RUSSAM - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Business Support Manager
- in 2012 As PA to Founder
Anna joined Russam in 2012 as PA to founder, Charles Russam. Since then she has been promoted several times, most recently to Business Support Manager in April 2018. She currently provides high-level support to Director of Executive Search, Melissa Baxter, and the other members of the Executive Search team. She is also responsible for the smooth running of the company's London office and assisting with any events/meetings held there.
Anna studied English Literature at the University of Essex, graduating with a 2:1 degree. She worked in Danske Bank in Northern Ireland for a total of five years before her move back to England.
Anna has a keen interest in literature, film and theatre and enjoys cooking for friends.
Job Titles:
- Managing Partner - Commercial
Cathy Kay has over 20 years' experience in recruitment and executive search. She has expertise across all sectors for Fortune 500, as well as recently funded start-up companies. She works across all sectors and functions; particularly recognised for her work within the technology industry including innovation, digital transformation, technology infrastructures and for companies where tech is a vital platform. Cathy also has notable success in Supply Chain and Transport & Logistics and her Private Equity clients appreciate her ability to find great Chief Finance Officers. Focusing on Senior Managers, Directors and above, Cathy also supports entrepreneurs in start-up communities advising on growth and people. She is leading the diversity initiatives for Russam and serves as a Non Executive Director for Trustees Unlimited.
Job Titles:
- Associate Director
- Founder
In the ten years before establishing Russam in 1982, Charles Russam, FCA, gained senior management experience with The Burton Group - now Arcadia - and Whitbread in financial, business development and general management areas and was Business Development Director of Beefeater Steakhouses in their exciting and formative early years.
Setting up his own management consultancy in the early 1980's, he quickly noticed that there was virtually no mechanism for the provision of short term management support at senior levels - which is what Charles did - and whence we derive our claim to be "the longest established mainstream Interim Management Provider in the UK".
Charles founded the IMA, the Industry Professional Association in 1987 which has now developed into a strong driving force behind the growth of this important sector. He was its Deputy Chairman for eight years and headed up its Marketing Committee.
Charles has written and had published over the years well over 50 articles and innumerable quotes about flexible employment at senior levels and the changing ways in which businesses can be managed more effectively through people.
He has given evidence to the House of Commons Select Committee on Employment, has spoken at national and international conferences, has been on radio and has appeared on television on two occasions.
Charles lives in North Buckinghamshire and enjoys golf and collecting old watches.
Job Titles:
- Account Manager
- Executive Assistant
Eddy is the executive assistant to the Managing Partner and the MD of Russam. Working with the consultants, he support the executive search for interim managers and marketing strategies.
Eddy is a marketing graduate with a broad set of skills including communications, sales, and leadership. He is passionate about learning, self-motivated and has the ability to build rapport with a variety of people.
Job Titles:
- Joint Managing Director
- Managing Director
Ian is joint Managing Director and a board member of Russam and he has held these positions since 2014 when he and Jason Atkinson completed a management buyout.
He is a founding board member of Trustees Unlimited and co-founder of Step on Board, arguably the UK's premier senior employee engagement programme working with companies such as Barclays, Google, EY and Credit Suisse. Ian is currently Chair of Kidscape, the national anti-bullying charity, and was on the board of Avaaz, a US-based organisation promoting global activism. He is a founding Director of Europe's largest multi-event cycling facility, Cyclopark, and is a longstanding mentor for graduates on the CharityWorks programme.
Earlier in his career he was Chief Executive of a charity which specialises in the fields of homelessness, addiction, mentoring and international development. During this time he oversaw the creation and development of subsidiary organisations in Afghanistan and Pakistan both pre and post September 11th. The charity became the first not for profit organisation in the world to win a management consultancy role with the Asian Development Bank.
He holds a degree in Business Information Systems, a Masters degree in Management from Bayes Business School (City, University of London), the Certificate in Charity in Law and Governance from The Governance Institute, and a Post Grad in Coaching Psychology from the University of London. He is a Fellow of the RSA.
Job Titles:
- Business Support Executive
- in 2022 As the Business Support Executive
Jashan Sangha is the Business Support Executive at Russam.
Jashan joined Russam in 2022 as the Business Support Executive, providing high-level support to Melissa Baxter, Managing Partner, and other members of the team.
Jashan studied Nutrition at Leeds Beckett University, graduating with a 2:1 BSc(Hons) degree and is a Registered Associate Nutritionist with the Association for Nutrition. She has experience working within the Health and Nutrition sector, as well as in Recruitment and Executive Search.
In her spare time, Jashan is also currently training with the Institute for Functional Medicine and undertaking a MSc Clinical Nutrition with the University of Aberdeen.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Member of the Board
Jason Atkinson is the Managing Director and a board member of Russam.
Jason joined Russam in 2005 and his expertise cover Private Equity, Media & Telecoms, Marketing & Communications and Board / Leadership / General Management. Jason has been the Chairman of the Interim Management Association (IMA), a founding member of the Financial Promotions Action Group and is involved in a number of other industry bodies and associations.
After a first degree in business Jason became a fashion buyer for the Neiman Marcus Group based in Dallas, Texas. He then returned to the UK and completed an MBA from the University of Oxford and embarked on a career in the Financial Services sector. Through this period he spent ten years working for various insurance and banking institutions at director level including the Pearl Group, Interactive Investor and AMP - also completing several interim management assignments, which is how he commenced his third career with Russam.
Away from work Jason stays fit by teaching his three young boys how to hit a cricket ball and is actively involved in several charities including the MS Society and SportsAid.
Lata joined Russam in December 2016 as Finance Manager.
Lata has a Diploma in Accounting and Finance, Associate Degree in Business Management with the Institute of Commercial Management and Part-Qualified ACCA. She has 11 years' experience in Finance within the banking and retail industry.
Originally from Mauritius, Lata moved to the United Kingdom in 2006. Belonging from a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multilingual country, Lata is fluent in French and Hindi as well.
Outside from work, Lata is still pursuing her ACCA course, enjoys spending time with her family. She loves trying new recipes in her kitchen and of course she is a huge fan of Mary Berry.
Lorna is a Research Consultant at Russam and has played a key role in delivering, since its inception, the ground-breaking Step on Board Programme. She works with senior directors and emerging leaders from some of the UK's largest and most well-known companies including Google, Barclays, Mishcon de Reya and EY and has facilitated the introduction of over 250 of them to board positions.
Lorna has spent the best part of her career in the voluntary sector. She has held several roles in fundraising, events and senior management. As a volunteer she has helped children struggling with literacy and worked with a national family and mediation service
Job Titles:
- Executive
- Managing Partner - Charities
Melissa Baxter leads on executive search, with a focus on charities, at Russam and Trustees Unlimited. With a successful 20-year track record in executive search and consultancy, Melissa brings a wide range of cross-sector experience of working with executive boards and leadership teams to ensure the most talented individuals are identified and that diversity is weaved into an organisation. She is a firm believer that by creating inclusive environments where all people feel valued and able to achieve their potential, teams are strengthened, and excellence is created.
Melissa enjoys working with values driven companies, translating business challenges into people solutions, using creativity and innovative thinking to deliver results and to identify diverse talent to make a difference to the success of an organisation.
Melissa has led searches which have resulted in the excellent appointments of Chairs, Chief Executives and Directors within not for profit and private sector organisations such as UK Biobank, The Henry Smith Charity, Crimestoppers, World Association of Girl Guiding and Girl Scouts, Refuge, RNIB, Family Fund, Blue Cross and PDSA.
Melissa is a qualified and accredited Executive Coach who creates robust, strong and confidence-building working partnerships which are underpinned by sound coaching principles and well validated techniques. Melissa adopts an integrated approach, drawing on a variety of methodologies to support her clients, build their confidence and help them maximise their career potential.
Her earlier career was within the private sector where she operated at senior management level in the UK and internationally.
Outside of work Melissa has lots of varied interests; she is a keen runner, charity fundraiser and enjoys yoga and spending time with her family and friends.
Melissa Baxter joins Russam and Russam Executive Search is formally launched.
Neil Brown has been providing professional recruitment and resource management services for nearly thirty years, offering clients an unbiased resource, delivering the best solution, or set of solutions that match the needs of the business.
Job Titles:
- Finance Director
- Independent Chair
Richard Hutchinson started his career as a Chartered Accountant with Arthur Andersen, and has had a long and distinguished career in industry in a large variety of Finance Director and equivalent roles.
Most recently he was CFO for Practical Law Group, the leading online publisher of know-how for the legal profession, which is now part of the Thompson Reuters group.
Richard graduated from Trinity College, Cambridge University with an M.A. in Mathematics.
Job Titles:
- Head of Marketing
- Trustees - Unlimited.Co.Uk
Stacey is a seasoned professional with over 10 years of experience in marketing and operations. Currently serving as the Head of Marketing for Russam and the Head of Marketing and Operations for Trustees Unlimited, she plays a pivotal role in shaping the strategic direction of both organisations.
Stacey's journey began with an award-winning digital communications agency, where she excelled in account management. Over the next 15 years, she honed her skills in social media, marketing, and project management in the private sector before transitioning to the charity sector, working with organisations such as NCVO, UNICEF, and the British Red Cross.
In addition to her professional achievements, Stacey is a talented jewellery designer, with her creations featured in the A Man on a Bench fashion show at Tate Modern in collaboration with the Museum of Homelessness.
Stacey is also part of the pioneering team that led Russam to become the first recruitment agency in the UK to achieve prestigious B Corp status. In her role at Trustees Unlimited, she oversees marketing and operations, contributing to the organisation's disruptive approach to board recruitment in the not-for-profit sector with a focus on diversity.
As a leader, Stacey is dedicated to creating an inclusive environment and has successfully increased brand awareness, engagement, and revenue through online and social media marketing. Her core competencies include developing effective marketing strategies, managing projects, and fostering strong client relationships.
Tessa Moore has had a broad career in international brand development, strategy and marketing working for global media businesses including Virgin Publishing, Disney and FremantleMedia. As part of her role as head of Brand Management at Disney EMEA, she was responsible for their CSR strategy and community relations. In 2008, she launched a major £10m fundraising partnership with Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity to drive their redevelopment programme.
She is a Trustee at Royal Trinity Hospice in Clapham and has been a NED on NCVO's trading board. She has worked as a consultant, specialising in creating strategic growth plans, business development, IP monetisation advice and marketing support across multiple industries.