An importer and distributor of specialist products for the retail motor trade was in need of a Head of Finance. The Company is a subsidiary of an American company and also had significant links with the Far East.

The company had previously had difficulty in obtaining timely and accurate financial information and as a result had run into some difficulties. There was also a problem in that the credibility of the UK operation was being brought into question by the US parent.

We had a brief to find someone who was able to restore confidence in the quality of information and who could supply the UK MD with confidence in the information he was using in negotiations with banks, suppliers and associates. He also wanted someone very quickly.

We filled the position within four weeks of having taken the brief and the individual we selected and has now been appointed to the Board. The company’s trading difficulties have been turned around and the future looks very good.

A UK based importer and distributor of spare parts and specialist equipment for manufacturing and distribution industries was looking for a General Manager to run their operation in the North East. They were looking for an engineer who also had sales skills and the ability to manage a depot type operation.

We produced a short list of three candidates from whom an appointment was made. Our assessment included the use of psychometric testing. Our appointee has subsequently been appointed to the Board.

A successful and progressive College of Further Education wanted to appoint a new Finance Director to replace someone who had done the job very successfully for several years. This was a senior post holder position and therefore the position had to be handled in accordance with corporate governance principles.

We took a three stage approach to this – we advertised in the local press, we conducted some executive search, we searched our database and we used job boards on the Internet.

More than fifty applications were received. These were reduced to a short list of four. We then wrote and managed a one-day assessment centre designed to uncover the full range of skills in the candidate.

An appointment was successfully made and the Chief Executive of the College subsequently recommended us to a neighbouring College.