Ex KPMG senior partner joins Sowena board to support growth

Specialist finance and accounting recruitment company Sowena Group has appointed a prominent north west business leader to support its next phase of growth and has made two senior hires to further bolster its team.

John Hughes, a former senior partner and head of private equity in the north at KPMG and the current chairman of Cortus Advisory Group in addition to several other advisory roles, has joined the board of Manchester-based Sowena as non-executive chairman.

He brings more than 40 years’ experience advising public and private companies, having led transactions valued in the billions across mergers and acquisitions, financing, strategic reviews and business transformation.

John has worked extensively as a non-executive chairman and chief executive of large organisations including Yodel, in addition to a wide range of fast-growth and challenger businesses, supporting founders and leadership teams through periods of scale, change and value creation.

Sowena’s founder and chief executive Perran Cooke said John’s experience and strategic insight would help to strengthen the company’s market position and support its expansion strategy.

Meanwhile Sowena has strengthened its team with the appointment of Alex Mackenzie as a director and Marcus Polledri as business manager.

The company, which Perran founded in summer 2024, now has a team of 12 based at The Tootal Buildings in Manchester city centre.

Sowena, which last year received a six-figure investment from fund manager River Capital to accelerate its growth, specialises in recruitment for high-growth businesses, pre and current private equity-backed companies and venture capital firms across the north west and beyond.

It recruits for chief financial officer, finance director, financial controller, head of finance and newly-qualified roles as well as for interim and fractional senior posts, with salaries ranging from £45,000 to £200,000.

Sowena places candidates across sectors including retail, technology, manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, fast-moving consumer goods, e-commerce, facilities management, professional services and wholesaling.

Alex brings more than 12 years’ recruitment experience in the north west working with executive-level finance professionals, and has previously held senior roles at Broster Buchanan and Michael Page. At Sowena he is specialising in senior and executive appointments.

Marcus, who has joined Sowena from Simpson Judge, has four years’ experience working in the private equity finance market in London and the south, covering a range of high-growth businesses.

His focus at Sowena is on placing candidates in roles from newly-qualified accountants to senior level across east and south Manchester and Cheshire.

Perran said: “This is a really exciting moment for Sowena as we continue to build a business with scale, credibility and long-term ambition.

“Bringing John on board as non-executive director is a significant step for us.

"His experience from KPMG and Cortus Advisory, combined with his strategic insight, will be invaluable as he works alongside me to strengthen our market position and support the next phase of our growth.

“At the same time, the addition of Alex and Marcus further enhances our delivery capability across newly-qualified, senior and executive finance appointments, ensuring we continue to provide a genuinely consultative and high-quality service to our clients.

“Alex is an exceptional operator with deep market knowledge and a strong network across regional businesses and top emerging talent. We’re incredibly lucky to have him as part of our growing team.

“Marcus is also a fantastic addition to our ranks. He is driven, brings a superb consultative approach to the market and is already making an impact.

“The finance recruitment market is showing strong signs of renewed momentum, particularly within private equity-backed businesses where demand for high-calibre finance talent is accelerating. That is where Sowena is at its strongest.

“Our recent investment from River Capital means we are focusing on our people, our processes and our brand. We are planning further hires over the coming year as we cement our foundations and continue to build a business that is recognised for elite finance recruitment across the north west and beyond.”

John Hughes said: “Throughout my career, the constant has always been people. However strong the strategy or compelling the opportunity, businesses only succeed when they have the right people in the right roles, at the right time.

“I’ve known Perran for many years and have always been impressed by the way he approaches both clients and candidates – with integrity, commercial insight and a genuine understanding of what growing businesses really need.

“Sowena has built a business that reflects those values, and I’m looking forward to supporting the team as they help clients build finance functions that can scale, adapt and create long-term value.”

Sowena Group has sponsored the 'Deal of the Year' category at the Red Rose Awards 2026.