Meet the Team
The City & Capital Group is a key consultancy partner for financial and professional service organisations looking to achieve important growth or succession planning for their business.
Our knowledgeable team offers decades of experience, derived from their own successful careers within financial and professional services. Between them, they have overseen the management and delivery of many senior recruitment placements, as well as the sale and acquisition of companies and client banks within the financial advisory sector.
This wealth of knowledge means we speak your language and understand your goals, from a ‘real world’ perspective. Which – in turn – is fundamental in ensuring we introduce you to the right business or individual to meet your requirements.
What our clients say...
Latest News
City & Capital Group targets significant growth with shake-up of industry norms and key hires
The City & Capital Group is preparing for significant growth in 2021, following the launch of a fixed fee recruitment proposition for financial planning and wealth management firms, a new M&A Partner service for vendors, and two key hires. The Yorkshire-based financial services consultancy will make the hiring process within the profession more affordable and transparent via a new, fixed fee model. In a bid to tackle the mounting advice gap within the sector, newly […]
Meet Jonathan Barrow – The City & Capital Group’s Acquisitions Director
The City & Capital Group wouldn’t be where it is today without some of the fantastic people who make up our team. In celebration of them – and all the hard work they put in – we wanted to deliver a shoutout on our blog. This month, we’re getting to know director at City & Capital Acquisition, Jonathan Barrow – who joined us in February 2020. Sum up your role in just one paragraph: Delivering […]
Senior and graduate appointments for The City & Capital Group
West Yorkshire-based financial consultancy organisation, The City & Capital Group, has made a pair of hires across its acquisitions, recruitment, and headhunting divisions, with the appointment of a group relationship director and a graduate relationship manager. Paul Greveson has joined the team as group relationship director, bringing with him 35 years of industry experience – most recently as business development director for Regentia Lifestyle Planning and Regency Financial Planning. Having also previously founded, grown and […]
How can we help?
Sell my financial advice firm
Grow my financial services business
Find a headhunter in the finance sector
Financial services executive search and recruitment
Contact Us
Stuart Hicks
Group Managing Director
Connect with Stuart on LinkedIn
Stuart is the founder and MD of the group, and takes an overarching role with regards to all sales matters. This involves working closely with candidates and clients, winning new business, and the training and development of colleagues.
Stuart has spent much of his career working in financial services, and testament to his success, soon progressed to the role of sales director, managing teams of up to 100 colleagues. His background has led to a thorough understanding of the specialist lending market in particular, while also honing his skills in team management and the development of people.
Proudly describing himself as a ‘salesman’, Stuart made the brave decision to change careers, and move into headhunting within financial services. This appealed to his nature, and drawing from personal experiences he quickly became a trusted confidant to many clients, assisting with their exciting growth plans. Having cemented his reputation as one of the most influential headhunters in his market, Stuart set up City & Capital Headhunters in February 2017, and has been a driving force in the success and exponential growth the firm has experienced to date.
Stuart lives with his wife (and co-director) Victoria and their son Alex in North Leeds. A keen sports fan, he enjoys live sporting events – particularly watching his beloved Spurs – or attending cricket, rugby and tennis matches. Stuart has four loves in his life: family, work, sport and music – although he’s reluctant to say in which order!
Victoria Hicks
Group Director
Connect with Victoria on LinkedIn
Victoria is one of the directors of the group, and heads up the Acquisitions department, helping firms grow through talent attraction and acquisition. She also assists those with exit plans – whether via MBOs or sale.
Victoria has spent her entire career working in financial services. After holding various roles within banks, in 2007 she qualified as a financial adviser and spent the next 12 years offering advice to HNW clients and business owners. Victoria’s successful career led to her being one of the owners of a boutique firm in York, which was subsequently sold in November 2018. Her thorough understanding of the financial advisory landscape, and personal experiences of running and growing a firm via recruitment and acquisition, allows her to offer first-hand advice to C&C clients and candidates.
In her spare time, Victoria writes articles for the financial press, promoting both the industry and inclusion – two subjects she is very passionate about. She has a keen interest in music and theatre, having spent her youth in local and national theatre groups.
She lives with her husband (and co-director) Stuart and their son Alex in North Leeds, where weekends are spent enjoying time with family and friends – which usually revolves around food!
Frankie Johnson
Financial Services Consultant
Connect with Frankie on LinkedIn
Frankie is a financial services consultant for The City & Capital Group, working primarily for the Headhunt and Recruitment departments.
Frankie has been a part of the financial services sector for a number of years, and prior to joining The City & Capital Group she was employed as a business development manager for a specialist lender. During this time, she gained experience in a wide range of products including bridging, development, asset finance and unsecured and secured business loans. She has also worked with an IFA lead generation firm, and for Canada Life.
In her spare time, music fan Frankie enjoys attending music festivals and gigs across the UK and abroad. She also loves spending time with her two rescue cats, Ziggy Stardust and Mittens (the 2nd).
Catherine Waite
Head of Research & Administration
Connect with Catherine on LinkedIn
Catherine is head of research and administration for The City & Capital Group.
Prior to joining The City & Capital Group, Catherine worked for Zurich for 10 years, supporting financial advisers. Her tenure involved working as a PA, events organisation and intermediary support.
The skills she learned during this time, have enabled her to vastly improve processes and client outcomes within The City & Capital Group. Her knowledge of the financial advisory market in particular has proved to be a great asset to the firms’ acquisitions department.
Outside of work, Catherine spends most of her time with her young family, who certainly keep her on her toes.
Thomas Bagley
Director of Operations
Connect with Thomas on LinkedIn
Thomas is one of the co-founders of The City & Capital Group, and the firm’s director of operations.
Prior to setting up The City & Capital Group, Thomas worked alongside the group’s MD, Stuart Hicks, for almost a decade – providing operational support which allowed others to thrive in different sales environments.
Since university, Thomas has climbed the ranks, with his talent for technology and people management coming to the fore. He can balance operational support with commerciality, and is constantly developing new systems and controls to both improve working practices, and benefit client outcomes.
In his spare time Thomas enjoys watching Leeds United, and his passion for tech means he’s usually taking a computer apart, or putting one together again.
Bekah Waddington
Relationship manager, the City & Capital Group
Connect with Bekah on LinkedIn
Bekah joined The City & Capital Group in September 2020 after completing her law degree at the University of Leeds.
This graduate position will see her work across all three Group divisions but with a focus on recruitment – leading the initial fact-finding programme for candidates, as well as liaising with hiring firms during the interview process.
With an eagerness to put her qualifications to good use, Rebekah was attracted to the variety of opportunities to progress and learn as part of The City & Capital Group, while also utilising her law knowledge within the mergers and acquisitions team.
Alongside her studies, Rebekah worked as an assistant practitioner for KIDS, a national charity which provides support for disabled children and their families. And, in her spare time, she likes to walk her dogs and find new places to eat – often at the same time.
Robert Holding
Financial Services Consultant
Connect with Robert on LinkedIn
Robert is a financial services consultant, and head of acquisitions for The City & Capital Group, working primarily for the Headhunt and Acquisition departments.
Prior to joining The City & Capital Group, Robert enjoyed a successful career in headhunting across a diverse range of industry sectors – including financial services. In addition to providing clients with a service to help secure their key appointments, Robert has partnered with financial services professionals to assist in their business sales – whether they are looking to retire or merely seeking an ideal strategic partner to move the business forward.
When he’s not at work, Robert enjoys spending time with his children and granddaughter – who is growing up too quickly! He’s also a huge Leeds United supporter and goes to as many games as he can, as well as taking part in various sporting activities but – getting to ‘that age’ – these are no longer the physically taxing ones that he’d entertain in his youth!
Graham Strugnell
Consultant
Connect with Graham on LinkedIn
With over 30 years experience – and following the successful sale of his IFA business in 2018 – Graham doesn’t feel ready to hang up his boots just yet! Since then, he has invested much time in charity work and written his first book, which helps people take ownership of their careers.
Throughout his own sale process, Graham learnt a great deal – something he wants to share with others. From deciding to sell, to meeting prospective purchasers, and finally signing on the dotted line, Graham’s insights and tips can certainly help those who are navigating this new – and often complicated – terrain.
Mike Aitchison
Director – Headhunters
Connect with Mike on LinkedIn
Mike joined The City and Capital Group in March 2020. He will be responsible for improving the strategic direction of the Headhunt division, as the firm continues to deliver an unrivalled level of service to existing clients, whilst breaking into new markets within financial services .
After a successful career in banking, Mike became a specialist financial services head-hunter, typically working on a retained basis for key senior management and board level placements. Mike has now been working in recruitment for 13 years, and has formed a strong relationship with his clients due to his thorough understanding of their requirements. In his career prior to recruitment Mike worked for the Bank of Scotland/HBOS in a variety of sales and sales leadership roles spanning white label/partnerships, lending, asset finance, corporate banking and corporate/HNW advisory.
As a father of 3, ‘spare time’ is not something Mike has a lot of, however having always been a keen sportsman, he makes the time to keep fit by going to the gym and playing golf, with a very impressive handicap of 4.
Jonathan Barrow
Director – Acquisitions
Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn
Jonathan joined the City and Capital Group in March 2020. He will be responsible for delivering the strategic direction of the M&A Division throughout a period of exciting and unprecedented industry consolidation.
Jonathan has worked within the Financial Services sector for nearly 15 years – initially and pertinently as a Project Manager within the UK Private Banking Division at Lloyds Banking Group and latterly as a consultant and M&A broker within the IFA / Wealth Management space. He is an expert in preparing businesses for sale and the subsequent delivery of vendor exit-strategies. On the buy-side, Jonathan has worked with smaller start-ups, PE backed firms, PLCs and independents in delivering streamlined acquisition strategies for prospective purchasers.
In his spare time, Jonathan loves to immerse himself in nature, enjoys independent cinema, ornithology, dining out, Rugby (both codes) and landscape photography.
Jonathan Barrow
Director – Acquisitions
Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn
Jonathan joined the City and Capital Group in March 2020. He will be responsible for delivering the strategic direction of the M&A Division throughout a period of exciting and unprecedented industry consolidation.
Jonathan has worked within the Financial Services sector for nearly 15 years – initially and pertinently as a Project Manager within the UK Private Banking Division at Lloyds Banking Group and latterly as a consultant and M&A broker within the IFA / Wealth Management space. He is an expert in preparing businesses for sale and the subsequent delivery of vendor exit-strategies. On the buy-side, Jonathan has worked with smaller start-ups, PE backed firms, PLCs and independents in delivering streamlined acquisition strategies for prospective purchasers.
In his spare time, Jonathan loves to immerse himself in nature, enjoys independent cinema, ornithology, dining out, Rugby (both codes) and landscape photography.
Adam Massie
Senior Headhunter
Adam joined the City & Capital Group in November 2020 and is responsible for end-to-end recruitment and headhunting on behalf of firms within the financial planning and investment management space.
As part of his role, Adam takes the time to truly understand our clients and candidates in order to make appropriate introductions and provide clear value for both parties. He also works closely with our M&A team when clients may be looking to expedite growth through acquisitions, or seeking an exit strategy.
A professional and credible individual, Adam has a real passion for people and their development. Having started his recruitment career in the construction sector Adam enjoys nothing more than hearing about candidates’ success in their new roles.
Strongly influenced by his sporting background and competitive nature, unwavering drive and a dedication to improvement remain key elements of his working ethos. Outside of work, Adam enjoys playing rugby, cooking, and travel.
Robert Holding
Financial Services Consultant
Connect with Robert on LinkedIn
Robert is a financial services consultant, and head of acquisitions for The City & Capital Group, working primarily for the Headhunt and Acquisition departments.
Prior to joining The City & Capital Group, Robert enjoyed a successful career in headhunting across a diverse range of industry sectors – including financial services. In addition to providing clients with a service to help secure their key appointments, Robert has partnered with financial services professionals to assist in their business sales – whether they are looking to retire or merely seeking an ideal strategic partner to move the business forward.
When he’s not at work, Robert enjoys spending time with his children and granddaughter – who is growing up too quickly! He’s also a huge Leeds United supporter and goes to as many games as he can, as well as taking part in various sporting activities but – getting to ‘that age’ – these are no longer the physically taxing ones that he’d entertain in his youth!
Rob Marchini
Head of Recruitment
Rob joined the City & Capital Group in October 2020 and is responsible for leading the recruitment team, with a focus on recruitment for financial planning and wealth management firms nationwide. Rob has been involved with implementing a market leading fixed fee recruitment service, providing transparent end-to-end recruitment in an area where he is both incredibly knowledgeable and passionate.
“After 25 years of working in financial services, much of that time within blue-chip corporates, the time is right for me to branch out onto a more entrepreneurial road. The City and Capital Group are a perfect partner firm for me to work with. They are well-established and with firm roots in my geographical area, but with a nationwide reach. C&C have a reputation for service and excellence unsurpassed in the marketplace and exemplify the core values I value; integrity, honesty and dependability.
Similarly, I bring a range of experience and expertise to C&C, particularly recruitment expertise, and helping UK financial services firms run more profitably, grow sustainably and exit with confidence.”