Pure Resourcing Solutions is a professional recruitment firm specializing in permanent and interim placements for management positions in the Eastern Region of England. It has offices in Cambridge, Norwich, Ipswich, and Chelmsford. Pure Executive is a division focused on high-caliber permanent and interim appointments for CEOs, directors, and board members. The document provides details about Pure Executive's services, clientele, and case studies of successful executive placements they have made.

1. Pure
prs.uk.com

2. Pure Executive
About Pure
Established in 2002, Pure Resourcing Solutions specialises
in professional recruitment and retention solutions for public
and private companies across the Eastern Region, with offices
in Cambridge, Norwich, Ipswich and Chelmsford. Pure has
established itself as a leader and a trusted advisor in the
Accountancy, Financial Services, HR, Marketing and Office
recruitment markets.
Pure Executive is a division dedicated to finding the highest
calibre people for permanent and interim management
appointments in the East of England. Pure’s highly experienced
team focuses on building long term partnerships with clients and
candidates, operating with integrity and honesty to provide the
highest quality, tailored recruitment solution.
“Teamwork and having the right team is what
makes us successful. It’s our people and their
expertise that sets us apart from the rest.
When you talk to us you are tapping into a
wealth of knowledge of the Eastern Region
professional recruitment market.”
Pure Executive | Pure Resourcing Solutions
1

3. About our
Senior Team
What we do
Pure’s dedicated Executive recruitment team is made up
of senior consultants who have an average of 18 years
experience. The team specialises in Chief Executive,
Director and Board level appointments in Accountancy,
Human Resources, Marketing and Financial Services.
Our forward thinking selection
methodologies include:
• Competency based interviewing
• Personality profiling included as standard
for each assignment
• Assessment tools including the design
and facilitation of assessment centres
• Coaching to support the new Executive’s
first 100 days in their new role
Why us?
• Established, quality business networks
• Deep knowledge of the Eastern Region
and broader talent pool
• Focus on partnership with client and candidate
• Expert advice and support
• Recruit with long term match in mind
Who we work with
Our client base has developed predominantly through
referrals and recommendations and includes commercial
businesses – from start-up to Blue Chip companies –
as well as Public and Third Sector bodies. Although we
are based in the East of England, much of our Financial
Services work is London based and we source talent on
a national and international basis. The majority of our
Executive hires subsequently go on to use Pure’s specialist
divisions to recruit and build their own teams.
Pure Executive | Pure Resourcing Solutions
32

4. David joined the recruitment industry in 1999 after
graduating with an Honours degree in Occupational
Psychology. Having worked for two international
consultancies, he joined Pure Resourcing Solutions in
2003 and has developed a strong reputation for senior
recruitment throughout the region. In addition to his
responsibility for managing the Cambridge office,
David maintains an active role in recruitment.
Working closely with the Public Sector and Non-Profit client
base, David’s sector knowledge and recruitment expertise
allow him to work in partnership through every stage of
the recruitment cycle. Furthermore he has developed the
popular annual Cambridgeshire Charity Forum and Public
Finance Conferences.
David recruits for permanent and interim senior level roles
and recent successes include CEO for a regional charity, the
Director of Resources for a local health charity and multiple
CFOs within the higher education sector.
Within the interim recruitment market David supports
businesses during transitional periods. In the past year
there has been a significant demand for specialist finance
professionals to guide companies through restructuring,
re-financing, M&A and expansion. An interim solution
allows businesses the luxury of expert advice from
accomplished Finance Directors with vast experience
without the long term financial commitment associated
with permanent employment.
David has introduced interim solutions to a broad range
of clients, from private and investor-backed SMEs through
to £100m+ listed businesses.
To contact David to discuss your requirements
david.culley@prs.uk.com
Featured Executive
Team Consultant
David Culley, Associate Director
Pure Executive | Pure Resourcing Solutions
54

5. Case Study
The Eastern Enterprise Hub, CEO
The Eastern Enterprise Hub is an organisation
that was formed though a partnership between
Suffolk County Council, University Campus
Suffolk and the local business community to
grow and create new entrepreneurs in the
Eastern Region.
The Brief
Having been established for two years, The Hub wanted
to have a broader impact across the Eastern Region and
saw the appointment of a CEO as part of the solution. The
incoming CEO would need to act as a figurehead for the
organisation, and be an ambassador for entrepreneurship
across the Eastern Region, with good contacts in the
region’s business community.
The Solution
The executive team at Pure designed a combined attraction
strategy and selection process including online advertising,
networking, headhunting, psychometric profiling and a
microsite on www.prs.uk.com
After agreeing a strong, diverse short-list, Pure interviewed
alongside two Board members and assessed candidates
against a weighted set of five criteria.
With three days to go before the final interviews, Pure
interviewed a new candidate for another role, but could
immediately see the connection to The Hub’s CEO post.
Within this tight timescale, the candidate was interviewed by
the Chairman, and subsequently invited to attend the final
panel interview that required significant preparation from
the candidate.
Despite all final stage candidates being appointable, the
decision was unanimous at final interview stage and Simon
(the late stage candidate) joined within four weeks of his
initial interview with Pure.
“Pure was recommended by one of our
Board members for this very demanding
brief and they delivered an exceptional
short-list of candidates. It is clear that
Pure are very well connected across the
eastern region.”
Harry Berry, Chairman
Pure Executive | Pure Resourcing Solutions
76

6. Case Study
Baker Tilly, Partner
Baker Tilly is an independent national firm of
chartered accountants and business advisers with
over 1,600 employees and over 220 partners.
The Brief
Stephen Duffety, the Managing Partner of Baker Tilly’s
Bury St Edmunds office, recognised the need to further
strengthen the Indirect tax team with the appointment
of a Partner. However, as VAT is a niche field, and those
individuals who can combine the technical know how with
client facing skills and the ability to lead a team are very
rare, he realised it may present a challenge.
The Solution
Traditional attraction strategies were utilised by Pure,
including online advertising, networking and the creation
of a microsite on www.prs.uk.com. In addition, Pure also
used a variety of resources to comprehensively map the
market for indirect tax professionals in the region with the
aim of sourcing suitable candidates. Through this process
Pure were able to identify a high calibre candidate who had
moved from the Eastern Region to work with a Big Four
firm in the Midlands. Pure then worked with Baker Tilly and
the candidate, providing guidance and support to ensure it
was the appropriate move for both parties. This particular
assignment took 12 months, from Pure initially identifying
the successful candidate to them joining Baker Tilly.
“Pure helped me identify potential
candidates and demonstrated considerable
knowledge of the local market and who
the key professionals were in the sector we
were looking to recruit in. Throughout the
recruitment process Pure were very “hands
on” identifying and resolving potential
issues. I found them to be responsive at all
times; they ensured that our recruitment
sustained momentum by anticipating
potential delays and they were pro-active
in suggesting possible solutions. Pure
regularly contact both me and my new
partner to check how things are progressing
– this is unusual and very much appreciated
by us. I would have no hesitation whatsoever
in recommending Pure.”
Stephen Duffety, Managing Partner
Pure Executive | Pure Resourcing Solutions
98

7. The East of England has seen a marked increase in new
deal opportunities at the midpoint of 2013. Although a
number of traditionally acquisitive UK based corporates
have aligned their strategies towards organic growth and
internal cost savings there has been a sustained appetite
for quality, well managed business assets from overseas
buyers particularly in the mid-market, with 60% of the sub
£50m transactions completed by Grant Thornton in 2012
involving a foreign purchaser.
Grant Thornton has seen an increase in local MBO activity
in the first half of 2013, advising Management teams in
several buyouts including an Essex based vehicle salvage
firm, Holding and Barnes Ltd. This provides evidence that,
with the right advice, credit can be secured from banks,
private equity houses and increasingly from ABL (Asset
Based Lending)/alternative lenders to support ambitious
management teams. It also shows that there are still various
ways of structuring an exit for business owners in the
current market, with advisors being able to offer pragmatic
and creative solutions for their clients.
There has also been a recent increase in IPO activity.
Grant Thornton advised Frontier Developments on their
IPO to London’s AIM stock exchange, with shares closing
up 21% after the first day of trading. This trend is expected
to continue in the second half of 2013 as growth offerings
look to take advantage of funding opportunities in the
recovering economy and increasing risk appetite from
financial institutions and retail investors.
With many businesses in East Anglia enjoying a strong start
to 2013, the current market conditions mean it is a good
time for businesses and shareholders to consider their
M&A options.
Deal Trends
in East Anglia
Darren Bear, Corporate Finance
Partner at Grant Thornton
The latest ICAEW/Grant Thornton Business
Confidence Monitor has shown businesses in the
East of England enjoyed a strong start to 2013
with turnover and employment in Q2 increasing
4.3% and 2.2% respectively when compared
with the same period in 2012. Overall the UK
economy is expected to grow by 1% in Q3 2013,
its fastest growth for some three years, and the
Eastern region is making a significant contribution
to this improving picture for the UK economy.
Pure Executive | Pure Resourcing Solutions
1110

8. Gender Diversity at Senior Level
There is little doubt these days that not engaging
with the issue of gender diversity is likely to be a
major business error.
Research is not only presenting hard facts that back up
the need to open up the executive recruitment pipeline to
more women, but it also provides the evidence that hiring
more senior female workers is not a gender issue, it is a
business issue.
Strategic management consulting firm, McKinsey &
Company, claim financial results improve when at least
30% of boards or senior management is made up of
women. Also this year’s Thomson Reuters’ report, ‘Mining
the Metrics of Board Diversity’, reveals that relative to mixed
gender boards, those with no women were found to be
underperforming.
With major UK banks and other financial institutions
recently being told that they will need to declare their
recruitment targets for executive female board members in
2014, the topic is gaining a heightened sense of urgency.
Lynn Walters, Director of Pure, says: “Some businesses are
beginning to engage with the issue, whilst others are already
putting measures in place to improve the status quo. In
our business, female senior placements accounted for
nearly 50% of all senior placements in the last 12 months.
Although at first it may seem like a major step-change –
especially among more traditional, male-dominated firms
− it can only be of long term benefit; not only to profit
margins, but also to the workforce, our wider communities,
and our regional and national economy.”
For the latest information on gender diversity, join Pure’s
LinkedIn group: Achieving Gender Balance at Board Level
– and watch out for further information about our women’s
leadership programme to be launched early next year,
aimed at budding HR Directors and CFO’s of the future.
Pure Executive | Pure Resourcing Solutions
1312

9. Best Employers
Eastern Region
Initiative
Pure Resourcing Solutions and eras ltd have
created the Best Employers, Eastern Region
initiative to identify and promote the region’s
best employers.
Participating companies have the opportunity to learn
about, embrace and develop their company’s culture
and values through employee engagement. It is now
widely recognised that this has a positive impact on key
organisational outcomes: Profit, Turnover, Productivity,
Innovation, Customer Wellbeing, Absenteeism, Health
and Safety.
The initiative is made up of several elements: Survey,
Awards, Seminars, and a Best Employers Eastern Region
(BEER) Festival.
The Survey
The surveys are biannual, with each company receiving
a tailored report summarising the culture, values and
leadership style across the organisation. They also receive
an action plan for guidance on further development, all
of which is key to an organisation’s ability to attract and
retain key staff.
The Awards
When the survey is completed, the organisation will be
entered for an award based on the survey results in addition
to further clarification by our judging panel to verify and
validate the data.
The Seminars
These interactive, informative seminars are a valuable
source of advice and support for participants, a great
opportunity to share best practice and resolve issues
as a collective.
The BEER Festival
A biannual conference, it is a chance
for organisations and individuals to
come together and share best practice.
The aim of the initiative is to provide
companies with…
• An awareness of the perceived employee
brand, culture and values
• Benchmark data of how the company compares
to other similar organisations in the region
• A framework for understanding, interpreting
and managing the current culture, values
and employer brand and an action plan for
future development
• Brand exposure to help companies recruit
and retain top talent
• Sharing of best practice across the region
For more information, please email
bestemployers@prs.uk.com
Resourcing
Solutions
Pure
1514

10. Women’s leadership programme
In response to discussion groups that Pure hosted, this
programme has been developed in partnership with People
and Performance. It is specifically for women in professional
roles who are ambitious and would benefit from some
support to overcome barriers, and build their confidence
and conviction to progress in a senior leadership role.
Wellbeing at Work
An informative and participative series of seminars that run
in partnership with key local businesses, for example BITC
and Ipswich Building Society. The seminars cover how to
support and encourage a healthy workforce resulting in
greater productivity, lower absenteeism and ultimately
better financial rewards for your business.
The future FD Programme
The future FD Programme is a career development forum
for ambitious finance professionals seeking to develop and
execute a strategy for excelling in their profession. Meeting
three times per year, the forum has two elements consisting
of workshops and a mentor scheme. Please contact us if
one of your team would benefit from this programme.
To find more information on any of these events,
please contact lynn@prs.uk.com
Events and Networking
Chelmsford
Marlborough House
Victoria Road
South Chelmsford
Essex CM1 1LN
Tel: 01245 708808
Fax: 0870 9124090
Email: chelmsford@prs.uk.com
Cambridge
The Workspace
Pioneer Court
Vision Park
Histon
Cambridge
CB24 9PT
Tel: 01223 209888
Fax: 0870 9124090
Email: cambridge@prs.uk.com
Ipswich
1 Queen Street
Ipswich
Suffolk
IP1 1SW
Tel: 01473 250990
Fax: 0870 9124090
Email: ipswich@prs.uk.com
Norwich
16 Queen Street
Norwich
Norfolk
NR2 4SG
Tel: 01603 216450
Fax: 0870 9124090
Email: norwich@prs.uk.com
16

11. Pure
prs.uk.com