Jasvir Sanghera, Group Chief Finance Officer – Optimised Group

"Although I first met Mallory Partners a decade ago, this was my first time actually pursuing a role through them. Martin had called me every so often across the intervening years, to stay connected, but I was still impressed how much detail both he and Jeremy remembered about my role and experience when we discussed this opportunity.

The first meeting with them was quite a long one; we discussed the role, my potential fit with the team and what Optimised was looking for in a CFO. Like most executive recruitment firms these days, the start of the process was virtual but, unlike other firms, they made it work. Often, these early calls are little more than a faceless, tick-box stage - but they were genuinely interested, and they really listened. They briefed me ahead of each interview stage to make sure I understood the people I was meeting with and what they were looking for. This was about the right level of prep for me as I do also like to do research myself, but their support was key to understanding the personalities involved.

Martin and Jeremy tag-teamed throughout, so there is clearly very good internal communication between them, and they also made sure they understood my needs in detail before the negotiation stage. I had some questions, but they spent time with me and arranged a call with Optimised to resolve it, enabling us to move forward. The process took a little longer than I needed to, which wasn't something Mallory Partners could control, but they kept me informed throughout, which I appreciated."