FD awards host has ambitious plans
THE Sharp Consultancy – the company behind the inaugural North West Finance Director of the Year Awards – says it is planning rapid growth in the region over the next 18 months.
The financial recruitment company, which opened its Salford Quays office less than 10 months ago, employs 35 people across its three established Yorkshire offices in Sheffield, Leeds and Doncaster, with three more at the Digital World Centre in Salford Quays.
“We founded the company in Yorkshire and want to duplicate that success in the North West. We want our presence in the region to be at least as big as in Yorkshire in the next four of five years,” said founder Chris Sharp.
Fee income hit £4m in 2008 and the company expects the year to March 2009 to yield a similar result. “That’s a reflection of the slowdown since September last year,” said managing director Mark Wilson.
But the company still has ambitious growth plans, with a Liverpool office being “the next natural step” within 18 months, while the Salford Quays office is to double its contribution to 20% of total fee income over the next year.
“We expect to grow the headcount and the number of placements we make in the Manchester office over the next year,” said Mr Wilson.
Launching credible, high profile awards that highlight the achievements of finance directors across all business sectors in the region, forms part of that growth plan.
Mr Wilson said: “We want the key business decision makers in the North West to know who the Sharp Consultancy is. We are well known in Yorkshire and we want to make sure we are in the North West too.”
The company has put a lot of time and effort into ensuring the awards become a well-respected, annual fixture on the region’s business calendar. More than 200 nominees were whittled down to 40 who went through a two hour interview process, before the final shortlist was decided upon.
Mr Sharp said: “The FD is often instrumenting the chief executive’s vision. A chief executive would say the financial director is their number two. They know everything about the business.
“Financial directors don’t get the same recognition. They can be slightly introverted and I think are under recognised.”
The inaugural invitation only awards will be attended by more than 100 guests at the Lowry Hotel on February 12.
Shortlisted companies across the five categories range from PLCs such as NCC Group, Stobart Group and Holidaybreak to private companies including Alex Stewart Group, American Golf and children’s nursery products company Izziwotnot.
