Having worked with Parkinson Lee successfully in the past, I had no hesitation in asking them once again to support Pandrol with an executive search. During the search for our new Chief Sales and Commercial Officer, the level of support from Adam and the wider team was always clear, attentive, and responsive to our needs.

I would not hesitate to use them again for future executive roles within Pandrol.

– Alison Hunt, Global HR Business Partner at Pandrol

In partnering with Parkinson | Lee since 2021, Gist has established a first-class relationship with a national player in the executive search market. Lee and his team took the time to get to know the Gist business and our culture which has reaped dividends in the context of two successful c-suite appointments and numerous others. Infinitely flexible and resourceful, Parkinson | Lee bring not just depth of knowledge and market insight but high integrity and trust to their client relationships. We value and will continue to leverage this unique skill set.

– Michael Chambers, Chief Executive of Gist

Firstly, thanks for putting me forward for the Cathelco role. I am really excited about the opportunity and looking forward to starting in February.

Also, I would like to compliment Adam. Being on the candidate end of a recruitment process is very different than the client end and during my search, I experienced several other companies. I have to say that the communication and level of support from Adam were far superior to the other recruitment companies I engaged with. The process felt like I was being taken note of and supported unlike the treatment at others, which felt like I was an asset to be used to conclude a sale. This level of support from Adam also represents the client, in this case, Cathelco, which enhanced my impression of the professionalism.

– Nick Cowley, Managing Director at Cathelco, part of Evac Group

I wanted to feedback to you on the recruitment process and support from Adam, and also Rachael, to date.

I can honestly say this has been the easiest and most enjoyable experience working with a search partner.  Adam pitched the role perfectly to candidates and in doing so presented us with very high-quality people.  We got down to two final candidates, both of which we would have offered the role to, which is exceptional.

Throughout the whole process, I have felt well supported by both Adam and Rachael and cannot fault anything.

You have an exceptional team that you should be very proud of.  I know I don’t need to tell you this, as I’m sure you know how good they are!

Thank you, and the team, for a great job.

– Tina Holmes, HR Director UK & Senior HR Business Partner at NSK Europe

Westfield Health have partnered closely with Parkinson Lee on a number of Executive Search Assignments over the last few years.
We selected them based on their obvious knowledge of our sector, their professionalism, track record, and down-to-earth flexible approach.

Their service levels have been impeccable, and we are confident that the searches that they have carried out have been meticulous and exhaustive.  On each occasion, they conducted a full market mapping exercise of the Health & Wellbeing, Insurance, and wider Financial Services sectors, and as a result, the shortlists they produce are of top quality and have enabled us to make a number of significant hires.

Cultural fit is of huge importance to us at Westfield Health and having partnered closely with Parkinson Lee and interviewed candidates presented,  it is clear that they have an intimate understanding of our business.

I would have no hesitation in recommending Parkinson Lee to any organisation looking to make any senior/executive appointment.

Jason Hogan, Chief Operating Officer & Deputy CEO, Westfield Health

I would thoroughly recommend the team at Parkinson Lee. From the initial discussion about the potential role through the different stages of the process, I felt that Parkinson Lee were really trying their best for me as a candidate. There were challenges through the process, but each was met with a clear commitment to understand the issues and deal with them in a thoroughly professional manner.

I found the whole experience extremely straightforward and there was a clear and refreshing honesty throughout the whole process. It was clear to me that the team cared that the process was transparent. I would recommend the team, but especially Adam Dickson and Rachael Lee who were very straightforward to deal with. It was a very positive and confident process.

Mike Wynd, Head of Hydro, Drax

As all board members know, making non-executive appointments can be a challenge: a challenge involving a number of important components- appropriate skills, a proper understanding of board governance, a balanced perspective on risk and innovation, appropriate fit for the existing board along with diversity of thought which can enrich the board and its decision making. We approached Lee Bhandal with this complex list of requirements: he listened and took time to understand our brief, showed genuine commitment to The Beverley Building Society and to our values. We found Lee’s approach refreshing and pragmatic and responsive: he provided us with a very high calibre of short listed candidates and ultimately with an excellent appointment. Thank you

– Sue Symington, NED and Chair of People and Culture Committee at Beverley Building Society

As an experienced CFO I was keen to expand my NED portfolio across the Yorkshire region. It can be hard to find the right opportunity that matches both your career experiences and the right company culturally. Parkinson Lee were able to match both extremely well, helping me to secure a NED role with a historic and leading brand within the region. I found all the team at Parkinson Lee to be supportive and professional and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend their services.

– Oliver Laird, Non Executive Director at Beverley Building Society

Finding Non-Executive Director roles which match your experience and career goals can be tricky: identifying firms which are a good fit for you culturally as well as in terms of skill base can be a bit like finding hens’ teeth. Parkinson Lee helped me connect with a firm which fitted my hopes for my next NED role, and supported me from first contact and interview, through to checking in with me post-appointment. Lee Bhandal gave me good advice about how to present my skills and experience to the firm, was clear before each step of the process the purpose of the documents and meeting(s), had great knowledge about the firm that was appointing, and the key decision makers, and supported me in my preparation to ensure I could give my best on the day. I found Parkinson Lee to be professional and supportive and I would recommend working with them.

– Nicola Large, Non Executive Director at Westfield Health

Choosing the ‘right’ executive search firm is always difficult but as always it comes down to people, we chose Parkinson Lee because Lee gave us the confidence that he could deliver at a fair price and within our timescales.

Right from the getgo we presented Lee with a set of challenges of how do we refresh the board of a 102 year old well-loved company with great people but who would respect our existing culture and legacy yet at the same time add value to our future plans as well as enhance our diversity and inclusion desires. These challenges meant that Lee couldn’t go after the ‘easy option’ of the low hanging fruit but had to dig deeper into different and suitable candidates. The outcome was brilliant and Lee maintained the momentum throughout and delivered an outstanding service.

– Steve Purdham, Chairman at Westfield Health

I would thoroughly recommend Lee and the team at Parkinson Lee. From our first initial discussion about the potential role – all the way through the process (5 interviews during a lockdown scattered all over the country) – Lee was fantastic at keeping everybody involved and making everything run smoothly.

I found Parkinson Lee to be very straight froward and easy to deal with and really different from the other head hunters, which was refreshingly different.

– Martin Tyler, Chief Financial Officer at Tenet Group Limited

I have worked with Lee over the past 4 years on various assignments and have been delighted with the quality of service provided. Most recently, Lee has successfully supported us on the appointment of an Executive Director – Finance. As always, Lee took time to understand the role, our strategy, the challenges we face and, as importantly – the cultural fit to MPS. We are a mutual organisation who puts our members at the heart of our decisions and recruiting for this mindset in our Executive team is critical as they are the custodians of our culture. Lee undertook an extensive search with steely determination and good humour – despite many of the challenges we put his way! He made himself readily available throughout the assignment, liaised well between both the candidates and us and ultimately delivered on his promise. I am sure we will be working together in the future.

– Bev Proctor, Executive Director – People and Culture at Medical Protection Society

As an experienced CFO looking for my next role, I was keen to understand as much as possible before putting myself forward and he gave up a lot of his time to do this. Lee was not only great at providing a large amount of information about the company but his communications were concise, diligent and timely. Lee and the team at Parkinson Lee did a great job and added to the overall experience of the new company. Well done.

– Richard Pile, Executive Director for Finance at Medical Protection Society

I have known of Parkinson Lee for a number of years and so when I was looking for my next CFO opportunity, I contacted Lee Bhandal. Lee has always been straightforward and honest on advice he has given me in the past. This search was no different and Lee was very professional, responsive, and supportive. Even at offer stage he was very patient and happy to talk through all the options I had objectively. I would have no hesitation in recommending Lee and his team. I am delighted to be joining the entrepreneurial management team at NBP, to help support and accelerate its growth ambitions following the BGF investment.

– Jas Gill, Chief Financial Officer at Northern Building Plastics

As a fast growing business and having recently secured PE investment, we were looking to appoint a CFO and following a recommendation we approached Lee Bhandal at Parkinson Lee.

It was immediately clear Lee had a deep understanding of the current market and after discussing our business requirements, helped us define the role profile before commencing the search.

We were kept informed throughout the process and listening to our feedback, Lee refined the search and delivered a shortlist of quality candidates in our required timescales. Following which we appointed our preferred candidate.

If you are looking to make a senior appointment, I would thoroughly recommend you contact Lee Bhandal and see how Parkinson Lee can help your business.

– Jono Green, Managing Director at Northern Building Plastics

Parkinson Lee provide valuable guidance, advice and support in a very professional and engaging way, bringing a valuable perspective on an NED role to potential candidates.

I worked with the Managing Partner, Lee Bhandal, and he skillfully explored the requirements of the role, displaying knowledge of the organisation, its business model and the specific skill and competence requirements of the NED role.

Throughout my selection process Lee was a positive source of information and advice with, at the heart of his approach, a genuine desire to find the very best match between organisation and individual.

— Stuart Purdy, Non-Executive Director at Medical Protection Society

As a newly established company, carved-out from a major building materials corporation and acquired by US-based PE Firm Cobe Capital, Façade & Glazing Solutions Ltd, needed to rebuild our Senior Management team. First, the CEO was recruited and subsequently the CFO. Being based in Yorkshire, as were Parkinson Lee, we successfully chose to work with a locally rooted recruiting partner. Parkinson Lee did not only excel at understanding and co-shaping the required personality profile, they identified a number of highly capable individuals. When a first round of interviews had not yet led to filling the role, they energetically carried on eventually allowing us to appoint suitable candidates.

Throughout the process, Parkinson Lee, specifically Lee Bhandal, was on top of the process, developed drive to move forward and ensured alignment with us as the client. He served as a sparring partner at eye level accommodating the process and way of working as preferred by us.

— Dirk Jaspers, Director Operations at CoBe Capital

As an experienced CFO looking for my next appointment, I didn’t hesitate to get in touch with Lee Bhandal, Managing Partner at Parkinson Lee Executive Search. I was introduced to Lee Bhandal and Parkinson Lee 10 years ago and they have always impressed me with their ability to match quality candidates with great opportunities throughout the Yorkshire region. In addition, they are one of the very few executive search firms who cultivate genuine lasting relationships with their clients through enjoyable one-to-one catch-ups, interesting events and speaker opportunities.

After an initial discussion to align what I was looking for with what was likely to be out there in the market place, we soon started to discuss opportunities – impressive in these uncertain times! The role which caught my eye most was CFO of a significant, private equity owned, market leading business, poised for significant growth. My confidence in Lee’s ability to pin point the right opportunity for me was clearly well-placed. Following an intensive 2 week remote and face-to-face interview process that included participants in the USA and the UK, with guidance and support from Lee Bhandal throughout, I was successfully appointed CFO Ovarro based in Sheffield.

I’m delighted to have found what I was looking for and if you are looking to do the same with a professional search firm with an exceptional local network that supports you throughout your candidate journey and beyond, I’d highly recommend you contact Parkinson Lee Executive Search.

I very much look forward to continuing my 10 year working working relationship with Parkinson Lee once I am in position at Ovarro.

— Rob Williams, CFO Ovarro

Myself and co-founder, Pete Eville established Eville & Jones more than 27 years ago, we are now the leading provider of veterinary official control services and meat inspection services to the government Food Standards Agency (FSA). We employ around 750 staff and we are recognised as the clear UK industry leader.

We felt it was time to appoint a CEO, an individual who would take full day to day control and responsibility for the business here in the UK and overseas, We were looking for an individual who would ensure our business delivers the annual budget over the next 3-5 years, but also a CEO who could develop and implement a growth strategy; ensuring Eville & Jones are taking full advantage of the enormous, post-Brexit opportunities presenting themselves to us.

Given this was such a key appointment we wanted to partner with a search firm we felt fully understood our business and requirement.

We approached a number of firms and appointed Parkinson Lee to carry out the search on our behalf. We were impressed by their networks & track record across the region, their professionalism, and their willingness to assist us at every stage of the recruitment process. We wanted a true busines partner, a firm that would act as an extension of Eville & Jones, and one that we felt we could trust to deliver a shortlist of potential candidates that not only had the skills & track record we were looking for, but also were spot on from a cultural perspective.

It was a pleasure to work with Lee Bhandal, who was a true professional from start to finish.

It was clear from the outset that Lee clearly understood our brief and within 7 weeks had presented us with a shortlist of high calibre candidates, all of whom matched our requirements. In the end, we had two brilliant potential CEO’s to choose from, and we are delighted with the individual we ultimately appointed. The recruitment process was seamless, Lee sat in the first interviews with myself and our board team, we felt this was important and gave us continuity and an additional sounding board when it came to making the decision on who to take forward to the second stage of the process.

We would not hesitate to recommend Parkinson Lee to any organisation recruiting at senior, executive or board level.

— Rob Jones, Co Founder & Chairman, Eville & Jones

As an experienced CEO looking for my next appointment, I was looking for an executive search firm that was based in Yorkshire, highly networked and had an excellent track record and reputation.

Parkinson Lee Executive Search, are just that, and more. I met with their Managing Partner, Lee Bhandal, initially on a general basis to register myself on their network. I have to say, the advice and guidance given was invaluable, particularly in helping to capture my career highlights and demonstrable experience as well as frank, clear and concise feedback and advice in regards to my initial engagement meeting with Parkinson Lee. This specialist advice continued throughout the 3 stage interview process I had with my prospective new employer.

After only 3 weeks since my initial contact with Parkinson Lee, Lee Bhandal called me with an opportunity which he describe as left field but ticked many of the boxes I was looking for in my next career challenge. My confidence and trust in Lee’s ability to pin point the right opportunities for me, lead me to taking a look at the role further and subsequently, formally submit my interest.

The role was CEO of a significant, owner managed business with a market leading position that is poised for significant growth. After a seamless 6 week process, that included continuous advice, support and guidance from Lee, I have just been appointed as CEO of Eville & Jones based in Leeds.

I couldn’t be happier. If you are looking to engage with a professional, credible search firm that delivers on their candidate journey promises, while demonstrating an exceptional local network I’d highly recommend you contact Parkinson Lee Executive Search.

I look forward to continuing my working relationship with Parkinson Lee once I am in position at Eville & Jones.

— Charles Hartwell, CEO Eville & Jones

I have had the pleasure of working with Parkinson Lee on my recent successful appointment as the IT Director of MJ Gleeson PLC.

Lee was extremely supportive through the whole process and he clearly understood not only the experience and skill set required for the role, but he has also used his knowledge of the company to match the right cultural fit.

I’m delighted to have found what I was looking and l highly recommend you contact Parkinson Lee Executive Search for your next opportunity.

— Costas Moraitis, IT Director at MJ Gleeson PLC

I was delighted with the calibre of candidates put forward by Lee, and the regular updates and communication we had throughout the search. Lee and the team fully understood our exact requirements and were able to match high quality candidates to these. Throughout the interview process, Lee kept in regular contact and we were able to make an appointment which we are delighted with. I would definitely recommend Parkinson|Lee and will not hesitate in using them again in the future.

— Andrew Byrne, Managing Director, DFDS Seaways PLC

Parkinson Lee has a unique combination of integrity and tenacity. I’ve used Parkinson Lee on a number of searches for senior positions and they have always delivered. I can be blunt and demanding, Parkinson Lee is challenging and honest. That combination works well.

— Stefan Allanson, CFO, MJ Gleeson PLC

My experience of Parkinson Lee, and Lee Bhandal in particular, has been extremely positive.

I first met Lee 4 years ago during my job search and whilst he didn’t place me then we have continued our relationship and stayed in touch with regular catch ups.

This meant that Lee fully understood me, my skills and the sort of role that would interest me when the time came for me to undertake a new search earlier this year, and this resulted in him successfully placing me in the CFO role here Omega Plc.

This level of investment in a candidate is rare in my experience of the executive search market.

Also, Lee and his team are excellent at returning calls and messages which, again, is something that can be hit and miss with other firms.

— Julie Turnbull, Chief Financial Officer, Omega PLC

As an HR Director, it is imperative to trust an executive search agency that gets to know your business in-depth and provides a bespoke service which is very credible.

I have had the pleasure of working with Lee Bhandal on many assignments for Wakefield and District Housing, and have always found him to be professional, diligent and extremely customer focussed.

I am happy to highly recommend Parkinson Lee, as an executive search agency, and Lee Bhandal in particular, who is a supportive advisor of WDH, to ensure the very best of candidates are signposted to our organisation.

— Tracy Tallant, HR Director, Wakefield and District Housing

Lee is an effective search specialist, who has a good knowledge of the market. Lee is very professional and manages to balance both the needs of clients and candidates, which isn’t the easiest of tasks to accomplish. I would have no hesitation in using Lee for an individual or large scale recruitment.

— Karen Wilson, Finance Director at Hargreaves Services PLC

Lee has been recently assisting me in my search for a senior finance position in the Yorkshire area. My whole experience of working with him has been extremely positive and I would thoroughly recommend Lee. Areas in which I found he excels and stands out from the majority of his counterparts in the region are as follows: Understanding – Lee genuinely takes the time required to fully understand his candidates’ requirements, skills and cultural fit. Insightful advice – Lee has an excellent knowledge of the senior finance market and uses this to provide carefully considered and pragmatic advice. Proactivity – In my case, Lee was extremely proactive and innovative in reaching out to his clients (many of which were not actively recruiting at the time) with my specific skill set. Contact – My recent experience of the quality and regularity of contact from other recruiters has been rather hit and miss. Lee, however, has been in constant contact throughout my search and has always responded extremely promptly to my calls and messages. General approach – Lee has a very friendly but always professional approach and coupled with his above-mentioned attributes, this makes it a genuine pleasure to work with him.

— Paul Grant, Finance Director at UK Products at CPL Industries

As the HR Director of an International steel and manufacturing business, I am delighted to recommend Lee. I have enjoyed a long-standing business relationship with his organisations, both Elevation and Parkinson Lee involving a number of exec search commissions and more Junior roles across a number of business functions. A particular capability I value highly is the focus and speed of response and the ability to juggle several roles at the same from a number of different disciplines. A professional with a real understanding of client service.

— Mick Hood, Human Resource Director at Liberty Steel

I have worked with Lee and the team on a number of senior assignments and on each occasion, they have delivered in full. Their communication has been second to none, the shortlists were delivered on time and with quality candidates and the candidate management is as one would expect for a professional search company.

The fact they deliver this service is a testament to their understanding of the business, the search briefing they take and the positive challenge they pose to the business throughout the process.

— Sonia Belfield, Group Human Resources Director

Recruiting the right leaders can be challenging for any Housing Association, but I have found a very effective partner in Lee Bhandal at Parkinson | Lee Executive Search. Across several assignments recently, Lee has identified and recruited some outstanding candidates, providing a bespoke service, tailored precisely to our individual needs. Lee has been accessible, insightful and very supportive. If you need to recruit at a senior level, Lee stands out as a Trusted Adviser.

— Kevin Dodd, Chief Executive

My experience of working with Lee has been extremely positive. Lee took the time to understand my career history and my personality and then applied this knowledge in matching me to a role, and more importantly to a culture and a CEO. That fit has been invaluable and I love my role.

Lee is a league ahead of others in the recruitment arena for this insight into what makes a good match between employee and candidate and minimises wasted time on both sides and increases the chances of success. I would highly recommend Lee and his team from both a candidate and a hiring employee perspective.

— Keely Craig FCA, Group Finance Director

I relocated to Yorkshire a few years ago. I had no professional network in the area. Lee took the time to understand my background, skillset and expectations. He also recommended other useful contacts. Lee differentiates himself by being reliable. I define reliable as – picking the right roles for your skills and experience, giving honest feedback, calling you back when he saying he will and calls you to check on your progress.

He invests time in you as an individual. In my 16 years as an FD he is one of the best I have dealt with.

— Chris Martin, Finance Director

I have worked with Lee over the past 12 – 18 months in order to recruit a couple of senior roles. Lee has a great approach to the process, meeting with me initially to get to know me, the business aspirations and also the ideal candidate fit.

Lee has a superb knowledge of the local market and has built up an extensive network. This has been invaluable when recruiting key roles.

Lee is down to earth and has worked with me rather than ‘for’ me. We have built up a good rapport over the past year and I would not hesitate to recommend Lee and his team.

— Nick Gibbs, Chief Executive / Head of Commercial

I originally met Lee 12 months prior to asking him to help me with the recent CFO search. We had stayed in contact and his relaxed style to recruitment made him the obvious choice when the time came.

Lee understood the role and person we needed perfectly and I was more than pleased with the ‘long-list’ prepared. We had conversations along the way about people raising their heads who I probably knew from the sector, and also took some steer from me about people who were ‘wild cards’

I have asked Lee to help me on another role at the moment as you honestly do feel as though he is part of the team when he is working on an assignment.

Great communications have upmost confidence in his credibility with candidates and a great sense of humour! All three are rare from recruiters!

— Jenny Parkes, Managing Director

I have dealt with Lee on a number of occasions, both as UK FD and Group CFO of TMD Friction Group.

Lee proved to be well connected and able to pass through numerous suitable candidates at short notice and well aware of the key requirements of a business operating under PE ownership. His connections in the north of England supported temporary roles both locally in West Yorkshire, but also for temporary support within the head office function in Leverkusen, Germany.

I have no hesitation in recommending Lee and look forward to working with him again in the future.

— Mal Hartland, Finance Director

I was recruited by Parkinson Lee to fulfil the role of Chief Executive Officer at Kingston Friendly Society, a friendly society focused on savings & investments. Throughout the whole process, they excelled in keeping me up to date with progress, providing clear and open feedback at every step.

Lee Bhandal had a clear understanding of the requirements of the society and demonstrated an impressive commitment to match the society with the right candidate.

Lee was thoroughly professional in his approach and I would have no hesitation in recommending Parkinson Lee Executive Search services.

— Ben Pears, Chief Executive Officer

We approached Parkinson Lee for the recruitment of a Finance Director on recommendation from a colleague. Lee Bhandal, Managing Partner, met with us personally to discuss our requirement. Lee was easy to deal with; approachable, efficient, reliable and knowledgeable, he listened and took on board our specific requirements. The CVs we were provided with matched our requirement in terms of experience and qualifications, having chosen 6 for interview, we were not disappointed to also find a match in personality requirements. Our successful candidate has now joined the business and settled in well. I would personally recommend Parkinson Lee for high level recruitment and look forward to working with Lee in the future.

— Julie Haynes, Managing Director

Lee Bhandal and his team at Parkinson Lee are an experienced group of executive search experts. Lee worked directly with me, supporting me in finding my next career opportunity. At a point in my career where I was particularly specific about the role and company I wanted, Lee engaged with me throughout the process and offered support and guidance. He has a lot of credibility built by exacting standards that find the perfect candidates in terms of culture fit as well as skills, experience and capability. He is straight and honest, qualities I share and respect. He has an in depth knowledge of all his clients, taking the time to find the correct ingredients on both sides of the table to drive the best outcome across the board. I strongly endorse Lee and his team and look forward to working with them again across the industry.

— Maria Opuni, Head of Operations & Customer Experience

Parkinson Lee have been an absolute pleasure to work with in my job search, resulting in me being placed in a role that directly matches my skill-set. They worked tirelessly behind the scenes on my behalf, from securing the initial interview to the final acceptance of offer. Parkinson Lee’s dedication, attention to detail and comprehensive post-interview follow-up were outstanding.

I have since started to work with Parkinson Lee as a client and found their service to be equally impressive.

I look forward to continuing to work with Parkinson Lee and would recommend their services without hesitation.

— Lal Amarasekara, Finance Director at Eaton Electrical Systems Limited

We were recently looking to appoint a Finance Director based at our Head Office in Halifax.

We approached a number of Executive Search consultants including Lee Bhandal at Parkinson Lee on the back of a recommendation. We were immediately impressed with Lee’s professionalism, understanding of our brief and the in-depth knowledge and experience of the market he demonstrated at our initial meeting.

We awarded Parkinson Lee the mandate and I have to say we were delighted with both the process and the result.
Lee worked closely with us at the outset to define the role profile and then committed fully to the search, keeping us in the loop throughout the search.

The process took just over 5 weeks as agreed at the outset and we were impressed with the quality of all shortlisted candidates, and in particular the candidate that we hired as a result. The shortlist once again highlight Lee’s detailed understanding of both our business and the brief.

I would have no hesitation in recommending Lee Bhandal and Parkinson Lee Executive Search to any fellow HRD or Business Leader looking to make an executive appointment.

— Karen Baldwin, Human Resources Manager

Knowing that you need the brightest and the best individuals to drive your business forward is one thing, being able to reflect upon successful appointments made and attribute them to the work done by your chosen Executive Search partner is quite another.

WDS Component Parts Ltd have been fully catered for by the depth of experience and services provided by Parkinson Lee Executive Search, who have taken the stress out of searching for high class employees capable of driving business change.

For those serious about making a real difference to their business, Parkinson Lee Executive Search come highly recommended.

— Peter Crowder, Managing Director

Appointing senior executive level employees in the past has always been a time consuming, difficult process. I appointed Greg Parkinson at Parkinson Lee Executive Search to identify a number two for my business unit and he immediately demonstrated a high level of technical understanding within executive finance, he made the whole process stress free and efficient and his network of candidates were brilliant. We made a great appointment and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Greg Parkinson to any organisation looking to appoint a professional, capable search specialist.

— Amit Sood, Finance Director UK & IE, Stanley Black and Decker

Parkinson Lee is an outstanding Executive search consultancy who specialises in executive & board level appointments. Their professionalism, network of contacts and ability to provide creative solutions for the roles I have engaged them to work on make Parkinson Lee a market leader. I have no hesitation in recommending Parkinson|Lee Executive Search.

— Mark Wilson, Chief Executive Officer

I have known Parkinson|Lee Executive Search for the last 8 years and have been lucky enough to receive their career guidance and advice that has resulted in them placing me in my last two executive level roles.

In my experience, Parkinson Lee manages the process in a professional, thorough and effective manner, and hve always provided me with the exact executive level opportunity I was seeking. I would have no hesitation in recommending Parkinson|Lee Executive Search to any individual or organisation looking to engage with a capable search firm.

— Colin Mearns, Finance Director

I’ve engaged Lee Bhandal at Parkinson|Lee Executive Search on a number of search assignments across a range of disciplines. He demonstrates all the skills of his profession – clear market knowledge, deep understanding of the brief, breadth of sourcing skills and a clear commitment to delivery and adding value. I would have no hesitation in recommending Lee and Parkinson|Lee to any business looking to make a senior appointment.

— Dave Scott, Head of Recruitment (UK)

We recently engaged Parkinson Lee to undertake an executive search and selection process to replace the role of Chief Executive Officer in our company. Their efficiency and professionalism in executing the task was first class. Lee Bhandal handled the search and managed to produce an excellent shortlist of candidates for interview from an initial applicant list of over 300 individuals and an offer has now been made and accepted for the role.

We were particularly impressed with the quality of the detailed job profile that was produced by Parkinson Lee which we believe attracted not only the large response received but also the high calibre of respondents for this important role.

We would have no hesitation in recommending Parkinson Lee to any prospective client.

— David Scholes, Chief Executive Officer

Our relatively small Financial Services organisation recently had the task of finding a new CEO to take over from the previous incumbent who was retiring. As a small mutual, we had specific requirements, requiring a CEO with broad experience, but primarily one that could drive a small but ambitious business forward, with the appropriate business & marketing acumen & expertise. Clearly finding the right person was vital for our business to succeed in the future.

We short-listed a number of recruitment agencies & formed a sub committee of 3 NED’s who met with Lee after he had received our brief. He immediately demonstrated he had a good understanding of our business & business model, & that he fully grasped our requirements. In fact he helped us formulate the key attributes from the job spec we had provided. We were all impressed & unanimously decide to use Parkinson Lee.

Lee then outlined the likely timetable for short-listing candidates for first & second interviews, which I must admit I felt was slightly ambitious. However the timetable was virtually met, and more importantly, every candidate submitted (6 in all) had the capabilities to do a really good job as our CEO. We were impressed & delighted by the calibre of candidates submitted. We’ve completed our selection & we are awaiting our new CEO to complete his notice period before joining us in the new year. The whole process will have taken just 5 months, including a 3-month notice period. That’s about as good as we had hoped for.

I personally worked closely with Lee, and found him always to be professional, readily available, responsive, & informative – all of his suggestions were well reasoned and adopted.

Therefore I have no hesitation in recommending Lee for any Executive search, including the “top job”, as was the case with our recruitment.

— Rob Edwards, Chairman of Kingston Unity

Working as Human Resources Director for UK Coal Plc whilst the company was delivering a challenging financial turnaround, I struggled to attract candidates for key business critical roles. Lee Bhandal at Parkinson|Lee Executive Search was recommended to me by a member of the Board as a highly credible and well respected Executive Search Consultant, with the ability to understand the sector in which the organisation operated.

He quickly grasped the organisational strategy, performance goals (some linked to government), market factors and essentially how to translate it all into an attractive proposition for candidates.

Lee’s candidate search, analysis and assessments resulted in a shortlist of individuals with superb professional, technical and commercial capabilities, who were all fully briefed and engaged in the process.

Several executive appointments were made across the Group from Lee’s recommendations, greatly strengthening the function and the organization structure at this critical time.

I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending Lee Bhandal at Parkinson|Lee to any organisation looking to strength there senior management team via a search specialist.

— Gail Wright, Human Resources Director

Powell Industries were recently looking to appoint a Finance Director based at our UK Head Office in West Yorkshire. We approached Lee Bhandal at Parkinson|Lee Executive Search on the back of a recommendation and we were thoroughly impressed with both Lee and Parkinson|Lee throughout the process.

We had an initial briefing meeting to scope out the position and Lee recommended an advertised search campaign. At this stage we felt confident in both Lee’s market knowledge, which is exceptional and also his ability to fully understand our business, what we needed and the right solution at a cost effective price. The recruitment piece was relatively complex as it required interaction not only with UK representatives of Powell but also colleagues in Houston, Texas.

The process ran to the timescales Lee had suggested and he worked in partnership with us throughout, delivering a highly professional and quality service at all times.

Parkinson|Lee provided us with a shortlist of outstanding candidates that not only matched the role profile but also matched our business culture, values and goals. We could have appointed one of a number of the shortlisted individuals but were delighted when our chosen candidate accepted the position.

We would also add that the candidates we interviewed have given us very positive feedback in relation to how they feel they have been managed by Parkinson|Lee Executive Search from a candidate perspective.

— Richard Fearnside, HR Director

CrystecPharma is a start-up company focused on enhancing the performance of pharmaceutical products. We have a strong management team, operating across the UK and China, individually with good business track records.

We therefore required a highly experienced and credible business mentor, who could work well with senior people, provide support, yet have the confidence and credentials to challenge where necessary. Phil has been an outstanding mentor over the past year. He has an engaging style, strong intellect, a breadth of experience across sectors, and he operates with a high degree of professional integrity.

He has helped us to hold our course and maintain focus in difficult trading conditions, whilst encouraging us to be open to new opportunities, individually and as a business. He has been an excellent source of new ideas and contacts for the company. Whilst we have much to do, I am sure that Crystec is on a more firm footing as a consequence of Phil’s support. He has been a genuine pleasure to work with, and I commend him to you without reservation.

— Paul Thorning, CEO