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We have extensive experience across sectors, geographies and roles

Our specialised teams advise clients across all their leadership needs, partnering closely across all stages of business growth and change to help optimal decision making.

  • Boards

    The most effective boards bring a diversity of thinking, experience and approach that creates a crucible for the most effective and robust decision making, inviting challenge and debate and eradicating group think. We advise boards on how to measure their effectiveness and help companies appoint and develop the optimal chair and non-executive directors.

    • Amanda Smithson

      Managing Partner

      Amanda Smithson
      Amanda Smithson
      +44 (0)20 7220 0273
      London

      Amanda is the Managing Partner and a member of the Investment Banking, Private Equity, Board and Executive Assessment Practices. She advises on leadership development, team effectiveness and senior appointments across investment banking, private equity and the boardroom. Prior to Blackwood, Amanda worked at Morgan Stanley; she spent ten years in Mergers & Acquisitions in London and New York before becoming COO of the Investment Banking Division EMEA. She is a certified professional executive coach, Meyler Campbell Mastered, AC and WABC accredited and qualified with the British Psychological Society in psychometrics, including Hogan, FIRO-B, NEO PI-R, Wave, G-LJI, LJI, Implicitly®, TKI and MBTI®.

      Prior experience: Morgan Stanley.

      Education: English and Law at the University of Cambridge.

    • Martina Ashley

      Partner

      Martina Ashley
      Martina Ashley
      +44 (0)20 7220 0277
      London

      Martina co-leads the Investment Management Practice and is a member of the Financial Services Practice. She has a particular expertise in moving and building teams and defining the strategy and execution of building new routes to market. She has worked extensively on the firm’s Diversity initiatives and is also an Ambassador for The Diversity Project.

      Prior experience: Goldman Sachs.

      Education: Politics and Philosophy at the University of Bristol.

    • Harry Chetwood

      Partner

      Harry Chetwood
      Harry Chetwood
      +44 (0)20 7220 0289
      London

      Harry co-leads the Investment Management Practice and is Chair of the Financial Services Practice. He has particular expertise in advising clients on succession planning, strategic reviews and working with start-up groups ahead of launch. Prior to joining Blackwood, Harry worked within search focusing on investment management and corporate finance. He started his career as an Assistant Fund Manager at Smith & Williamson Investment Management. Harry is a Trustee of the Arundel Castle Cricket Foundation and a member of the MCC Nominations Committee.

      Prior experience: Smith & Williamson Investment Management.

      Education: Theology and Anthropology at Durham University.

    • Maria Henderson

      Partner

      Maria Henderson
      Maria Henderson
      +44 (0)20 7220 0282
      Milan and London

      Maria leads the Consumer Practice. She has extensive experience advising international clients in all sub-sectors of consumer, including branded fashion and luxury goods.

      Prior experience: MBS Group, Korn Ferry, Skill Capital.

      Education: Latin American Literature and Politics at University College London.

    • Jonathan Lee

      Partner

      Jonathan Lee
      Jonathan Lee
      +44 (0)20 7220 1804
      London

      Jonathan leads the Tech Practice and co-leads the FinTech Practice. He has worked extensively across media, entertainment and technology enablement with a particular focus on the digital optimisation of businesses.

      Prior experience: The Zygos Partnership, Russell Reynolds.

      Education: Sports Science at Durham University.

    • Chris Unwin

      Partner

      Chris Unwin
      Chris Unwin
      +44 (0)161 241 3305
      Manchester

      Chris leads the Financial Officers Practice as well as Blackwood’s regional coverage, with responsibility for the firm's activities in the North and Midlands, advising businesses on board-level succession, management changes and leadership effectiveness.

      Education: French and German at the University of Oxford.

  • Financial officers

    The CFO is one of the most often changed roles in companies experiencing high growth or transformation. We advise clients on how to assess how their finance function is guiding and facilitating their strategic ambitions. We build entire finance leadership teams equipped to act as the strategic advisers and partners to the board.

    • Chris Unwin

      Partner

      Chris Unwin
      Chris Unwin
      +44 (0)161 241 3305
      Manchester

      Chris leads the Financial Officers Practice as well as Blackwood’s regional coverage, with responsibility for the firm's activities in the North and Midlands, advising businesses on board-level succession, management changes and leadership effectiveness.

      Education: French and German at the University of Oxford.

    • Davide Cassanelli

      Principal

      Davide Cassanelli
      Davide Cassanelli
      +44 (0)20 7220 0257
      London and Milan

      Davide is a member of the Financial Officers Practice and brings a decade of experience appointing CFOs in Private Equity portfolio companies across various sectors in the UK and Continental Europe. During his career, he has also worked with large international corporations.

      Prior experience: Headrick & Struggles; Leathwaite.

      Education: Economics & Business Administration at the Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore; HR Management & Consulting at the University of Bath.

    • Jenny Goslett

      Principal

      Jenny Goslett
      Jenny Goslett
      +44 (0)20 7220 0264
      London

      Jenny is a member of the Financial Officers Practice with expertise in Group CFO, Group Financial Controller and Group FP&A hiring. She largely focuses on searches in B2C related sectors.

      Prior experience: Korn Ferry.

      Education: Spanish and Italian at the University of St Andrews.

    • Katrina Roberts

      Senior Associate

      Katrina Roberts
      Katrina Roberts
      +44 (0)20 7220 0281
      London

      Katrina is a member of the Financial Officer Practice and works across all assignments. Before specialising in finance, she was a generalist focusing on mandates across numerous functional areas within financial services.

      Prior experience: J.D. Haspel.

      Education: Psychology at Loughborough University.

    • Emma Lanigan

      Associate

      Emma Lanigan
      Emma Lanigan
      +44 (0)20 7220 0280
      London

      Emma is a member of the Healthcare and Financial Officers Practices and works on assignments across all practice areas.

      Education: International Relations at the University of Bath.

    • Charlotte Wade

      Associate

      Charlotte Wade
      Charlotte Wade
      +44 (0)20 7220 0268
      London

      Charlotte is a member of the Financial Officers Practice and works on assignments across all practice areas.

      Education: Health, Medicine and Society at the University of Cambridge.

    • Katie Walker

      Senior Executive Assistant

      Katie Walker
      Katie Walker
      +44 (0)20 7220 1802
      London

      Katie is a Senior Executive Assistant in the Corporate Practice and a member of Blackwood’s Finance, Administration and IT Group.

      Education: Adult Health Nursing at Cardiff University.

  • Technology officers

    Technology continues to challenge and change every part of a business. Technology leadership is vital to ensure your business, whatever its sector, is equipped for the future. Working with some of the most technologically advanced companies and continually seeking the disruptors in any industry, we have developed deep expertise in building technology functions including CTOs, CDOs, CISOs, CIOs and Data & Analytics.

    • Jonathan Lee

      Partner

      Jonathan Lee
      Jonathan Lee
      +44 (0)20 7220 1804
      London

      Jonathan leads the Tech Practice and co-leads the FinTech Practice. He has worked extensively across media, entertainment and technology enablement with a particular focus on the digital optimisation of businesses.

      Prior experience: The Zygos Partnership, Russell Reynolds.

      Education: Sports Science at Durham University.

    • Grace Wookey

      Principal

      Grace Wookey
      Grace Wookey
      +44 (0)20 7220 0256
      London

      Grace is a member of the Tech Practice and works on assignments across sub-sectors, with a focus on B2B software and IT services. Prior to joining Blackwood, Grace worked at a specialist recruitment firm with a focus on the life sciences sector.

      Prior experience: Meet Recruitment.

      Education: Economics at the University of Birmingham.

    • Tamta Gagoshidze

      Senior Associate

      Tamta Gagoshidze
      Tamta Gagoshidze
      +44 (0)20 7220 0299
      London

      Tamta is a member of the Tech Practice and works on assignments across the sector.

      Education: Business Management at Cardiff University.

    • Patrick Hayes

      Associate

      Patrick Hayes
      Patrick Hayes
      +44 (0)20 7220 1809
      London

      Patrick is a member of the Technology Practice and works on assignments across all practice areas.

      Education: English Literature and History at the University of Nottingham.

    • Heather May

      Associate

      Heather May
      Heather May
      +44 (0)20 7220 0266
      London

      Heather is a member of the Technology Practice and works on assignments across all practice areas.

      Education: Biological Sciences at Imperial College London.

    • Hannah Johnston

      Senior Executive Assistant

      Hannah Johnston
      Hannah Johnston
      +44 (0)20 7220 1816
      London

      Hannah is a Senior Executive Assistant in the Corporate Practice and a member of Blackwood’s Finance, Administration and IT Group.

      Education: Criminology and Sociology at the University of Surrey.

    • Rosie Leslie

      Senior Executive Assistant

      Rosie Leslie
      Rosie Leslie
      +44 (0)20 7220 1805
      London

      Rosie is a Senior Executive Assistant in the Corporate Practice and is a member of Blackwood’s Finance, Administration, and IT Group. She is qualified in administering a variety of Psychometric tools.

      Education: Psychology at City, University of London.