Financial Services
Our FS practice has built an excellent reputation and covers senior finance, treasury, legal, tax and restructuring. Our clients include the broad spectrum of financial services business from global banks and investment companies, hedge funds, insurance and asset managers.
Examples of completed assignments
| Finance Director | Commercial Card Business |
| CFO | Global Insurance Business |
| CFO | Investment Bank |
| Funds Lawyer | Investment Company |
| Retail Banking Lawyer | Global Retail Bank |
| Senior Counsel | Financial Regulator |
| Tax Director | Global Insurance Business |
| Head of Tax | Global Insurer |
| Tax Director | Consumer FS Arm of Global Conglomerate |
| Tax Director | Private Equity |
| Director - Global Structured Projects | US Investment Bank |
| Director - Equities | UK Investment Bank |
| Senior Managing Director - Head of Transaction Services | Global Restructuring Advisory Firm |
| Senior Vice President | Global Distressed Private Equity Fund |
| Senior Associate | Distressed Private Equity Investor |
Our People
Chris
Nelson
London office
Chris is the co-founder of the Pure Group. He has a leading reputation in tax and front office banking search. He has been responsible for some of the highest profile and most senior moves in the last decade in these disciplines. Specifically, Chris handles partner and team moves in the profession and director level assignments in commerce and banking.
Chris spent his early career with Arthur Andersen as a tax consultant in their London office after reading Law at Leeds University.
Chris’s interests include golf and marathon running, though seldom at the same time.
Tim
Jones
London office
Tim leads our Restructuring Practice and focuses on search assignments for mid level and senior appointments within Financial & Operational Restructuring, Business Support & Workout, Debt Advisory and Distressed Private Equity.
He joined Pure in 2006 to develop our Specialised Finance offering and also has extensive experience of recruiting at senior levels within leveraged, mezzanine and acquisition finance, and private equity.
He previously established and managed the banking division of a medium sized recruitment firm where he gained over seven years' experience recruiting for a variety of different areas within banking and financial services. Tim graduated in Economics and Business Studies from Sheffield University.
Tim has a passion for travel and has visited over 35 countries. Prior to joining Pure, Tim took a 12 month sabbatical and travelled extensively in South America, Australasia and Japan.
Adam
Akbar
London office
Adam joined Pure in 2005. He is responsible for leading and expanding our finance search practice, specialising in the placement of Controllers, Directors and CFOs. He has spent his entire career working in the field of finance appointments, during which time he’s developed an exceptionally strong network of contacts.
Previously Adam worked as a Finance head-hunter for Alexander Mann executing specialised search assignments on behalf of recognised plcs and smaller organisations. Adam graduated in Economics & Management from Cardiff University.
Adam is a passionate football fan, an avid reader and a keen travel enthusiast.
Andrew
Refaussé
London office
Andrew joined Pure in 2006. Andrew’s focus is across the finance community within the Financial Services sector. He specialises in executive searches for commercial finance and treasury positions within consumer and investment products, private banks and insurance companies.
Previously he spent eight years' in executive search, successfully delivering on financial assignments both in the UK and across the globe. Andrew graduated in Management Studies and Psychology from Leeds University.
Andrew is an enthusiastic footballer with a keen interest in writing and psychology.
Karen
Glass
London office
Karen specialises in placing lawyers from mid-level to General Counsel level on a permanent basis into a range of commerce and industry clients, including the insurance, professional services, pharmaceutical and not-for-profit sectors.
She initially qualified as a lawyer at CMS Cameron McKenna and practised as a projects lawyer before moving to Speechly Bircham LLP as a commercial lawyer. She then decided to move into legal recruitment and joined a global recruitment company, where she placed lawyers of all levels into FTSE350 companies.
Barrie
Sanderson
Hong Kong office
Barrie leads our Asia Search Practice from our Hong Kong office.
Through our flexible, whole market, approach he works with a broad range of Commerce & Industry, Financial Services and Private Practice clients on their senior Tax, Legal and Finance needs.
A UK tax qualified professional, Barrie joined Pure in early 2004 to build our market leading tax professional services business in the UK. From 2006 he then led the development of our wealth advisory business completing assignments with a broad range of tax structured finance, investment advisory, private banking and professional services clients.
Barrie recruits across Tax and Wealth Advisory and leads our Legal and Finance offerings.
James
Incles
London office
James operates within the tax and finance sectors in the EMEA region. His remit includes Heads of Business, Tax and Finance Directors and Senior Analysts.
Having spent four years recruiting within capital markets for a UK plc in the London market, James moved to Japan to start up and launch the brand in Tokyo. Within four years, James established the brand as a market leader in financial services and commerce recruitment, both in the contingent and retained sectors.
James graduated in Accounting and Law from Kingston University.
James is an enthusiastic sportsman with a keen interest in cooking and travel.
Ewen
Burns
London office
Ewen joined Pure in 2002 to focus on recruiting tax professionals across all sectors of the commerce tax market. Ewen focuses on recruiting at tax director and head of tax level internationally, and has built strong relationships with an extensive number of FTSE-listed, financial services and overseas organisations.
Ewen joined Pure as a qualified tax adviser with a wealth of corporate tax experience gained from four years at KPMG. This tax experience, coupled with his depth of market knowledge, has enabled Ewen to build an excellent reputation across all levels and disciplines of the tax arena. Ewen graduated in Civil Engineering from Herriot Watt University.
Outside work Ewen is a keen tennis player and has competed nationally for Scotland. Continuing to play at county and club level, Ewen is currently a member of Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Club.
Ian
Addison-Smith
London office
Ian is responsible for developing our Actuarial practice across all functions with a specialism in Pensions & Investments. He works closely with market leading consultancies, banks, asset managers (including fiduciary managers) and corporate clients. His focus encompasses both UK and International search and selection mandates for senior and mid level actuaries.
He has an extensive network in the actuarial space and a track record of consistent delivery across a range of search assignments. Through the provision of specific market insight and his ability to outline market trends and industry dynamics he is well placed to identify, present and place premier actuarial talent.
Prior to joining Pure, Ian worked for a boutique search firm where he managed the UK Pensions & Investments Actuarial team. Before this he spent a period of time with a clinical research group in a statistical analysis capacity. Ian holds a Masters (with Distinction) in Applied Linguistics from the University of Nottingham and First Class BA (Hons) degree in English Language & Literature from the University of Liverpool.
Ian watches more football than he plays and is a beginner rock climber. He is a keen acoustic guitarist with a particular passion for flamenco music.