CASE STUDY 1
Assignment: Financial Controller
Sector: Fintech | Financial Services | PE-Backed
Location: South London / Surrey Border
The Challenge:
A fast-growing FS business needed a Financial Controller to strengthen its financial control environment while supporting the continued evolution of the finance function.
The business needed a fully qualified finance professional (CIMA, ACCA, or ACA) to own financial reporting, internal controls, month-end processes, and stakeholder management, while operating effectively in a fast-paced, evolving scale-up environment.
Our Approach:
We worked closely with the Finance Director to understand both the role's immediate requirements and the longer-term objectives of the growing finance function.
Leveraging our established finance talent network across the South London and Surrey commuter belts, we identified candidates with strong core accounting foundations and a proven track record operating within scaling corporate environments.
Our process focused heavily on:
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Financial control and statutory reporting expertise
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Stakeholder management and commercial acumen
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Process improvement and systems optimisation capability
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Adaptability within fast-growth environments
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Leadership and team development potential
The Outcome:
Within a short timeframe, we successfully introduced a fully qualified finance professional with a strong blend of core accounting expertise and commercial finance experience.
The successful candidate quickly established themselves within the business, strengthening financial reporting processes, enhancing internal controls, and providing valuable support to senior finance leadership as the organisation continued to scale.
“Dean understood the brief better than any recruiter we’d worked with before."
CASE STUDY 2
Assignment: Commercial Finance Manager
Sector: Retail & E-Commerce | Commerce & Industry
Location: Croydon, Surrey
The Challenge:
A fast-scaling, founder-led online marketplace experiencing a significant surge in transaction volume required a Commercial Finance Manager to step into a newly created position.
The business needed a dynamic, qualified finance professional (CIMA, ACCA, or ACA) to move beyond historical reporting and build a robust, forward-looking budgeting and forecasting framework. The ideal candidate had to possess the commercial acumen required to dive deep into supply chain margins, digital marketing spend ROI, and international shipping data, whilst acting as a strategic partner to the executive team.
Previous direct hiring attempts had yielded candidates who were technically sound at management accounts, but lacked the commercial agility, data-modelling expertise, and proactive business-partnering skills needed to influence operational decision-making.
Our Approach:
We worked directly with the Founder and CEO to map out the company's three-year growth plan, ensuring the search profile matched the future direction of the business.
Utilising our proactive headhunting approach and extensive finance network across the South London and Surrey commuter belts, we targeted commercially minded professionals with a track record of driving profitability within high-volume retail, logistics, or digital sectors.
Our process focused heavily on:
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Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) and predictive forecasting models
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Margin analysis and cost-control capabilities
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Cross-functional stakeholder engagement and business partnering
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Data manipulation skills and commercial agility
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Ability to thrive in an entrepreneurial, fast-moving environment
The Outcome:
Within four weeks of launching the search, we successfully placed a CIMA-qualified Commercial Finance Manager with extensive industry experience.
The candidate made an immediate impact by overhauling the company's rolling forecast model and identifying critical margin efficiencies within the supply chain. They have established themselves as an invaluable partner to the leadership team, providing the clear financial visibility and strategic insight required to successfully scale the brand.
CASE STUDY 3
Assignment: Part-Qualified Management Accountant
Sector: Logistics | B2B Services | Commerce & Industry
Location: Bromley, South London
The Challenge:
A rapidly growing, multi-site logistics business required an ambitious Part-Qualified Management Accountant to support a busy, fast-paced finance department.
The business needed a driven individual currently progressing through their CIMA or ACCA studies. The position required someone capable of taking immediate ownership of weekly KPI reporting, balance sheet reconciliations, and the production of monthly management accounts drafts, whilst acting as an active bridge between the operations managers and the senior finance team.
The internal recruitment team had struggled to find the right balance, receiving applications from over-qualified candidates seeking pure corporate environments or individuals lacking the commercial drive and adaptability needed to thrive in a hands-on, high-volume environment.
Our Approach:
We partnered directly with the Financial Controller to understand the team dynamic and identify the exact technical and cultural markers that would ensure long-term success.
Leveraging our established local talent networks and active relationships with active studiers across South London and Surrey, we mapped out part-qualified professionals who were hitting a ceiling in their current roles and seeking greater commercial exposure.
Our process focused heavily on:
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Management accounts preparation and variance analysis foundations
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Progression and commitment toward CIMA or ACCA qualification
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Communication skills and potential for active business partnering
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Speed, accuracy, and systems adaptability (Advanced Excel/ERP)
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Long-term career ambition and cultural fit within a busy team
The Outcome:
Within three weeks, we successfully placed a part-qualified ACCA studier with strong baseline experience and a proactive attitude.
The successful candidate seamlessly integrated into the team, taking immediate pressure off the Financial Controller by stream-lining the month-end close process. The business is fully supporting their remaining studies, and the candidate is already progressing on a clear, long-term pathway toward becoming a fully qualified commercial partner within the group.
CASE STUDY 4
Assignment: FP&A Analyst
Sector: Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) | Commerce & Industry
Location: Kingston upon Thames, Surrey
The Challenge:
An established, rapidly scaling brand in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector required a dedicated Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) Analyst.
The finance department was transitioning away from static spreadsheet processes toward dynamic, data-driven forecasting to manage volatile raw material costs and rapid retail expansion. The business needed an ambitious finance professional (CIMA, ACCA, or ACA) with exceptional financial modelling skills. The role demanded an individual who could analyze complex data across supply chain costs, marketing spend ROI, and distributor margins, translating those numbers into clear commercial insights for senior directors.
Our Approach:
We collaborated closely with the Head of FP&A and Chief Financial Officer to define the critical data-modelling and predictive analytics capabilities required for their commercial growth strategy.
Using our proactive sourcing methodology and extensive finance network across South London and Surrey, we actively targeted commercially minded analytical specialists. We focused on identifying professionals who were living locally and eager to secure a high-calibre, strategic corporate role without the burden of a central London commute.
Our process focused heavily on:
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Advanced financial modelling, scenario planning, and rolling forecasting capabilities
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Analysis of volume, price, and mix variances across multi-channel retail accounts
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Strong stakeholder management and executive presentation skills
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Proactive problem-solving abilities within fast-moving supply chain environments
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Commercial agility and business-partnering potential
The Outcome:
We successfully introduced a high-calibre, CIMA-qualified analyst with a strong background in corporate financial planning and data analytics.
The successful candidate integrated seamlessly into the team, instantly adding value by constructing a live, multi-variant margin forecasting model that significantly reduced the monthly reporting cycle. They have quickly become an invaluable asset to the executive team, providing the accurate financial visibility and data-driven insight needed to drive the brand's national retail expansion strategy.
