About Us - Cheetham Hall - Executive Search

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We read every CV sent to us. Because we don’t think machines are the best judge of people.

As judgement is central to this business, we’d say automating the process isn’t a fool proof way of finding people the right job either. So, if you’re sending your CV to us, the professional and human thing to do is acknowledge we’ve received it. Then, with all 30 years of our experience, give it our full attention.

We respond the same way to the briefs from companies who use us for their executive recruitment rather than do it in-house. We know this personal approach makes us sound old fashioned. That’s OK. It also makes us very successful.

Chris Cheetham Founder & Director

Chris is a recruitment ‘lifer’! in technical (construction sector) recruitment in the late 1980’s he progressed in the 1990’s to international work. This was a great learning period which included regular travel to customers across Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa. As well as being a fantastic experience it also generated an almost endless supply of amusing anecdotes…..

Following a few years leading a large search practice focused on energy, infrastructure, construction, development and logistics, Chris formed Cheetham Hall in 2006. His aim was not to be a volume driven business but a specialist low volume, high quality one. Chris has been responsible for leading many dozens of Director level searches, up to and including Chief Executive appointments. He has a wealth of experience and an extensive contact network.

Outside of work he enjoys the outdoors, especially cycling around the Cheshire countryside.

Michelle Brown Principal Researcher

Michelle began her career in research in 2008 within a boutique executive research house supporting executive search firms and corporate clients. Michelle has international experience across industry sectors and senior levels including C-Suite with a tenacious and driven attitude to each and every search. With additional experience in marketing, business management and coaching, she brings a strong communicative and detail-orientated focus to research, understanding what the client needs and ensuring that there is as close a fit as possible between candidates and client brief.

What people say

I have known and worked with Cheetham Hall for almost 20 years, both as a client and a candidate. For me the point of differentiation and the considerable value that Cheetham Hall add to their assignments is the time they invest in really getting to know and understand the client organisation, not just in terms of the skills and experience required but that all important chemistry or culture. They then research the market place and their networks to produce a short-list of good quality, well matched candidates. This ensures that there are no surprises for either side and that appointed candidates are successful in their new organisation and are able to quickly add value.

Chris demonstrated extensive knowledge of the infrastructure market. Our search was a challenging one and he showed perseverance and flexibility as we pivoted our approach, ultimately securing a great appointment.

We engage Cheetham Hall for some of our senior appointments where their sector experience and contacts add real value to our in-house team. A good example is a recent series of appointments in the energy sector, connected to GHD’s Future Energy Strategy, which were successfully delivered beyond expectation in a very ‘hot’ and competitive market.

Port Causeway is a Commercial and Project Management consultancy operating across the construction, engineering, energy, & infrastructure sectors. We’ve collaborated with Cheetham Hall for many years. Their sector knowledge, contact network and understanding of current market conditions is invaluable. This, combined with their honest & sensible advice makes Cheetham Hall a trusted partner.

We engaged Cheetham Hall to assist with a number of ‘hard to fill’ critical positions in the UK and Ireland. The thoroughness of their search enabled us to make appointments in these roles when we had previously failed via other routes. Their approach is thorough and professional.

Chris applies a level of diligence that is rarely seen within the recruitment market. He possesses and demonstrates a detailed understanding of his client’s business and can deliver a true match in role versus profile. With a cross section of experience that would have been applicable to multiple roles with his client, he was able to challenge my skillset and refine a best value match for both parties. Chris brings clarity and insight in his approach that distinguishes him from other executive search organisations.

Chris definitely stood out in his style and approach compared to many other recruitment consultants. He was very involved in the whole recruitment process and helped me better understand the work my current employer (GHD) does. His insights on my strengths and weaknesses made conversations with GHD easier during the hiring process.

Chris was instrumental in me securing a senior role on the HPC project. His communication and advice during the entire recruitment exercise was very helpful – he was always available to speak, discuss progress and guide me through a detailed client selection process. Chris’ approach is conscientious, consistent, patient and persistent.