Functional Leadership

Leadership that defines what an organisation becomes.

The CEO role has never been more complex. Culture, purpose, strategy, stakeholder trust, and the ability to lead through uncertainty: finding someone who can carry all of that requires more than a strong shortlist. We have placed CEOs across every sector we work in, and we understand what the role demands at each level and in each context.

The appointment that shapes everything else.

The right chair sets the tone for a board. The right board asks the questions that matter. We place around 250 board-level appointments each year, and we have deep experience placing chairs, non-executive directors and trustees across the private, public and non-profit sectors. We understand what genuinely diverse and effective board composition requires. Not just in terms of background and experience, but in the range of perspectives that make a board worth having.

Find out more our our Board practice

Financial leadership that goes beyond the numbers.

Senior finance leaders are expected to combine strategic insight with a strong track record of delivery. We place CFOs, finance directors, treasurers and investor relations executives across the private, public and non-profit sectors, with experience spanning capital markets, governance, M&A, risk and regulatory compliance. We also support the recruitment of financial experts for board and non-executive roles, and Bursars for schools.

As organisations grow in complexity, the COO has become one of the most consequential appointments a board can make. We have extensive experience placing chief operating officers who bring cross-functional depth, operational discipline and the ability to align people, process and strategy.

People strategy at the highest level.

The CHRO sits at the intersection of culture, talent and business strategy. We place HR directors and people leaders who understand that connection and can operate with authority at board level. Our track record includes global organisations, FTSE 100 companies and leading professional services firms.

Digital leadership for organisations in motion.

As data, automation and AI become central to how organisations operate, the CDO has moved from specialist hire to strategic necessity. We place digital leaders who can work credibly with CEOs and boards, translate strategy into organisational reality, and lead transformation that lasts.

Leaders who shape how an organisation is seen and heard.

Reputation and the ability to connect with customers, stakeholders and employees have never mattered more. We place marketing and communications leaders across sectors, from FMCG and B2B to digital and creative, finding people who bring both strategic vision and the craft to execute it.

Expertise at the edge of complexity.

The regulatory environment is expanding in scope and consequence. We place heads of regulation and strategy across commercial and public sectors, with experience spanning FTSE 100 companies, government regulators, professional bodies and financial services institutions. These are roles that demand technical depth, strategic clarity and the confidence to lead in uncertain territory.

Sustainability has moved from a reporting function to a strategic priority, and the leaders required to drive it have changed accordingly. We place heads of sustainability and ESG leaders who can operate at board level, translate ambition into measurable action, and bring the credibility to hold an organisation accountable to its own commitments.