What is your role within Pure Executive?

I am responsible for the recruitment of Executive level finance roles across Cambridgeshire. This includes board level CFOs and Financial Directors along with senior-level Financial Controllers.

What is the Cambridgeshire recruitment market like?

I’m based in Pure’s Cambridge office and I’ve worked in Cambridgeshire throughout my entire recruitment career. The county has an extremely vibrant economy. Cambridge is not only the hub of the UK’s tech and life sciences sector it is home to a hugely diverse and exciting market which is populated by a large number of innovative high growth companies, many of which I have worked with over the years. Recently there has been a resurgence in investment into the Greater Peterborough area which is stimulating a buoyant recruitment market across this area of the county. Working in the Cambridgeshire recruitment market gives me the opportunity to support and work with clients ranging from a very early stage, pre-revenue start-ups through to privately owned SMEs, large AIM and fully listed organisations. It is this variety that I really enjoy.

What is your career history?

Having graduated, I joined the management training programme at The John Lewis Partnership in Peterborough. I worked there for just over two years before embarking on a career in recruitment, joining the Cambridge office of a privately-owned national agency. I spent seven years with the agency, progressing to become Business Manager, but chose to move on when the organisation was sold to a multi-national recruitment company. The focus changed from a culture of autonomy and the delivery of a customer focussed approach to one of being heavily KPI driven, which is not how I like to work.  

When did you join Pure?

I joined Pure in 2004, which was at a very early stage in the company’s life cycle. At that time, there were only seven of us working out of one room in a serviced office in Histon, specialising in accountancy roles only. Since then the business has grown to over 80 employees, spread across four offices, and we now specialise in Executive, Accountancy, Human Resources, Technology, Marketing and Digital and professional office roles.

What is important to you when working with clients and candidates?

For me, working as a recruitment partner to my clients and candidates is the key to a successful recruitment campaign, irrespective of the seniority of the role. Working in this way allows me to deliver a truly consultative and value-added service. I’m driven by developing and maintaining long-term relationships based on trust and honesty. This is absolutely key in providing a best in class recruitment solution.

What is your biggest achievement to date at Pure Executive?

As part of Pure Executive, I have delivered thought leadership presentations at events including our Finance Director breakfast seminars to cover topics including the current competitive recruitment market and the battle for top talent. I find presenting daunting, particularly to an audience of over fifty senior finance professionals, but the sense of achievement afterwards more than makes up for the pre-event nerves! I also get a huge sense of satisfaction in providing a consultative recruitment solution to a client and in securing new career opportunities for candidates. The work that we do at Pure Executive can have a real impact on people’s lives. I take great pleasure in seeing candidates, many of whom I have known for many years, move up the career ladder with our assistance and advice. There are a number of Finance Directors in the area whom I first worked with when they were Junior Management Accountants!

About Nick

Nick graduated in 1995 from University College, London with a BA(Hons) in Classics, and spent 2 years working as a retail manager before starting his recruitment career in 1998. He joined Pure in 2004 having spent 7 years with a national consultancy. Nick has since developed an extensive network of clients & candidates in the Cambridge area and has an in-depth knowledge of the Cambridge business community. Nick is responsible for senior qualified permanent recruitment in the Cambridgeshire area.

“I joined Pure in June 2004 having spent the previous seven years working for a large, independent accountancy recruitment consultancy. I joined Pure as they embodied my belief that honesty, openness and a knowledgeable, consultative approach are key factors in becoming a successful recruiter and rare qualities in the recruitment industry. I am now responsible for the Senior Qualified market in the Cambridgeshire region.”

To discuss your recruitment needs please contact Nick on 01223 209888 or email him at nick.culley@prs.uk.com