Sowena Group adds firepower with two senior hires and heralds move to bigger office

A specialist recruitment company focused on senior finance posts in high-growth, private equity and venture capital-backed businesses has made two key hires and is moving to a larger office to accommodate its growing team.

Beth Harris and Gemma Quaye have joined Sowena Group as an associate director and head of executive research respectively.

Sowena Group, which was launched by Perran Cooke in summer 2024, now has a team of seven based in The Tootal Buildings on Oxford Street in Manchester city centre.

The company is moving to a larger Orega serviced office in The Tootal Buildings after outgrowing its previous base at the premises.

Sowena Group works closely with scaling businesses, leadership teams, corporate finance advisers, banks, investors, private equity houses and venture capital firms to recruit for chief financial officer, finance director, financial controller, head of finance and newly-qualified roles across the north west and beyond, with salaries ranging from £45,000 to £250,000.

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

Beth, who has moved from Simpson Judge, is spearheading Sowena’s North Manchester and Lancashire offering for roles with annual salaries of £60,000-£85,000. She is working alongside Dave Kreitz, who leads Sowena’s Manchester city centre and Cheshire offering.

Gemma was previously an executive researcher at Drax and her role at Sowena is a new function for the firm.

Perran said: “Bringing in Beth and Gemma as senior hires reflects the calibre of talent that Sowena is able to attract and the journey we are on.

“Their expertise and knowledge significantly strengthen our leadership and executive research functions and will be central to our next phase of growth.”

He added: “Over the past 12 months, we’ve expanded our team, built a solid foundation and strengthened our community of elite finance professionals across the north west.

“This is just the beginning. With a great team, I’m excited for the future of Sowena and we are looking to announce further recruits in the coming months.

“Following our recent hires, we have reached capacity in our current office and, with our headcount due to increase again before the end of the year, we need to relocate to a bigger base which will futureproof the business.

“We are thrilled to remain at Orega serviced offices in The Tootal Buildings, and our new home gives us scope to grow the team to 16.”

Beth said: “I’m excited to spearhead Sowena’s presence in North Manchester and Lancashire. Having worked in finance recruitment across the region, I know how much opportunity there is for ambitious businesses and I’m looking forward to connecting them with top-tier talent.

“I’m ambitious by nature and thrive on making things happen, so the ability to help shape the trajectory of Sowena while continuing to grow alongside it is hugely motivating.”

Gemma said: “Building a robust research function is about more than filling roles, it’s about creating insights that help clients to make the best leadership decisions.

“My experience across start-ups, in-house teams and executive search gives me a unique perspective to bring to Sowena.”

Sowena has been confirmed as the sponsors of the 'Deal of the Year' category at the Red Rose Awards 2026.