Perran Cooke has launched Sowena Group, focusing on recruiting for senior finance posts in high-growth and private equity and venture capital-backed businesses in the North-West and London regions. These include chief financial officers, finance directors, financial controllers and heads of finance for permanent, interim and portfolio roles across all sectors.

Cooke has more than 11 years’ experience of senior and executive recruitment in finance. He was previously PSD Group’s regional MD for the North, and before that was a director and shareholder at Axon Moore and a senior consultant at Frazer John Recruitment.

A statement from his company said Cooke is already working on several retained assignments and is in discussions with potential investors to support his growth plans for Sowena (which means ‘success’ in Cornish).

Cooke hails from Cornwall and moved to the North West in 2011. Sowena is based in Prestwich, Manchester.

He said his goals are to help senior finance professionals find their next career move and to assist founders and CEOs looking to hire the best talent to power expansion for their businesses, as well as supporting private equity investors with appointments in their portfolio companies.

“My plans involve developing the business organically and evolving the brand over the coming years to help more high-growth companies by recruiting for operations, technology, sales and marketing roles, in addition to finance,” Cooke said.

Cooke was on Plymouth Argyle FC’s books as a teenager, and worked as a finance broker before moving into recruitment. In addition to Sowena, he owns mortgage company Cooke Mortgages with his wife Michelle.

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