Testimonials

It is important to know who you are working with and how you will be represented. Thank you to all of those who have taken time to provide the below written testimonals – they hopefully serve to reassure and give an insight into how we operate. We can also arrange for telephone references, if helpful.

Simon Ward

CEO at Royal Entomological Society

Following a governance review in 2020, Michael supported the Royal Entomological Society to find a financial consultant, which ultimately led to a new Director of Finance being recruited for the organisation. Michael has always been very easy to work with and has supported our organisation with a very flexible, honest and open approach. I would definitely recommend Michael to other leaders who are looking for senior financial appointments. We look forward to working with Ivy Rock in the future as the organisation grows.

Nick Maynard

Director and Founder of Practice London Limited and previous Director of Finance and Resources at Art Fund

We specifically sought Michael to lead the process of recruiting the Director of Finance & Resources given his extensive network within the cultural sector. The recruitment process was clearly set-out and executed, and Michael’s insight and constructive challenge were of value throughout. Moreover, it was obvious throughout the process that Michael was in our corner, working hard to source not just the available candidate, but the right candidate; his tenacity and intuition were a major asset and ultimately enabled us to make a successful appointment. I would have no hesitation recommending Michael.

Phil Harding

Finance Director at University College London

I have known Michael since around 2014. He has undertaken several assignments for me in my role as CFO at University College London, including sourcing senior staff into my finance team. I have been really impressed with the time Michael took to familiarise himself with the organisation and develop an in-depth understanding of my needs and the work context. This ensured that he was able to identify exceptionally strong candidate fields and resulted in securing high quality members of the team, who have proved extremely valuable. I would certainly recommend Michael to anyone seeking to recruit top talent into the higher education sector. He's also a nice bloke.

Kathryn Martindale

Director of Finance and Resources at The Place and previous Finance Director at Southbank Centre

I have known and worked with Michael for the last 5 years. He has recruited several crucial roles for me at 2 different organisations. He is easy to work with and takes the time to work with and develop a trusted two-way relationship with his clients. Michael has always taken the time to understand the job description in detail, the organisation as well as the personality traits required. As a result, the candidates have always been well selected and interviewed before being provided for shortlisting, he ensures that they would fit into the culture and environment, as well as work well with me. He doesn’t just focus on their technical ability or suggest candidates simply to bulk up the numbers. His ability to find the right person for the job is why I have solely worked with him for my recruitment needs in the last few years and recommended him to many of my other colleagues in the arts and charity sector for recruitment of roles in their teams and to people I know looking for their next move.

Ashley Wang

Director of Finance and Business Improvement at Overseas Development Institute

Michael and I have worked together for many years. He assisted me in getting a Director of Finance role in a high-profile charity. At the outset, Michael took the time to understand my career aspiration. He then gave his independent assessment of how the role fitted into my career path which I found helpful. He was able to provide me with insights on the organisation so I could be fully prepared.

During the interview process, he was very responsive in arranging the interviews, checking in with me and seeking feedback from the employer so I could prepare for the next stage. Michael is different from the other recruiters I work with. He is patient and lets you take control of the pace of your job search. Because of his network, he often provides invaluable insights on the sector. I highly recommend Michael.

Natasha Porter

Chief Executive Officer at Unlocked Graduates

Michael helped me find two finance and operations directors for my organisation. I had quite specific requirements for the type of person I wanted in the role, particularly how they approached problems and the importance that they were a strong cultural fit with the organisation. Michael really listened to what I needed and found great shortlists of applicants including people who would otherwise never have come into our network. Despite over 100 applications coming through other routes, during the last hiring process, two out of three shortlisted candidates in the final round were ones Michael had found, and we appointed an applicant he had called me up to tell me about right at the start of the search. I recommend Michael to other CEO’s in my network, as well as to finance professionals looking to work in the third sector. It can be hard work recruiting for the senior team because fit is so important to get right and mistakes can be costly financially and culturally. Michael has been a great at getting the right people in.

Chris Kelly

Chief Operating Officer at Queen’s Commonwealth Trust

Michael was what you want from a recruitment consultant. He took time to listen at the outset and then over the course of a number of years would send me through only the most considered of opportunities – which given limitations on my time was greatly appreciated. When my current role came up Michael reached out and then worked with me carefully throughout the recruitment process.

I valued his ability to listen, his diligence and his commitment to identifying the right job for me – and then supporting me through the subsequent process. A first class professional.

Helena Williams

Senior Business Partner at British Council; previous Finance Manager at Thomson Reuters

Michael helped me to make a move from the commercial sector - he made initial contact about a role, organised informal meetings for me to find out more and helped me with the (sometimes frustrating, no fault of his!) recruitment process at my target organisation. I loved working with Michael - he was obviously incredibly invested in the process, was honest and forthcoming. I am now a full time employee at that target organisation, and I genuinely believe that Michael gave me an edge over other candidates. It has been a pleasure to work with him and I will be keeping in touch for whatever comes next.

Melody Saunders

Finance Director at Imperial College London; previous FD at Serco

Michael led the search for my Finance Director role at Imperial College. We had already been in touch exploring other roles and I found his approach very open, honest and respectful. His ability to listen and really understand my requirements in a new role was evident in the recommendations he made, some of which I hadn't considered previously. He invited me to a Government event which I found incredibly insightful and engaging, and was instrumental in my beginning to build a network across the public sector. I would recommend Michael to other leaders searching for a new opportunity. He has a great understanding of charitable and public sector client needs and ways of working, so that the opportunities appear tailored to you as a candidate.

Nicolas Raynaud

COO at BBC Media Action; previous Finance Director at Wateraid

I have known Michael for 10 years, he has helped me when recruiting to my team and as a candidate. Through my experience I would say that he stands well above his peers. As a recruiter I appreciated the time that Michael took to understand the specific needs of my team and the culture of the company. He was truly selective in his approach, putting forward a very small number of high-calibre candidates, and was very receptive to feedback. All recruitment managers pretend to listen and adapt to client needs but very few actually do so, and even fewer deliver results. I found Michael refreshingly honest and straightforward to deal with. As a candidate I experienced first-hand another asset of Michael’s: the ability to balance company needs and candidate wishes. Most agents try to talk candidates into making sideways moves, doing the exact same job in a different company. In my most recent move I was looking for a step up and quickly found out that Michael understood this wish and didn’t try to ‘sell’ unsuitable roles. He was also candid in his assessment of my strengths and weaknesses, which helped me steer job search in the right direction. And finally he provided very good insights on the company and the role, helping me prepare well for the selection process. Overall I wholeheartedly recommend Michael’s services to prospective companies and job hunters, and look forward to doing business with Michael and his new company.

Hannah Davis

Previous Finance Controller at Future Academies

I met Michael when he contacted me about a potential new role. I decided to apply and Michael was incredibly helpful throughout . He provided plenty of advice for interview and chased for feedback from the interviewers very promptly . He was informative and honest about other roles that may have suited me . In general he took the pain out of the application process ! Michael is very well respected throughout the public sector finance community. He has a lot of integrity and does not put candidates forward for unsuitable roles. He is honest and trustworthy . I would definitely recommend Michael to anyone looking to recruit . He does a proper screening of all candidates to ensure only those well suited to the position are put forward. He is always quick to respond and reliable. He has a wide network of public finance professionals.

I would definitely recommend Michael to anyone looking for their next role. He is honest about which roles are suitable. He provides really helpful pre-reading and guidance for interviews. He will provide feedback even if you’re not successful. He also takes the time to listen to exactly what you want from a role.

Colin Huntington

Current Head of Finance at Royal Albert Hall

Michael led the search for the Head of Finance role I gained at the Royal Albert Hall. We were already in touch as he was helping me to plan my next move in the charity sector - with a particular focus on the arts. Michael managed the whole process very well; I always felt informed and up to date on progress. He took a real interest in my search and took the time to meet me on several occasions. After starting in the role the Hall engaged Michael in searching for candidates for other finance positions, throughout these processes I felt he was always open, honest and straightforward.

I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend him to candidates or organisations looking for a recruiter to represent them.

Stella Atherstone

Current Chief Operating Officer at Peter Jones Foundation

I have known Michael since 2014 when he supported me and others at the University of London with our recruitment. As and when I've moved in my career I have maintained contact with Michael because of his integrity in a sector which can be disingenuous. Michael is the critical friend you need when recruiting or job hunting. He will suggest alternatives when your expectations of the output vs value of a role are too high or your personal aspirations are too low. He willingly shares feedback, pointing out strengths and challenges of roles, candidates and employers. Michael cares that you as an individual find the right organisational fit, and that you as the employer find the right candidate for the culture of your organisation. I have asked the impossible of Michael and he has managed my expectations in a thoughtful and constructive manner. He is the first person I call when I'm looking for a candidate or looking to move roles.

Sarah Williams

Director of Finance at Macmillan Cancer Support

I have had the pleasure of working with Michael on a number of occasions. In the first instance Michael was the recruiter who put me forward for my role as the Director of Finance at Macmillan Cancer Support. Michael was extremely insightful as to the requirements of the role. He was also supportive of my desire to move sectors but honest about the challenges that I might face. In my role he then supported us on a number of recruitment campaigns. Michael is great at keeping in contact and responding quickly with feedback.

Amy Rodwell

Director of Finance at C40 Cities

I have worked with Michael on both the candidate side and the client side over a good number of years now, and all interactions have been extremely positive. Michael is highly professional, has excellent communication skills and most importantly he has a lot of integrity. He has such a wealth of experience in the recruitment sector and this really shows.

James Hobson

Director of Finance at Brunel University; previous Head of Finance at Openreach, BT

I worked with Michael whilst I was looking for a new direction in my career. He challenged my rational to make sure I was making the change for the right reasons and was clear and directive on all the steps in the process. I found Michael very thorough and would recommend him to anyone looking for a new career in the sector.

Mark Kelly

Head of Sport & Athlete Investment at UK Sport

Michael contacted me via LinkedIn following a recommendation from a colleague and it was clear from our communication that it was a viable opportunity highly suited to me. He was highly informed, supportive and reliable throughout all our our interactions. As it was a big decision for me to move as I had been at my previous company for a number of years, Michael provided expert coaching and advice. I felt that his sole focus was getting the fit right for all parties. I would absolutely recommend Ivy Rock Partners . Their approach was friendly, caring and highly respectful.

Adam Pentelow

Head of Finance at V&A Museum

Michael is really supportive and did a great job of coaching me through the recruitment process for my current role.

James Whiting

Chief Executive Officer at Malaria No More UK

Michael is one of the finest recruiters I’ve come across in nearly 30 years of recruitment. He was friendly, business-like, concise, he really listened to what we were looking for at Malaria No More UK, acted upon that – and he delivered. We have a superb Chief Operating Officer with Michael’s assistance. The brief was not easy as we had a very specific idea of the kind of person, approach and skills we were seeking, and it was not the standard COO profile. But Michael didn’t complain for one moment, he took up the challenge with gusto and found several worthy candidates, and one who was outstanding.

Candidate Testimonial

Kate understood the requirements of the role as well as those of the manager and the company, inside and out. From my very first conversation, I was shocked at the level of detail Kate had regarding this role, it was almost as if I was talking to an employee of the company itself. This demonstrated that Kate had clearly invested a lot of time to understand the company, as well as the type of candidate they were seeking. This was also portrayed by the type of questions Kate had asked me. She wanted to ensure that the role and the company were right for me and that I was right for them. Kate was completely honest and transparent throughout this whole process. I felt totally prepared for the interview itself and found that everything Kate had mentioned rang true! I also asked for Kate's advice throughout and valued everything she said because I knew that she understood my reservations and feelings. Kate was also kind enough to keep me updated throughout, despite being super busy. I was offered this role but even if I wasn't, I would not have been disheartened because I enjoyed the whole (normally daunting) process, learnt from it and found a lovely and genuine recruiter to work with. I have dealt with many recruiters in the past but have never met somebody as genuine and diligent as Kate. Nor have I ever taken the time to write an email because I have had such a positive experience, but I believe credit should be given when it is due. I wish I knew her previously because it would have made recruiting for roles a lot easier! I am sure Kate reflects the ethos of your organisation. I will be recommending Kate and Ivy Rock Partners to previous and future colleagues and friends in the industry, looking for new employees or employment.