Meet our Team
Michael Quest
Director
Michael launched Ivy Rock Partners in 2019 and leads on both the Executive and Portfolio search.
With over a decade of experience recruiting finance and executives, he has placed well over 300 professionals into roles in organisations with social purpose and has a great network.
Please contact to discuss: executive or portfolio search; recruitment/talent strategy; working for Ivy Rock Partners; collaborations and partnerships.
T: 07766 401 842
Katharyn Natynczuk
Director of Operations
Katharyn joined Ivy Rock Partners in January 2020 as our Director of Operations, after working closely with Michael for several years.
She is passionate about providing the highest standard of care and support to our candidates and clients. Get in touch if you need any help with timesheets or invoicing, or to discuss marketing and events.
T: 07875 313 945
Phil Southern
Director – Education & Housing
Phil has spent ten years recruiting senior finance professionals across the education, and international development sectors.
He has an extensive network of senior Executives across the multi academy trust sector, as well as higher education and independent schools. He has helped some of the largest and highest profile trusts in the UK centralise their finance functions, by recruiting key hires across finance and operations both in their centralised, and regional hubs.
Please contact to discuss: interim or permanent finance/operational recruitment within the education sector, salary benchmarking and advice around centralising finance.
T: 07717 229 627
Matt Horsman
Consultant
Matt specialises in recruiting permanent finance professionals across the education sector.
With a prior interest in finance dating back to his Economics & Finance degree, he has adopted an honest approach to recruitment since joining us in 2022. Working with a range of candidates at all stages of their career, Matt will always have the best interests of both clients and candidates at heart.
Please contact to discuss: permanent finance roles across the education and wider not-for-profit sector.
T: 07502 726 270
Lia Shibata-Myers
Consultant
Lia graduated from University of Portsmouth with a degree in Business and Management, focussed on D&I and ethics.
Since joining us in 2022, Lia has been supporting organisations in the arts, culture and non-profit sector, placing importance in ensuring that each client and candidate is treated with care and integrity.
Please contact to discuss: job search, career development and recruitment assistance within arts, culture and non-profit.
T: 07435 528 347
Jake Morrow
Consultant
Jake joined us in 2022 having previously worked in the charity sector.
Since joining the team, Jake has focussed on interim recruitment across the not-for-profit sector with a focus on arts & culture and charities, combining his professional experience with an interest in the arts following his degree in Classics from the University of Nottingham.
Please get in touch if you’re looking for an interim role within the not-for-profit sector.
T: 07340 284 189
Will Ryan
Director
With 17 years working in some of the top public sector recruitment consultancies in the UK, Will joined Ivy Rock Partners in 2022.
Will has predominately supported organisations across Local and Central Government as well as Housing Associations. He has delivered numerous senior level recruitment projects and run large multi vacancy campaigns. As part of his commitment to developing talent in the sector he has run mentoring events and organised seminars focused on supporting under represented groups in the sector.
Please contact to discuss: executive search; multivacancy campaigns, recruitment/talent strategy; and collaborations on talent development.
T: 07909 030 965
Ben Langlay-Smith
Associate Director
Ben joined Ivy Rock in 2022 to spearhead our IT offering having spent ten years recruiting IT, digital & data professionals across the public and non-profit sectors as well as previous experience recruiting into the commercial sector.
In the past 5 years, Ben has placed over 200 Technology professionals into Central and Local Government, the NHS, Universities, Not-for-Profits and Housing Associations.
Please contact to discuss interim, fixed term or permanent technology recruitment within the public and not-for-profit sectors.
T: 07442 996 028
Our Board Advisors
Abi Mustapha-Maduakor
Board Advisor, Chief Executive Officer of the African Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (AVCA)
Abi is currently Chief Executive Officer of the African Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (AVCA) and Co-Founder and Director of Black Women in Leadership Network.
We are privileged to have Abi as our Board Advisor; her entrepreneurial mindset, passion and insight into scaling and institutionalising small businesses is invaluable.
As Co-Founder and Director of Black Women in Leadership Network, Abi will also be uniquely placed to advise on how Ivy Rock supports diversity and inclusion, both in partnership with our clients and internally as a company core value.
James Mitra
Board Advisor, Founder JBM Consulting Ltd
James founded JBM Consulting in 2012 and has grown the agency to be a market-leading search firm known for recruiting executive talent and future leaders into disruptive tech start-ups, FinTech and high growth consulting firms. James has not only managed to create a highly successful agency with a loyal client base, but has done so with integrity and a modern approach – we are very lucky to have James involved and he has been a kind and reliable source of support since launching Ivy Rock Partners.
Julie Gilbert
Board Advisor, Executive Director City Lit
Currently the Executive Director for City Lit, Julie’s impressive career to date has seen her act on the School’s Management Committee for London Business School and hold strategic HR roles in the commercial sector for both Chevron and Harrods. With expertise in organisational design, talent acquisition, employee relations, engagement, employment law and performance management, we are extremely fortunate to have Julie involved with Ivy Rock Partners and she will play a key role in our future.
