Placements fail in week six far more often than in week one and usually for reasons someone could have raised.
Live roles
A selection of the searches we are running now. Many of our mandates are confidential and never advertised. If nothing here fits, register your profile and we will approach you directly.
For candidates
We are a small firm in two specialisms. That means we cannot help everyone, but if you work in these disciplines, we will be straight with you.
Not the right fit? We would still rather tell you that in one email than leave you wondering. Everything you send is held in confidence either way.
What candidates say
A placement only works if both sides were told the truth. These are recommendations from candidates Tom has placed, in their own words. First names only, for their privacy.
Tom is good at the part of recruitment that matters most: the match. He understood what his client needed and what I wanted from a move, and proposed a fit that reflected both. He takes a clear interest in people he works with and places their interests at the heart of the process.
He is also a clear communicator and runs a well-organised process. At every stage I knew where things stood and what came next. He prepared me very thoroughly and left nothing to chance so I could perform with confidence and at my best. With his help, I was offered an extremely competitive role at a private equity firm.
I would gladly work with him again.
I had the pleasure of working with Tom during my recent job search, and I genuinely couldn’t recommend him highly enough. From our very first conversation, Tom was incredibly easy to engage with, personable, approachable and genuinely interested in finding the right fit, rather than simply filling a role.
What particularly stood out was how proactive and supportive he was throughout the entire process. Whether it was checking in before an important interview or meeting, making sure I had everything I needed during onboarding, or simply following up afterwards to see how things had gone, Tom was always one step ahead.
He communicates exceptionally well, is reliable, responsive and transparent, and importantly, you always feel that he is genuinely invested in achieving the right outcome for you. Even after I secured the role, Tom continued to check in and make sure everything was going well, which says a lot about the way he works and the relationships he builds.
A great recruiter and, more importantly, a genuinely good person to work with and know. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Tom to anyone looking for their next opportunity.
Working with Tom has been a genuinely positive experience. He brings a people-first approach to the entire recruitment process, right from identifying the suitable role, to providing insights about the company and role, all the way through to ensuring a smooth onboarding. I would recommend Tom to anyone looking for the right role in their career.
Tom played a key role in helping me secure my current role, and working with him throughout the process was genuinely excellent. He was incredibly easy to speak to, always available whenever I had questions, and consistently went out of his way to help, offering honest, practical advice and keeping me informed at every stage. On top of that, he’s simply a personable, easy-going person to deal with, which made what can be a stressful process feel far more manageable. I’d recommend Tom without hesitation to anyone looking for a recruiter who combines professionalism with a genuine personal touch.
I had a great experience working with Tom throughout my interview process for a role with a UK asset manager. From the outset, Tom was highly diligent and provided a clear, structured overview of the client’s requirements, which made it much easier to prepare for the interviews.
He was particularly supportive during the interview stages, offering practical guidance and helping me prepare for the in-person case study, ensuring my presentation and communication matched the client’s requirements and expectations. His communication was always prompt and to the point, which I really appreciated during what can often be a demanding and lengthy process.
Overall, it was a pleasure working with Tom. I would not hesitate to work with him again in the future and would highly recommend him to anyone navigating a recruitment process.
Tom has provided exemplary communication and connection in a recent interaction for a new role he was seeking for. Trustworthy and understanding, he ensured that the recruitment process was clear and timely, with an understanding of both client and candidate, giving his time and space for discussion and open collaborative communication. I would recommend Tom 100 times over as a recruiter who cares about his candidates and ensuring the best outcomes and connections for his clients.
Questions
Permanent placements are a percentage of first-year salary, agreed in writing before we start. Senior and confidential searches are usually retained in stages. Interim and contract are charged on a margin over the day rate, disclosed to both sides. We do not have hidden uplifts and we do not charge for the initial scoping conversation.
Permanent placements carry a rebate and replacement period, set out in our terms of business. In practice we would rather rerun the search than take the rebate. A failed placement is a failure of our screening and we would like the chance to correct it.
For some roles, yes. For scarce specialisms (IT audit, climate and nature, ESG data), contingent search rarely works, because the people who can do the job are not applying to anything. Those searches need mapping and direct approach, which needs commitment on both sides. We will tell you which category your role is in.
No. Clients are off-limits for the duration of our relationship and for an agreed period afterwards. The specifics go in the terms of business so that neither side is relying on a handshake.
Yes and it is worth planning as a sequence rather than a batch. The first hire changes who the second hire will be and hiring a leader before the team lets that leader shape it. We will map the whole plan and then run it in stages.
Hiring or looking. The first conversation is with a partner either way.
Tell us about the role or the gap. We will come back with a view on findability, package and whether a hire is even the right answer.
Brief us on a roleRegister for permanent and interim roles across Internal Audit, GRC and Sustainability. We never share your details without your consent.
Send us your CV