Our team combine their diverse backgrounds with their deep expertise and knowledge in their functional areas to deliver exceptional results for our clients and candidates.
We focus on building relationships and believe in collaboration across the business to best serve our client’s needs.
Search Through Our Departments
James Roach
Managing Director
James initially joined FDYL in 2013 as a portfolio FD, joining the business on a full-time basis in 2014 to help launch the recruitment division. James led the MBO into Headstar in 2020 and combines his FD consultancy work with ongoing recruitment assignments. In his spare time, he enjoys things like cycling down the Death Road in Bolivia.
- james.roach@headstar.co.uk
- James Roach
Jenny Martin
Director
Jenny joined with 7 years of experience recruiting senior permanent appointments within both Accountancy & HR. Having spent time in both external agency and internal recruitment environments, she understands what everyone needs out of the recruitment process and makes sure everyone’s kept in the loop. Jenny specialises in placing Financial Controller and Finance Director roles. Jenny is one of those rare recruiters that actually does have a genuine interest in getting to know people. Developing long-lasting relationships comes naturally to her, meaning her candidates and clients come back to her time and time again. Outside of work, Jenny works hard to afford her adventurous and exotic holidays as she has an extremely long bucket list of places she’s still yet to explore!
- jenny.martin@headstar.co.uk
- Jenny Martin
Karen Pitchforth
Associate Director
With 25 years of experience in recruitment, Karen specialises in the Senior Interim Qualified Finance Market. Over the last 19 years, she has developed a deep understanding of the finance sector, successfully matching top-tier interim finance professionals with leading organisations.
Karen is an expert in recruiting interim senior roles, including CFOs, FDs and FCs, across a wide range of industries. A strong network built over nearly two decades has allowed her to build long-term relationships with both clients and candidates, consistently delivering outstanding results for businesses seeking interim leadership during times of change, transformation or critical project delivery.
Outside of work, Karen enjoys walking and cycling. She is also a ‘mum taxi’ for two fast-growing children and enjoys supporting their education as a school Governor at the junior school.
- karen.pitchforth@headstar.co.uk
- Karen Pitchforth
Karandeep Sohel
Associate Director
Karandeep joined Headstar with over 18 years experience in Executive Search where he has a great track record of placing experienced professionals across a variety of functions and industries. Throughout his career, he has prided himself on a people-oriented approach – developing relationships with stakeholders built on trust and integrity, with a strong emphasis on delivering a high-level service and successful results. At Headstar, Karandeep will be focused on Senior Level Finance placements across all industries. Outside of work Karandeep is an avid golfer and big cricket fan.
- karandeep.sohel@headstar.co.uk
- Karandeep Sohel
Rachel Porteous
Manager
Rachel began her recruitment career as a resourcer within the Security sector. She progressed into a 360, end-to-end recruitment role, sourcing and placing contact centre, sales and service industry candidates. Known for her positivity and great people skills, Rachel now specialises in part and qualified finance roles across the Yorkshire region. Outside of work, Rachel enjoys spending time with friends, eating out and is a devoted cat mum.
- rachel.porteous@headstar.co.uk
- Rachel Porteous
Alex Law
Senior Consultant
Alex joined us in January 2021 with four years’ finance recruitment experience across all sectors. With an easy to like personality and a reputation for being a professional, diligent and honest recruiter, he has grown a great network of clients and candidates. Building on his experience across the transactional market, Alex now specialises in senior finance roles. Outside of work, Alex can usually be found hard at work in his vegetable garden or at Valley Parade cheering on Bradford City.
- alex.law@headstar.co.uk
- Alex Law
Ross Wallace
Executive Consultant
With over 10 years’ experience in recruitment, Ross has earned himself a reputation for being mature, honest and pragmatic in his approach. Having spent the lion’s share of his career in the legal arena, he knows the value of being thorough. This – combined with his personable character – has made him a favourite with candidates and clients. Ross specialises in placing finance professionals at all levels into accountancy and advisory practices. Outside of work, Ross can often be found at the gym, cycling or getting out into the wild.
- ross.wallace@headstar.co.uk
- Ross Wallace
Tom Fahy
Senior Consultant
Tom started his recruitment career in 2019, quickly establishing himself within the commercial market covering various sectors including finance and accounting. He has a proven ability to create meaningful relationships and assist businesses in making impactful, long-lasting hires.
He prides himself on his ability to service candidate and client needs to equal value, and understand the importance of a tailored, transparent approach. In his spare time, you will find him in the terraces of Elland Road cheering on the mighty whites, shooting a terrible score on the golf course, or cooking up a fancy concoction in the kitchen.
- tom.fahy@headstar.co.uk
- Tom Fahy
Matt Swift
Senior Consultant
Starting in recruitment as a trainee in 2021, Matt quickly proved his talent and worked his way up, earning three promotions along the way. After building a strong foundation in construction and maintenance recruitment, he has now made the move into finance – a sector that perfectly matches his love for numbers (and spreadsheets!) Outside of work, he is a keen drummer, a regular at the gym, and a busy parent.
- matt.swift@headstar.co.uk
- Matt Swift
Suliman Mahmood
Consultant
Suliman began his finance recruitment career in 2023, working originally as a Resourcer to build his grounding in the finance market. Later that year, he progressed into a full 360 role, placing candidates into interim and temporary roles across North and West Yorkshire, specialising in transactional finance. He prides himself on forging long-term relationships with both clients and candidates, ensuring that each match is the right one. At Headstar Suliman will continue to specialise in interim and contract placements within transactional finance. Outside of work, Suliman enjoys hitting the gym, watching football, and spending time with family and friends.
- suliman.mahmood@headstar.co.uk
- Suliman Mahmood
Olivia Teale
Senior Consultant
Olivia joined us in 2018 initially to support purely on the candidate side. She quickly demonstrated her versatility though and became a firm favourite with clients, prompting a promotion to Consultant in 2020. Olivia specialises in placing the best talent into businesses and in her spare time is busy being a new Mum!
- olivia.teale@headstar.co.uk
- Olivia Teale
Sue Moul
Head of Fractional CFO Services
Sue is a highly experienced Portfolio Finance Director who specialises in supporting owner managed SMEs to develop and manage their business growth and stabilisation. A straight talking, hands-on pragmatist, Sue is equally at home guiding acquisitions and funding as she is developing and mentoring the finance team and being a Board advisor and confidante. In her spare time, Sue likes to keep active and can be found pounding the pavements with her local running club.
- sue.moul@headstar.co.uk
- Sue Moul
Darren Bellwood
Portfolio Finance Director
Darren is a commercially astute Finance Director who moved into the world of Portfolio FD in 2022 bringing with him over 35 years of experience across a diverse number of industry sectors, working closely with business owners to achieve their goals. He has a proven track record in M&A, setting and delivering strategy, turnaround / restructure, re-financing, commercial contract negotiations, mentoring and HR.
Leeds-born he has gained experience working with a number of entrepreneurs and in the corporate world, including private healthcare, waste management, property, leisure, drinks industry, managed services, print, manufacturing and recruitment to name a few. Darren is an individual who is very approachable and easy to talk to and is able to quickly understand what his clients’ and their business requires. Away from the desk you will find Darren either in the garden, carrying out something in DIY or at a music gig which is his passion.
- darren.bellwood@headstar.co.uk
- Darren Bellwood
Sam Dobney
Head of Finance
Sam joined us in 2015, and after a short break to raise her family, returned in 2020 to head up our finance department. An outstanding finance professional and a stickler for detail, Sam keeps us all on track. Sam’s understanding of the business and great rapport with candidates and clients means that our financial systems run like clockwork. It’s no wonder that we keep Sam under wraps!
- sam.dobney@headstar.co.uk
- Sam Dobney
Sam Goodwin
Senior Marketing Manager
With over 17 years’ experience in marketing for industry-leading companies, Sam is responsible for implementing our marketing strategy. A jack-of-all-trades, she is equally comfortable organising our events, coordinating PR and developing our website, as she is designing our marketing collateral and ensuring everything stays ‘on brand.’ Outside of work, Sam enjoys spending time with her friends, watching movies and singing along to musical theatre shows. She is also a keen writer and recently published her debut novel.
- sam.goodwin@headstar.co.uk
- Sam Goodwin
Georgia Dutton
Operations Manager
Georgia makes things happen across the Headstar office! Since joining the business as an apprentice in early 2019, Georgia has developed into her role as Operations Manager, while gaining varied knowledge and experience within different areas of the business. Charged with maintaining the integrity of our systems, she also looks after our onboarding and supports our consultants with their various day to day activity. During her spare time Georgia likes hiking, painting and when not at work she can also be found on a dancefloor!
- georgia.dutton@headstar.co.uk
- Georgia Dutton
Jana Anwar
Operations Executive
Jana works alongside operations and marketing to support the fundamental processes needed to keep the business running smoothly. Her background in project management and operations shapes her structured, reliable, and adaptable approach to her work. She provides essential day-to-day support across core functional areas, including managing critical databases, handling company communications, assisting with marketing tasks, and supporting the consultant team. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with friends, family, and her two cats, exploring new hobbies, and going outdoors for walks.
- jana.anwar@headstar.co.uk
- Jana Anwar
Neil Muffitt
Board Advisor
With more than 25 years experience around board room tables, Neil believes that objectivity and an ability to challenge the status quo are essential for effective FDs. Since retiring as Chairman in Spring 2023, Neil continues to provide sound advice and guidance as a Headstar Board Advisor.
- neil.muffitt@headstar.co.uk
- Neil Muffitt
Rob Walker
Chair
With a career spanning over 25 years in the recruitment sector, Rob brings a wealth of experience in building, leading and scaling recruitment businesses. Rob’s advisory role is to assist the Board in optimising the business structure and explore opportunities to drive further growth.
- rob.walker@headstar.co.uk
- Rob Walker