We specialise in manager to board level positions on a permanent and interim basis. 


Our experience spans multiple industry sectors, with clients backed by Private Equity, Listed, Family and Privately owned. 


The value we bring to a recruitment project is based on our long and successful track record, a personal and tailored approach and the overwhelming sense of satisfaction we get from seeing our clients and candidates thrive. 


Investing in relationships

We’re interested in building relationships before we're appointed.  Taking the time to learn about, and understand a business properly, means we can provide insight and value from the outset. 


While we have many years of experience, we’re always learning and adapting, as businesses, processes, and markets evolve.


We believe our desire to be considered genuine business partners and trusted advisers, plays a big part in why clients come back to us time and again. 



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Our Coverage

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Values and Ethos


Founded by Sam and Helen Harris from Hamilton, Ontario, Chocolate Charm was the first speciality chocolate shop in the region. What started out as a hobby fostered by a deep, passionate love of chocolate quickly turned into a local sensation, with visitors coming from across the region to get a taste of the Harris’ delicious homemade confectionaries. 

 

Sam and Helen have moved their production base from their home kitchen to an ultra-modern chocolate factory, but the home-kitchen attention to detail has remained. Chocolate Charm now employees more than 20 employees, each and every one of whom has a passion for chocolate and takes deep pride in its production. Chocolate Charm products are available in dozens of retail stores and online.

Current Leaders

 We find experienced leaders for your most critical executive and board roles, with the judgement, clarity, and commercial focus to deliver profitable growth.



Future Leaders

 From Finance to Operations, Commercial to HR; we find senior managers who deliver results, keep teams focused, and move the business forward.



Interim

 We place proven interim and fractional leaders to steady the ship, lead change, or fill critical gaps. They bring immediate impact, deep experience, and a calm, pragmatic approach when it’s needed most.



How we work

We treat our clients and candidates as individuals, not numbers on a database.  From our first conversation with you, our aim is to be considered a true business partner and trusted adviser. 


Freshwood is not a high volume 'agency', meaning our clients can expect us to invest the appropriate time and resources, to ensure we understand their requirements, company culture, challenges and opportunities.  



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Over the last 50 years, we have acted for companies of all shapes and sizes across multiple industry sectors. Whether our clients are backed by investors, privately held, family owned or publicly listed, we are skilled at assessing a candidate's technical ability, cultural fit, motivation and leadership qualities. 


What we believe sets us apart from many of our competitors, however, is our personal approach and the high level of attention we give to our clients and candidates. 


Each recruitment project is unique, and we adopt a strategy and approach which is bespoke to each appointment, ensuring we successfully meet the requirements of the brief. It’s for these reasons we believe clients work with us on a repeat basis. 



Experts


How we help you appoint high performing finance talent

We are not a high volume 'agency', meaning our clients can expect us to invest the appropriate time and resources, to ensure we understand their requirements, company culture, challenges and opportunities. 


Our expertise includes:


  • CFO / FD search for private, investor backed, publicly listed and family owned companies.
  • Financial Controller, M&A, Heads of Function e.g. FP&A, Financial and Management Reporting.
  • Talent Advisory services for early stage, high growth companies.


We act for companies throughout the UK across all industry sectors, to deliver recruitment solutions on a Permanent, Interim and Fractional basis.


Please don't hesitate to contact us to discuss your specific requirements or the market in general.


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Permanent Positions


If you're looking for a needle, we'll keep searching until we find it.





We take a personal and considered approach to permanent recruitment projects, at all levels of seniority. It begins with listening, understanding the business, the team, and the kind of person who will genuinely thrive. Skills and experience are of course important, but so is judgement, character, and the ability to work well with others. Getting the balance right takes insight, time and attention.



We work in close partnership with our clients. Every brief is different, and we stay curious and open-minded throughout. We think creatively, explore widely, and keep going until we’ve found someone who fits. With no 'off-limits' restrictions, we can approach people other firms can’t, giving us the freedom to search proactively and without compromise.


We bring strong values, a determined work ethic, and a high standard of professionalism. We act with integrity, treat people with respect, and give honest, constructive feedback at every stage. Whether we’re speaking to a CEO or someone stepping into their first leadership role, we bring the same care, focus and attention to detail. We don’t overcomplicate things, but we do take pride in doing things properly.


We’re a small but very experienced team. We're hands-on, responsive, and easy to work with. We try to make the experience positive and straightforward for everyone involved, ideally with some humour along the way.


Above all, we are good people to work with. Trusted, thoughtful, resilient — and genuinely committed to getting it right.


Our Approach

  • 1. Establish the Brief

    We work with our client to define the role, success criteria, and context. This ensures clarity on requirements and alignment before we begin the search.

  • 2. Map the Market

    We research the market and build a robust longlist of relevant individuals. This list is the foundation of the search and remains dynamic until completion.

  • 3. Candidate Engagement

    We approach and qualify candidates directly, presenting the role clearly and assessing skills, motivation, and fit before shortlist stage.

  • 4. Client Assessment Process

    We coordinate interviews and manage feedback. Our involvement ensures consistency and a smooth candidate experience.

  • 5. Offer Management

    We help and advise with package negotiations and aim to manage expectations, ensuring  a smooth transition through to signed offer. 

  • 6. Post Search

    We stay in touch post-placement to support onboarding.  We follow up with client and candidate at 3 and 6 months.  

We stay in regular contact throughout the process, providing clear progress updates and reporting to keep you informed.


We're responsive, accessible, and committed to delivering an outstanding level of expert service.




Every Situation Is Unique


Whatever the situation, we invest the time to understand our client's business model, culture and specific leadership needs. We do this via thorough discovery sessions with key stakeholders to define the ideal candidate profile.


We map the market, build a targeted longlist of prospects and we begin our discreet approach work.  We provide regular progress updates, we screen shortlisted candidates in depth and we provide detailed reports on each candidate. 


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Interim

Finance

Freshwood provides interim finance professionals, typically for periods of change.  The experience and value that a professional interim can bring, will ensure business continuity during transitions, projects, or leadership gaps.


From Financial Controllers to CFOs, we deliver skilled, adaptable talent to meet your short-term needs. 





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Fractional CFO

The experienced Fractional (Portfolio / Part-Time) CFO has grown in popularity in recent years.  Generally they have taken a deliberate decision to leave their full time executive career, in order to support companies and boards with strategic financial leadership on a flexible basis. 


Whether guiding / mentoring a less experienced CFO or supporting a specific project e.g. M&A, we are connected to an extensive network of highly experienced CFOs.


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Interim Management




Leaders you need, immediately you need them.

Our interim management solutions put proven executives and adaptable fractional professionals at your service, ensuring seamless transitions and critical project delivery.



Our Capability


  • Interim CFO/FD — to lead finance, turnaround plans, M&A readiness, exits. 


  • Interim COO — optimise operations and boost efficiency.


  • Interim or Fractional CPO — lead talent strategy and workforce planning.


  • Transformation Leads — for business change.


Our flexible, tailored approach puts the right leader in place quickly.


Some of the companies we have helped


Suzanne Day

Since 1999 Suzanne has worked with global technology vendors building their leadership teams across Australia, New Zealand and beyond. With twenty-five years’ experience in search and selection and a specialisation in the technology sector, Suzanne has built a network and reputation which gives the firm access to the best possible talent.


Her trusted advisor status has seen her complete over 175 executive search mandates with 98.7 percent success rate and 100 percent candidate satisfaction. 


Local and global corporations look to Suzanne for crisp guidance to get their desired outcomes. Her clients know her for her quick wit, laser-sharp focus on details, exemplary networks across the region, absolute discretion, and commitment to results.


Suzanne Day

Partner, APAC


James Young

James is the founder and Managing Partner of Morgan Young. James leads Morgan Young’s Asia Pacific Financial Services practice and is based in Sydney. He is a member of the firm’s Board Practice and partners on various senior-level assignments.


James is closely involved in several of the firm’s key client relationships in the region. He is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and currently serves as Secretary & Treasurer for the AESC Council of Asia Pacific & Middle East.


James and his team have successfully completed mandates in Retail Banking, Investment Banking, , Corporate Banking, Fintech and Big Data & Advanced Analytics with Australian, UK, US, and Japanese listed corporations.


James Young

Partner, APAC

Charlie Jaggard

Charlie has spent more than 25 years in executive search, assessment and coaching.  In that time he has met thousands of executives and knows what makes an outstanding leader. 


He is passionate about providing expert assessment and coaching services to improve clients’ performance through their leadership talent.


Clients we have worked with

We've been recruiting in finance for more than 50 years.


Assessing technical skills, cultural fit, motivation and leadership capability is where we excel.


We get to know our candidates in depth, by asking probing questions, challenging their answers and most importantly, we listen intently.


Experts

We've been placing accountants for over 50 years. Identifying the right experience, skillset, industry sector etc. is not the hard part. 


Assessing cultural fit, motivation and leadership skills is when we come into our own. We get to know our candidates by asking probing questions, challenging their answers and most importantly, we listen.

 


Industry Focus

Technology





Consumer


Sustainability

Industrial

Travel and Leisure


Healthcare



Education


Business Services


Industry Sectors

Technology

Consumer

Sustainability

Nutrition and Well-being

Travel and Leisure



Healthcare

Education

Business Services

With a few kind words

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Birthday Sparks

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Fashion Magazine

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City skyline

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Birthday Sparks

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Fashion Magazine

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Some kind words from our clients



A selection of testimonials

Contact us

We instructed Fiona on a role that we have historically found difficult to fill. We worked very closely with her, developing a full job description and person specification. She was very knowledgeable and able to advise us on the best recruitment strategy to identify the successful candidate. It was not easy search but she found us the perfect candidate!

Healthcare CFO

I have known Phil for a number of years. He successfully completed a search for our UK Finance Director position. Throughout the search Phil invested time to make sure that he understood my requirements, our business and our culture. He demonstrated his knowledge and experience by presenting a timely shortlist of extremely strong and relevant candidates, from which I was able to select our UK FD.

Retail CFO

Fiona led the search for a new Group Financial Controller.
I was very impressed with the whole process; given regular weekly updates, a very strong preliminary candidate list and saw some very good candidates, one of which we ultimately offered the job to.
 
I found Fiona to bevery knowledgeable, easy to work with and focused on delivery.  Would definitely use her again. 

CFO - Tech Manufacturing

We have worked with the team at Freshwood Group for a few years. Over that time they have really got to know & understand our business, culture and values which is always reflected in the candidates they introduce to us. They have worked hard to build a relationship with whole business and have always given us professional and timely service.  

VP HR, EMEA - Software (SAAS)

Phil led our search for a new CFO. I was very impressed with the whole process; given regular weekly updates, a very strong preliminary candidate list and saw some very good candidates, one of which we ultimately offered the job to.
 
I found Phil very knowledgeable, easy to work with and focused on delivery.  Would without doubt use him again. 

Group HR Director - Automotive

Freshwood were creative in their approach, stayed in regular contact and were quite prepared to challenge us when they felt it was necessary.  We successfully appointed a CFO, who supported the CEO in an exit process within 12 months. 

Private Equity Investor


We just work very hard for you.