OUR colleagues

“At Rutherford Cross, we are more than the sum of our parts”

Collectively we can offer the strength and depth of service that makes us the market leader in finance recruitment.

We are committed to taking an open, honest, and ethical approach to recruiting, being proactive and always aiming to be the best in our field.

Our people are knowledgeable and experienced, yet always ready to listen and learn.

Our purpose and values-led culture is based on partnership – with our clients, our candidates, our community and each other. We are accountable, responsible, and professional in everything we do.

Meet the team...

Mark Lewis

Mark Lewis

Managing Director

Financial Leadership

Mark leads the team at Rutherford Cross and over twenty years has built an excellent track record of senior and board level appointments in finance. He works with companies across a wide variety of sectors and geographies, ranging from FTSE 100 through to private equity and owner-managed businesses, delivering a bespoke service underpinned by professionalism and unrivalled market knowledge. Mark also leads the CFO Services Practice within Livingston James, a Scottish headquartered Executive Search firm.

A graduate of the University of Manchester, Mark started his career in the once fledgling Energy Trading market before embarking on a career in recruitment with a leading FTSE 100 listed business. Following his strong performance in the North of England for this organisation, he was relocated to Scotland in 2004 to lead their senior finance business in Glasgow. In 2006, he was headhunted by a boutique professional services recruiter, quickly developing their senior finance business, resulting in his promotion to Associate Director within two years. Mark joined Livingston James in 2011 and led the launch of Rutherford Cross two years later.

Outside of work responsibilities, Mark is a keen participant in a range of sports and spends the majority of his weekends ferrying his two children to their various social engagements.

Hazel Wynn

Hazel Wynn

Director

Senior Finance

Hazel leads our Glasgow and Edinburgh offices with a personal focus on senior finance appointments across Scotland. Hazel is an experienced recruiter having specialised in finance recruitment for over 15 years and has a track record of growing her specialist market and developing lasting client relationships with both private and public sector businesses. Hazel also carries the highest reputation with candidates in the market for her passion and determination to provide quality of service.

Hazel graduated with a degree in Business before moving into a career in recruitment. Prior to joining Rutherford Cross Hazel spent eight years with a FTSE 200 multinational recruitment firm where she progressed to Senior Manager. Hazel managed the Accountancy and Finance interim team for the last four years she was with the company. She built up a network of clients and provided expert market knowledge through running regular networking events and forums.

Outside of work Hazel is a non exec board member with a small charity.

Derek Lauder

Derek Lauder

Director

Interim & Contract

Derek leads our Interim Business in Scotland with a personal focus on the delivery of senior interims and contractors across Scotland. He brings over 20 years’ experience of delivering Accountancy & Finance contract and interim solutions to clients in both the commercial and public sectors. Derek has a proven track record of providing specialist resources to a diverse range of organisations during periods of significant change and also to cover business as usual where interim cover is required. Derek prides himself on delivering a fast, efficient and proactive service with the market knowledge and network to support the most challenging of assignments.

Prior to joining Rutherford Cross, Derek spent 15 years working for a FTSE 200 multinational recruitment business where he was instrumental in building a market leading interim business earning him the position of Business Director for his last 8 years within the group. He holds a BA (Hons) in Business Economics and Marketing and before his recruitment career, took the opportunity to be a Full Time Tennis Coach with David Lloyd Leisure in Renfrew which at the time was Scotland’s first commercial indoor Tennis and Leisure Facility, eventually being promoted to Tennis Manager.

Outside of work and family, Derek has held two Non Executive Board positions and still enjoys playing tennis both socially and competitively. Derek is currently preparing for the forthcoming West of Scotland league season for his local tennis club and part of his training regime includes long walks with his dog Lily.  

Jonathan Donnelly

Jonathan Donnelly

Manager - CFO Services

Senior Finance

Jonathan specialises in the senior finance market, across Scotland, with a client base covering a wide range of sectors. Jonathan focusses on recruiting for permanent positions, building lasting relationships with individuals who are keen to progress in their careers. Jonathan prides himself on giving candidates first-rate career advice and developing positive and consultative client relationships.

Jonathan graduated with an Honours Degree in Marketing & French from Strathclyde University, spending a year living in Lyon. He began his recruitment career with a FTSE 200 multinational business, before joining a boutique professional services recruiter and was promoted to manage a team within his first 2 years. He has over 12 years’ experience in the Scottish accountancy market and has developed excellent market knowledge while building an impressive client network.

Outside of work Jonathan enjoys playing a range of sports including football, golf and tennis; and aims to complete his first marathon in May this year. He has 2 children, an incredibly chatty girl and a lively boy who occupy most of his time away from work.

Harry Young

Manager - CFO Services

Newly / Recently Qualified

Harry leads our newly/recently qualified practice across West & Central Scotland. His specialism is in appointing qualified senior finance professionals permanently. He has a significant track record of helping individuals transition from the profession into the commercial industry. He is a trusted advisor in this space, providing leading market intelligence and support to ambitious professionals seeking to take the next step on their career journey.

Harry graduated from university with a degree in Commercial Music. Having a keen interest in sport, he fulfilled a lifelong interest in health and fitness by working as a personal trainer before joining one of Scotland’s largest independent generalist recruitment agencies in their Accountancy and Finance division. Gaining promotion twice in his first 18 months, Harry led their qualified finance recruitment practice in West & Central Scotland, building this part of the business from a standing start and developing valuable relationships with candidates and clients.

Harry prides himself on being a purpose and value-led recruiter who adds value in all interactions. Outside of work, he is most likely to be found in the gym or on the golf course. He still regularly plays football and tries to get outside and explore Scotland whenever possible.

Nadia Stahl

CFO Services

Part-qualified & Newly Qualified

Nadia works in our permanent team in Edinburgh, focusing on part-qualified and newly qualified finance appointments across Edinburgh and the East of Scotland. Previously she has worked with a range of businesses and sectors, finding a real speciality in getting the right culture fit for her clients across the transactional market. She has a passion for ensuring the candidate and client are the perfect match for long term company and candidate goals.

Nadia graduated from Robert Gordon University with a BA Hons in Management with Marketing. She started her career in the hospitality sector, launching a new venue from a Sales and Marketing perspective. Following on from this, Nadia supported the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce membership team with onboarding new businesses and helping organise/host events during COP26. Having always had a passion for people fulfilling their full potential, Nadia found her way into recruitment and has been working in the transactional finance space for the last two years.

Outside of work, you will most likely find Nadia exploring the outdoors with her Cocker Spaniel Sushi. She has also recently taken up running and participated in her first Half Marathon for Give Blood.

Christina McLean

CFO Services

Interim & Contract

Christina joined Rutherford Cross to focus on the Interim and Contract market in Glasgow, specialising in qualified senior finance appointments across West and Central Scotland. Christina prides herself on building trusting relationships and thrives in contributing to the success of our clients, candidates and colleagues.

Christina graduated from Glasgow Caledonian University with an Honours Degree in International Fashion Branding, 6 months of which she spent studying in Denmark. Although still passionate about fashion, Christina set this career path aside and pursued a role in account management, working within the Oil and Gas sector. Recognising her purpose for helping others to succeed, Christina made the transition into recruitment where she is now growing a network in the Interim and Contract Senior Finance market.

Outside of work, Christina enjoys travelling and taking on new experiences. Christina also spends much of her free time updating her styling blog “Wear it Out” and throwing together style concepts for her friends.

Fraser Burnett

Fraser Burnett

Professional Services

Audit & Advisory

Fraser joined Rutherford Cross to focus on the professional services market with specialism in audit and advisory across Scotland. Fraser’s personal drive and ambition prompted a career change from the education sector to explore new opportunities and challenge himself both personally and professionally.
 
Fraser comes from a sporting background, having played cricket for Scotland’s age groups. This keen sporting interest afforded him the opportunity to travel the world, meet new people and experience different cultures. He took an unconventional route through his education, earning qualifications alongside his sporting commitments, before ultimately earning his degree in Sports Science. Latterly, he went on to complete a postgraduate qualification in Primary Education and spent the best part of a decade working in Scotland’s Independent Education sector where he developed a keen interest in staff professional development and wellbeing.
 
Outside of work, Fraser enjoys spending time outdoors with his family. He is a keen sportsman and a proud member of the MCC. Fraser is also passionate about food and drink, and particularly enjoys exploring all of Edinburgh’s independent coffee shops and local restaurants.

Ben Jones

Ben Jones

Professional Services

Tax

Ben joined Rutherford Cross to focus on both professional services and industry markets across Scotland, with a specialism in tax roles. He played an integral role in growing a Scottish-based recruitment company for several years before taking the opportunity to join a larger team, expanding his personal and professional development as well as advancing his recruitment career. Ben had a successful career in hospitality management before moving into recruitment, managing large teams and venues around the UK. He then transitioned into operations, opening new venues and leading on people and recruitment strategy. His interest in people development led him to complete a Level 5 Diploma in HR Management, and he is an Associate Member of the CIPD. Ben has a proven track record in recruitment, having placed over 100 permanent candidates in the hospitality sector across Scotland over the last three years. He is now looking to replicate this success in specialist financial markets, driven by a genuine commitment to delivering an excellent candidate experience. Outside of work, Ben enjoys a range of sports, including football, running, and hiking. His large family is his top priority, and free weekends are often spent entertaining his niece and nephews!
Euan Bodie

Euan Bodie

CFO Services

Interim & Contract

Euan joined Rutherford Cross to focus on the Interim and Contract market in Glasgow, specialising in qualified senior finance appointments across West and Central Scotland. He prides himself on building strong relationships with clients and candidates.

Euan graduated from Edinburgh Napier University with an honour’s degree in Marketing. Whilst at university he launched a start-up business (Shoefix Edinburgh) which he ran for 2 years. Prior to joining Rutherford Cross, Euan worked as a consultant for an executive search firm in Glasgow for 2 years; working across a variety of sectors including FMCG, Manufacturing and Renewables.

Outside of work Euan is a sports enthusiast, with a passion for football and cricket. He can often be found enjoying the Scottish Highlands or on a trip abroad.

Kamran Chaudhry

CFO Services

Interim & Contract

Kamran joined Rutherford Cross to focus on the Interim and Contract market in the East of Scotland, specialising in senior finance appointments. Kamran prides himself on his dedication to a seamless process for both candidates and clients.

Kamran graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a Law degree. He started his career in sales, events and marketing, sparking an interest for working with people and relationship building. Kamran has since had a successful recruitment career within the Change and Transformation space for the past five years. This has been within a variety of sectors, including Public, Oil & Gas and Retail.

Outside of work, you will likely find Kamran in a Pilates class or in the gym. He has a passion for trying new restaurants and finding the latest coffee spot!

Ally Deas

Ally Deas

CFO Services

Newly / Recently Qualified

Ally focuses on permanent finance appointments, specialising in the placement of recently and newly qualified accountants across the central belt of Scotland. He is passionate about building and nurturing long-term relationships and looks to add value with each interaction he has.

Ally graduated with an Honours Degree in Business Studies from Edinburgh Napier University, spending a year on placement working in Business Development with an energy broker during his 3rd year studies. He has experience across various industries and comes from a Client Relations background.

Outside of work, Ally plays a range of sports including hockey, golf, tennis, badminton, cycling and various water sports. He has completed some extreme physical challenges including a marathon, David Goggins’ 4x4x48 and has swum the breadth of Loch Lomond. He is also incredibly passionate about the outdoors and has completed over 180 of Scotland’s Munros!

Chris Sole

CFO Services

Senior Finance

Chris is based at our Edinburgh office looking after mid-senior finance roles in the East of Scotland. Chris’ previous experiences have helped him develop a depth of knowledge across the Scottish FMCG sector covering all business functions. He prides himself on creating lasting connections and partnerships with both businesses and individuals.

Chris doesn’t come from a typical business background having balanced a professional cricket career alongside his corporate progression for the past 10 years. Representing at international level, county and various franchise teams, he has played with and against some of the best players in the world. Through various world cups and tournaments, Chris has acquired quite the number of passport stamps and gained an appreciation for different cultures and communities.

Outside of work Chris can be found frequenting Stockbridge’s various coffee shops or trying to catch his disobedient jack russell on one of Scotland’s great outdoor trails.

Sophie Randles

Sophie Randles

Director

Private Equity

Sophie established and leads the Group’s Private Equity proposition. She is an experienced search expert offering comprehensive search & selection and leadership consulting services to private equity firms and their portfolio companies, with a notable track record and network within Scotland.  Sophie is passionate about bringing innovative and impactful solutions to her clients. In addition to search, she offers a steady pipeline of strategic introductions, curated thought leadership and private equity-centric assessment. Sophie looks to develop long-term strategic partnerships that build winning teams and create substantial value.

Sophie is a graduate from Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen with a BA (Hons) in Management with Marketing, and attended University of Michigan gaining a distinction in Communications, Event Management and Recovery Management. She also completed a year-long internship with Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Upon graduating, Sophie was a key member of a FTSE 250 listed business in Aberdeen before joining Livingston James Group in 2015.

Originally from Ireland, Sophie is a well-travelled individual, attending 12 schools across the World. She takes an active part in her community and sits on the committee of the Wooden Spoon Charity; a charity which supports disadvantaged children across the UK & Ireland.

Louise Meikleham

Louise Meikleham

FINANCE MANAGER

Louise joined Livingston James Group as a Finance Manager and is responsible for the day to day running of the finance department across the Group.

Prior to joining us, Louise spent over 8 years within the utilities industry and further years in the oil and gas industry. Her experience involved dealing with high end customers and suppliers and supporting teams to run the finance department smoothly.

Beyond her day-to-day work life, Louise is a mother to her 5 year old boy who keeps her busy with lots of different activities and is a big fan of Stephen King. She also has a keen interest in all things to do with psychology and criminology, and is currently studying Advanced Criminology.

Kirsty Sim

Kirsty Mclardy

Head of Research

In-house Psychometric Assessor

Kirsty is Head of Research for Livingston James Group. Principally supporting the Executive Search team, Kirsty leads all research activities including market mapping, talent mapping, international search and candidate attraction. Kirsty is also our trained in-house psychometric assessor.  Kirsty works closely with Consultants and Clients to understand exactly what is required and build a robust and targeted plan for how to source and attract high calibre individuals. Over ten years in the recruitment industry, she has worked across a range of sectors and specialisms, primarily at executive level.

Passionate about understanding people, what motivates them and how they can reach their potential most effectively, Kirsty studied MA Psychology at the University of Aberdeen. She has since completed further training in Occupational Ability and Personality testing and is a member of the British Psychological Society.

Outside of work, Kirsty has a passion for food and drink, particularly Scottish produce. She promotes local restaurants and businesses and shares homemade recipes through her food blog, Pancakes and Polaroids. Kirsty is also a fan of the countryside and escapes to the outdoors when she can, trying her hand at some (very) amateur photography.

Francesca Christophersen

Cesca Christophersen

Head of Operations

Cesca is Executive Assistant to our Chief Executive, Jamie, and Head of Operations at Livingston James Group. Cesca has a people-first approach, a keen eye for detail and is always on hand to support anyone in need.

Coming from a sporting background, Cesca was motivated to join an organisation focused on teamwork and joined Livingston James as a Research Associate in 2018. She gained significant experience sourcing senior executives for high profile assignments, learning the ropes of recruitment from the ground up and developing wider knowledge of market mapping, candidate attraction and assessment strategies and client/candidate relationship management.

Cesca graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a BSc in Applied Sport Science with first class honours, where she specialised in Sports Biomechanics and Physiology. In addition to playing competitive football, basketball and water polo, Cesca was a competitive swimmer for over 10 years competing at National level and for Scotland Universities. She is fluent in Norwegian and has studied Spanish, French and Italian.

Cesca has always been heavily involved in volunteering and took on several committee roles whilst at university including Vice President of EUSWPC, overseeing club development for over 200 members. She was subsequently awarded a university Colours Award for outstanding voluntary service to the Sports Union. After graduating, she became head swim coach of EUSWPC for a year whilst working with us, coaching university students 5 times a week. Since leaving the team and retiring from swimming, she has vowed to never get up before 5am anymore… especially not to exercise!

Rachael Birkett

GROUP MARKETING & OPERATIONS ASSOCIATE

Rachael is Group Marketing & Operations Associate at Livingston James, where she provides comprehensive support across the Group’s brands (Livingston James and Rutherford Cross). Her role encompasses a wide range of responsibilities, including office management, event coordination, and document formatting. Rachael also oversees the Group’s marketing activity, monitors KPIs, and assists with other ad hoc marketing and operational projects.

Rachael graduated from the University of St Andrews with an MA in Social Anthropology with Upper-Second class Honours where she gained a wider understanding of what it means to be human across different cultural contexts. She volunteered as a Student Ambassador during her studies which involved assisting prospective students with their next steps into academia, providing her with direct experience of our Group’s purpose: helping others to realise their potential.

Beyond the work environment, Rachael enjoys reading books from a variety of genres and watching Formula 1 at the weekend.

Analia Kaufman

FRONT OF HOUSE COORDINATOR & PERSONAL ASSISTANT

Analia is Personal Assistant to our Livingston James Group Directors as well as our Glasgow Front of House manager. She oversees Group compliance and runs the Glasgow events programme, as well as providing general support across the Livingston James Group.

Originally from Colorado, Analia is a linguist by training, having obtained a Bachelor of Science in Linguistics and a minor in Psychology from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. There she not only gained scraps of numerous languages and lots of fun language facts, but applied her training to Forensic and Legal Linguistics, working in a Personal Injury and Medical Malpractice law firm. She ranged even further afield after university to the University of St Andrews, where she obtained her postgraduate MLitt in Art History, with a focus on a narrow subset of 19th century visual arts. Professionally, she has gathered a background in personal injury and medical malpractice law, UK-based conveyancing and property law, as well as compliance.

When outside of work, Analia does as much writing as she can with her cat sitting on her computer. When that fails, she can usually be found reading (cat on lap optional but encouraged), out for a walk, or in the gym.

We always have space for exceptional people...

For a discreet conversation about joining Rutherford Cross, get in touch to find out more. We’d love to hear from you.

‘We are here to advise and support people and organisations to realise their potential so that together we can impact lives and communities for the better’

Mark Lewis, Managing Director of Rutherford Cross

Consultant Spotlight – Mark Lewis

Mark joined Livingston James Group as a start up in 2010, initially working for the executive search brand Livingston James, then moving on to set up the senior finance recruitment brand, Rutherford Cross as Managing Director in 2013, before joining the board of Livingston James Group in early 2020.

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Together we achieve more.

Livingston James Group comprises two bespoke sub brands: Livingston James – our executive search and leadership advisory practice, and Rutherford Cross – our specialist finance recruitment practice. This wider group structure complements our robust search and assessment process, allowing clients to access our deep-rooted network and expertise.

Contact our finance recruitment experts

We’d be delighted to provide further information. Get in touch with our team to find out how we can help you.

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Our latest newsletter is now live, featuring our recent news, updates, insights and some of our available senior finance opportunities across Scotland.

Continued Growth of the Fractional CFO Market in Scotland

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Latest News from Rutherford Cross

Our latest newsletter is now live, featuring our recent news, updates, insights and some of our available senior finance opportunities across Scotland.