We are a specialist executive search and recruitment firm, dedicated to helping companies hire senior finance talent.
We act for companies that are investor backed, publicly listed,
family owned and privately held.
We help companies across multiple industry sectors and ownership, to attract and recruit exceptional financial talent, from senior management level to CFO. Our personal approach and longevity in the market, means we have built extensive networks within the accounting and finance community. We are able to leverage these relationships and connections to introduce our clients to exceptional candidates.
We are experts with over 50 years combined experience. Our mission is to deliver high quality advice for our clients and candidates.
We support companies at various stages of their lifecycle. If the company is young and growing fast, we can help them appoint their first standalone CFO.
For more established businesses, we are well connected with more experienced CFO's. These individuals have the war stories and the know-how to drive profitable growth, deliver transformation and they have usually built a strong reputation with banks, advisers, investors etc.
Once the CFO is in place, we can help with the team build. Ensuring we identify the right technical skillset and crucially the interpersonal attributes to succeed.
We've been placing accountants for over 50 years. Identifying the right technical skillset is not the hard part.
Assessing cultural fit, motivation and leadership skills is when we come into our own. We get to know our candidates by asking probing questions, challenging their answers and most importantly, we listen.
We are a small team, with over 50 years experience. Our mission is to deliver high quality advice for our clients and candidates.
Our expertise, network and personal approach sets us apart.
We help companies across multiple industry sectors and ownership, to attract and recruit exceptional financial talent, from senior management level to CFO.
Our personal approach and longevity in the market, means we have built extensive networks within the accounting and finance community. We are able to leverage these relationships and connections to introduce our clients to exceptional candidates.
We are experts with over 50 years combined experience. Our mission is to deliver high quality advice for our clients and candidates.
Leadership Team
Phil Grinhaff
I founded Freshwood in 2021. Having spent the best part of 25 years with larger firms, my vision for Freshwood is to build a boutique company with a reputation for providing companies and candidates, with a more personal and expert approach to their recruitment requirements.
Our success is based on building and maintaining strong, and long standing relationships with our clients and candidates. How? by providing honest, open and experience based advice and solutions. I am proud and grateful that many of our clients choose to work with us more than once.
Married with 3 children, I live in South Buckinghamshire. When I am not at home, I am on a rugby touchline, cricket boundary or on my bike tackling the Chiltern Hills.
Phil Grinhaff
Partner
phil.grinhaff@freshwoodgroup.com | +44 (0)7925 615 366
Fiona Hartfield
My recruitment career has spanned over 25 years, with the best of these years specialising in senior financial appointments. My early career was spent working for large agencies, but 15 years ago I made the decision to move into the boutique search and selection sector. I wanted the opportunity to offer candidates and clients a more bespoke personal services. I have never looked back.
I have an in-depth knowledge of many of my clients, having worked with many repeatedly over the years. Understanding a company’s culture and their values, is essential to running a successful recruitment campaign.
Outside of work, I love the outdoors and can often be found running and cycling on the South Downs. I also love a challenge and I am learning to row.
I graduated with a BA in Geography and hold the CIPD diploma.
Fiona Hartfield
Partner
fiona.hartfield@freshwoodgroup.com | +44 (0) 7768 102 374
I founded Freshwood in 2021. Having spent the best part of 25 years with larger firms and partnerships, my vision for Freshwood was to create a firm for companies and candidates, that prefer and value a more personal and expert approach to their recruitment requirements.
Freshwood is not a high volume ‘agency’, where you might feel like a number on a long list. As a boutique, we rely on building and maintaining strong relationships with our clients and candidates.
How? by providing honest, open and experience based advice and solutions. I'm proud and grateful that many of our clients choose to work with us more than once.
I live in Buckinghamshire on the edge of the Chilterns. Married with 3 children, I can often be found on a touchline, cricket boundary or my road bike (weather permitting).
Phil Grinhaff, Partner.
phil.grinhaff@freshwoodgroup.com | +44 (0)7925 615 366
Phil Grinhaff
Phil trained as an Accountant and spent 10 years in financial services and investment banking, before joining the recruitment industry in the late 90's. He has a successful track record placing CFOs, FDs and their teams, across multiple industry sectors. Phil launched Freshwood in 2021, with the aim of acting for companies that prefer a more personal and expert level of service.
Married with 3 children, he lives in South Bucks and in his spare time can be found tackling the Chiltern Hills on his road bike.
Fiona Hartfield
Fiona has over 23 years experience in senior financial recruitment. She has successfully advised clients ranging from early stage venture backed enterprises, to multinational PLCs across a broad range of sectors.
Fiona is married with 3 children and lives in West Sussex. Whilst she is a short drive from the Sussex beaches, she can often be spotted running and cycling on the South Downs.
Charlie Jaggard
Charlie has spent more than 25 years in executive search, assessment and coaching. In that time he has met thousands of executives and knows what makes an outstanding leader.
He is passionate about providing expert assessment and coaching services to improve clients’ performance through their leadership talent.
Specialists
Phil Grinhaff
Phil trained as an Accountant and spent 10 years in financial services and investment banking, before joining the recruitment industry in the late 90's. He has a successful track record placing CFOs, FDs and their teams, across multiple industry sectors.
Phil launched Freshwood in 2021, with the aim of acting for companies that prefer a more personal and expert level of service.
Married with 3 children, he lives in South Bucks and in his spare time can be found tackling the Chiltern Hills on his road bike.
Fiona Hartfield
Fiona has over 23 years experience in senior financial recruitment. She has successfully advised clients ranging from early stage venture backed enterprises, to multinational PLCs across a broad range of sectors.
Fiona is married with 3 children and lives in West Sussex. Whilst she is a short drive from the Sussex beaches, she can often be spotted running and mountain biking on the South Downs.
Charlie Jaggard
Charlie has spent more than 25 years in executive search, assessment and coaching. In that time he has met thousands of executives and knows what makes an outstanding leader.
He is passionate about providing expert assessment and coaching services to improve clients’ performance through their leadership talent.
Our Expertise
Our clients range from early stage VC backed start-ups to established public companies. We have placed into most industry sectors and we pride ourselves on our ability to quickly understand the dynamics of a sector and the culture of the business.
It's this level of expertise and experience, that ensures we introduce relevant and high calibre candidates, whatever the situation.
Our approach is not just about one successful placement; it's about building lasting partnerships.
We aim to be your trusted advisor, helping you to secure top-tier talent, that will help to drive your organisation's success now and into the future.
Companies we have helped
My recruitment career has spanned over 25 years, with the best of these years specialising in senior financial appointments. My early career was spent in big agencies, but 15 years ago I made the decision to move into the boutique search and selection sector. I wanted the opportunity to offer candidates and clients a more bespoke personal service, versus the target driven sales focused environment of the larger firms. I have never looked back.
I have an in-depth knowledge of many of my clients, having worked with many repeatedly over the years. Understanding a company’s culture and their values, is essential to running a successful recruitment campaign.
My focus is placing CFO, Finance Directors, Financial Controller and FP&A specialists.
Outside of work, when family life allows, I love the outdoors and can often be found running and cycling on the South Downs. I also love a challenge and I have recently started to learn to row.
I graduated with a BA in Geography and hold the CIPD diploma.
Fiona Hartfield, Partner.
fiona.hartfield@freshwoodgroup.com | +44 (0) 7768 102 374
A selection of companies
we've worked with
City skyline
Blurred Lines
Birthday Sparks
Fashion Magazine
City skyline
Blurred Lines
Birthday Sparks
Fashion Magazine
City skyline
Blurred Lines
Birthday Sparks
Fashion Magazine
Financial Controller
"We instructed Freshwood on a role that we have historically found difficult to fill. We worked very closely with them, developing a full job description and person specification.
They are very knowledgeable and were able to advise us on the best recruitment strategy, to identify the successful candidate. It was not easy search but they found us the perfect candidate!"
Group HR Director - PE Backed Media Group.
MashIt-
“Amazing service. Can’t wait to find out what’s next!”
"Throughout the search Freshwood invested time to make sure that they understood my requirements, our business and our culture.
They demonstrated their knowledge and experience by presenting a timely shortlist of extremely strong and relevant candidates, from which I was able to select our UK FD."
CFO - Omnichannel Retail.
FabuFit -
“Not sure what I did before discovering this Product. It’s super!”
"I was very impressed with the whole process; given regular weekly updates, a very strong preliminary candidate list and saw some very good candidates, one of which we ultimately offered the job to.
I found Freshwood to be knowledgeable, easy to work with and focused on delivery. Would definitely use them again."
Group Finance Director - Travel Plc.
YesSuits 
Slide title
"Freshwood were creative in their approach, stayed in regular contact and were quite prepared to challenge us when they felt it was necessary.
We successfully appointed a CFO, who supported the CEO in an exit process within 12 months."
Partner - UK Private Equity Firm.
Button-
Slide title
"We recently had the pleasure of working with Freshwood to fill two senior roles in our Finance team. Their deep knowledge of the finance industry was evident throughout the process and enabled them to authoritatively challenge us to broaden our view, which ultimately helped us find the right fit for our roles.
What truly set them apart was their ability to source high-quality candidates who not only matched our technical requirements, but also aligned with our company culture, which was hugely important to us."
Partner - International Consulting Firm.
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What sets us apart
- 50+ years recruiting for Finance.
- Multiple industry sector experience.
- A trusted adviser, not an 'agency'.
- We are diligent and discreet.
- Work at pace without compromise.
- Committed to the highest levels of service.
- Zero off limits restrictions.
- Capped professional fees.
- Relationships for the long term.