Client Testimonials
Sewell Moorhouse
Cliff Sewell
Sewell Moorhouse is a firm of recruitment consultants with offices in Sheffield, Leeds Doncaster and Manchester. Soon to open their fifth office in Hull, the firm is well on its way to becoming firmly established as a truly national entity.
With a mission to become the leading professional services recruiter within the UK, growth has always been high on the agenda at Sewell Moorhouse. In the last twelve months they have gone from providing recruitment solutions to the finance sector to launching divisions in admin and secretarial, professional practice and HR recruitment.
The company was set up in 1997 as a sole venture by Cliff Sewell. He brought in another director two years later to help with the running of the business. However, in 2007 Cliff and his counterpart Phil decided that their aspirations had begun to differ, with Cliff maintaining focus on the company’s further expansion. As a result Cliff made an offer to Phil to take full control of the business.
Watson Buckle supported Cliff throughout the process. The two directors had agreed on a price, which Watson Buckle challenged, to ensure Cliff was getting the best deal. They then took care of the entire transaction.
Cliff first encountered Watson Buckle after they were recommended by a business contact. His immediate impression of partners Chris Padgett and John Kinsella was that they thoroughly understood they ways in which he thought, and most importantly, they had no desire whatsoever to alter this.
“They understand completely what an entrepreneur and a businessman wants,” says Cliff. “I have a vision for my company and I know how I want to do things. I can tell them what I want and they back me up, advising me on how to go about doing the things I want to do, and outlining where there might be problems.”
In terms of the hurdles that Cliff may face in his endeavour to grow Sewell Moorhouse, Watson Buckle adopts an enabling attitude. According to Cliff, they are solution-orientated, an approach taken across the firm.
“The link between the partners and the senior managers is astounding. I’m not going to see Chris and John everyday, because that isn’t their role. My day to day relationship has been built up with Mark Wilcock. I can call him any time I want to. His process is to listen, question and then deliver.
“Mark has a real ability to work well with non-academic professionals. I didn’t base my business on academia but on a genuine desire to care for people. From the onset Watson Buckle have understood that and done everything to help me achieve the plans and decisions I have made.”
The firm completes accounts, advises Cliff on tax matters and takes care of Sewell Moorhouse’s audit. It’s their advisory capacity and ability to act as mentors that most impresses Cliff.
“They are an integral part to the growth of the business. I won’t use them merely as an auditor. I insist on using them as a professional financial function on a daily basis.”