In 2002, Adele Carr founded the business with a clear vision: to deliver recruitment solutions tailored to both clients and candidates. Starting in Accounting Practice, the business was built on strong relationships, specialist expertise, and a genuinely consultative approach.
As demand grew, the business quickly expanded into Commerce & Industry and introduced a Temporary division. These early steps marked the beginning of a broader offering, while staying true to its specialist roots.
As demand grew, the business quickly expanded into Commerce & Industry and introduced a Temporary division. These early steps marked the beginning of a broader offering, while staying true to its specialist roots.
With continued growth across the North West, the business extended its regional presence. New offices in Chester, Liverpool, and Lancashire reflected both increasing demand and a commitment to staying close to the markets we serve.
As our clients’ needs changed, so did we. In 2020, we expanded beyond finance with the launch of our Business Support division. A year later, we introduced a dedicated Payroll offering—quickly growing into a key part of the business and naturally evolving into HR & Payroll to reflect the close link between the two. Today, the division supports everything from entry-level roles to senior leadership, alongside specialist HR solutions.
As our clients’ needs changed, so did we. In 2020, we expanded beyond finance with the launch of our Business Support division. A year later, we introduced a dedicated Payroll offering—quickly growing into a key part of the business and naturally evolving into HR & Payroll to reflect the close link between the two. Today, the division supports everything from entry-level roles to senior leadership, alongside specialist HR solutions.
2022 marked a defining chapter in our journey. We became an employee-owned business, strengthening our people-first culture and sharing future success with the team who drive it. In the same year, we celebrated our 20th anniversary and welcomed Stuart Manford as Joint Managing Director—further strengthening our leadership for the next phase of growth.
Building on our established reputation, we launched our Executive division to support clients at a more strategic level. Working in close partnership with executive boards and senior management teams to secure high-calibre talent, we play a key role in shaping and strengthening leadership teams within privately owned and private equity-backed businesses. This expansion reflects both the continued evolution of Adele Carr Recruitment and our commitment to building long-term partnerships.
Building on our established reputation, we launched our Executive division to support clients at a more strategic level. Working in close partnership with executive boards and senior management teams to secure high-calibre talent, we play a key role in shaping and strengthening leadership teams within privately owned and private equity-backed businesses. This expansion reflects both the continued evolution of Adele Carr Recruitment and our commitment to building long-term partnerships.
Our Accountancy Practice division achieved a third consecutive record year, reflecting sustained growth across the business. What began as a North West-focused company has expanded into a national market, including the Midlands and the South, where continued investment in our people and relationships has built a strong UK-wide network and a growing number of senior-level appointments.
From a specialist Accountancy Practice recruiter to a multi-division, nationally recognised business, ACR continues to evolve. As an employee-owned organisation, we remain focused on building long-term relationships, delivering tailored recruitment solutions, and supporting the growth of our clients, candidates, and our consultants.
Adele has worked in financial recruitment since 1995. She previously qualified as a Chartered Accountant with a Top 10 practice in Liverpool.
She has held Director level roles with larger Consultancies before setting up the business to provide a more bespoke service to candidates and clients.
Favourite Food: Roast Beef Dinner
Favourite Film: Four Weddings And A Funeral
Favourite Quote: ‘Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm – Winston Churchill
adelecarr@adelecarr.co.uk
A specialist in Executive Recruitment with over 16 years’ experience gained across the UK. Stuart graduated from Loughborough University, in 2006 and was an international swimmer in his younger days, representing Wales in the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
Stuart has held roles at Director level within a number of specialist agencies before joining Adele Carr Recruitment as Managing Director in 2022. Stuart now focuses on the delivery of Executive level permanent and interim roles across the Commercial Sectors.
I previously worked in education recruitment for several years before joining Adele Carr Recruitment as the Temporary & Interim Accounting & Finance Consultant for Liverpool.
In my spare time, I enjoy catching up with friends over a good coffee, creating oil pastel artwork (a hobby I’ve recently picked back up), or unwinding with a glass of wine at our local. If I’m having a quiet night in, you’ll usually find me watching Grey’s Anatomy.
Alicia started her career with ACR as an Administrator at the age of 19 in 2008. During her time at ACR she has worked her way up from Office Manager, to Associate Director now promoted to Operations Director. Alicia is in charge of the day to day running of the busy offices.
Andra started her career in Recruitment in May 2018 as a Resourcer within the Practice industry covering Central London area. After 6 months she was promoted to a Consultant role and set up a new desk in Practice.
Due to family circumstances she has relocated to Liverpool and has since worked in different markets such as Scientific and Healthcare.
However, Andra realised that recruiting in Practice is definitely something that she enjoys and has begun her progression within the industry at Adele Carr.
David joins ACR with 7 years of recruitment experience in Accountancy and Business Support, starting as a consultant back in 2015.
He prides himself on absolute transparency and always provides an excellent service to both candidates and clients.
David has experience in recruiting for permanent and temporary roles for all types of companies from SME’s to corporates.
He has joined ACR as a Senior Manager to head up transactional accountancy and business support recruitment across the Lancashire market.
David has 13 years experience working within Recruitment. The past 5 years he has been working within the Finance sector in the North Wales and Cheshire region.
Outside of work David has daughters, Maisie and Evelyn, who keep him busy. He also enjoys running, competing in all distances from 5k’s to Ultra Marathons and the occasional obstacle course racing.
Ellie is a recent Management and Marketing graduate from Newcastle University with experience in the recruitment sector, giving her strong insight into how marketing can make an impact in this space. She’s excited to bring fresh ideas and a creative edge to the team.
When she’s not working, you’ll usually find Ellie travelling (having recently been interrailing around Europe and exploring South East Asia), on the netball court, or enjoying a night at the theatre.
20+ years experience in recruitment, Gareth has built up a strong and extensive business network within the North West Accountancy market. He is a keen fundraiser and ultra runner.
I’m Imran Miah and I am a seasoned recruitment professional within Accountancy Practice for Adele Carr based in Birmingham. With over 15 years of experience in practice recruitment, I have had the pleasure of helping countless individuals find their dream jobs and organizations find their perfect fit.
Over the years, I have built a strong network and honed my skills in identifying the perfect fit for both employers and candidates. My approach is simple yet effective – I believe in the power of storytelling. By understanding the unique narratives of each individual, I am able to create meaningful matches that result in long-term success.
I believe in constantly learning and evolving, which is why I am always on the lookout for new trends and developments in the recruitment industry. I am also a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion in the workplace and strive to promote a culture of equal opportunities for all.
But beyond my professional expertise, I am also a proud father to two amazing children, a boy and a girl. They are my biggest motivation and drive in life. When I am not busy connecting talented individuals with top firms, you can find me playing cricket for my son’s senior 3rd team, or cheering on my football team, Manchester United!
James started his career in Accountancy and soon realised recruiting for Accountants was the best way forward!
Joining in August 2006, James’ first and only position in Recruitment has been with ACFR. James specialises in Senior Financial Recruitment and manages the Chester office.
James is a big fan of Manchester United and Warrington Wolves Rugby League. He has a son, Billy, who he adores.
I previously worked in education recruitment for 5 years before starting this role and prior to that worked in banking.
I have a 5-year-old German Shepard named Norbert (his name is Jurgen Klopp’s middle name which obviously weren’t my choice) and spend most of my free time taking him to fields or swimming or hoovering up his hair- I’m a dog bore.
I enjoy seeing friends and family and going the cinema In my spare time too.
Kevin has worked in recruitment since 2013 within the Education sector working with Secondary schools providing temp staff covering anything from a days sickness to a maternity cover. This is his first role in the Finance industry and he is loving it!
Coming from a background in ICT and training to be a teacher himself, Kevin eventually found recruitment and decided to change paths.
Outside of recruitment, Kevin spends a lot of time with his wife, 2 kids and 1 dog who all keep him on his toes. Kevin is also a season ticket holder at Everton, I spend a lot of my time miserable but wouldn’t have it any other way. Finally, he runs and manages his sons U8’s football team and fancy himself a little bit of a chef.
Coming from a Sales and Customer Service background, Lauren has always enjoyed meeting and speaking to new people so it was a natural move into Recruitment.
Lauren worked for 8 years as a Senior Consultant for the Chester division of ACR before moving into her new role recruiting internally and training inhouse.
She has keen interest in fashion and interior design, and is a self-confessed shopaholic.
Liam joins ACR bringing over 14 years of experience in technology and IT recruitment across the UK and Europe. He has worked across multiple sectors, including Finance, Insurance, iGaming & Betting, SaaS, Ecommerce, and many more.
Outside of work, Liam is a Manchester City fan and enjoys spending time with his two daughters and family.
Liz has always worked in Treasury/Finance for a varied array of companies from Wholesalers, Manufacturing, Healthcare and even a wedding hotel.
Interestingly enough, many of Liz’s roles have been sourced by Adele Carr Recruitment and now we have nabbed her for ourselves!
Liz is passionate about horses and her dogs although all of them end up getting her into trouble.
With 19 years of recruitment expertise, Liz has built a strong reputation within professional services—particularly across finance and accountancy. She has successfully partnered with both regional and national clients, earning long-term trust through her transparent and consultative approach. Driven by a passion for connecting the right people with the right opportunities, Liz is dedicated to delivering a high-quality, people-first service that consistently adds value for both clients and candidates.
Outside of work, Liz enjoys socialising, travelling, going to gigs and musical theatre—and is often happily occupied in one of her favourite roles as a fun and devoted aunty.
With a background in retail management, Lucy gained extensive experience in HR and internal recruitment, which sparked a passion for a career in recruitment. Now working in the Payroll and HR division at Adele Carr, she enjoys connecting talent with the right opportunities and combining industry insight with a people-focused approach.
Outside of work, Lucy enjoys staying active through the gym and Pilates, travelling, cooking and getting lost in a good book.
I enjoy seeing friends and family and going the cinema In my spare time too.
Originally from Harrogate in Yorkshire but now settled in Warrington with his family, Martin is an experienced recruitment professional with 15 years of expertise in talent solutions across digital marketing, IT, and wider professional services and business areas. He has also led delivery teams (IT and Professional Services) and supported a broad range of UK and some European locations with both temporary and permanent recruitment.
Martin has developed a strong interest in the digital market and the hires that businesses may need to support growth. This includes areas such as e-commerce trading, marketplace expansion, paid advertising, and search engine optimisation.
In addition, he is well equipped to support various strategic operations roles, including programme office management, IT, procurement, supply chain, and customer/office support. He still enjoys hands-on recruitment and sourcing for niche hires, helping businesses find that special individual to drive growth.
Academically, Martin is a graduate of Salford University (Sound and Video Engineering), a field that remains a strong personal passion, though his professional career is best aligned with sourcing and partnering with brilliant people.
Outside of recruitment, Martin is kept busy running around after his two young children, who are in nursery and infant school. Their favourite activities include making crafts and playing hide and seek. If time allows, Martin enjoys anything creative—particularly music—whether it’s watching live bands, playing piano or guitar, or experimenting with music production.
Martinhartshorne@adelecarr.co.uk
Michael joined ACR as an experienced recruiter within the contracting & temp market, bringing 7 years worth of experience partnering people with opportunities that they excel in.
Prior to working in Recruitment, he has worked across Food Retail, Hospitality & Sports Coaching, so he has a varied work experience which has helped him develop the skills and confidence to thrive in recruitment.
Outside of work, Michael loves spending time with his family, giving new experiences to his little boy and training at home or at the gym & playing or watching sports. But his biggest passion is food, cooking new foods from scratch, using the food he grows in the garden or trying the local food when he goes on holiday.
Rachel had a 20 year career in teaching before joining Adele Carr Recruitment. She loves meeting and talking to new people and has a genuine passion for helping others. Her life experiences allows her to offer a warm and empathetic approach to her work; she is keen to encourage people to strive for happiness and fulfilment in the workplace.
Rachel joined the Adele Carr team as Resourcer helping all Consultants in Liverpool, Warrington, Chester, Manchester and Lancashire areas.
Hobbies outside of work include walking her Cocker Spaniel Buster with her family, going out for meals with friends and running.
After working in Sales for several years, Rebecca decided to join the Recruitment Industry, initially specialising in Industrial Recruitment.
Rebecca joined ACR as a Temporary Consultant and now recruits for all interim financial roles in Warrington and the surrounding areas.
She enjoys meeting with clients and candidates, building relationships whilst ensuring that they receive the best possible service.
After finishing a degree in Fashion, Seodhna went into a National Agency as a Trainee Consultant in 2007.
After just under 3 years with this company, Seodhna then joined the ACFR team in 2010.
Seodhna runs McGill School of Irish Dancing on weekends, and regularly performs at weddings and events with her dance troupe.
With over a decade spent working within the Leisure Industry, Simon began his career in recruitment in 2007, working for a National Plc that specialised in the Finance & Accountancy sector.
It was just before the financial crisis, he quickly realised the importance of building close relationships and trust with clients and candidates alike. With an honest, sincere approach to work and a genuine passion to helping people achieve their goals, Simon’s network has grown over the years to include some key decision makers across the NW market.
A leader with integrity and a good sense of humour, he says what he sees and has an uncanny knack of reading people, which has nothing to do with his interest in Poker.
With the longest engagement ever (last count 13 years), outside of work he enjoys spending as much time as possible with his family and is the proud father of two children, Sam and Eva.
An active sportsman, Simon’s weekend is often taken up managing the children’s hectic social calendar, playing taxi driver and bank. Living on the Wirral he enjoys cooking and volunteering his time coaching the local football academy which involves teaching 4, 5 and 6-year-old children on a Sunday morning, how to play the Liverpool way.
Simon has spent his career building strong relationships, developing networks and helping people make career moves that genuinely change their lives. For him, good recruitment is not about ticking boxes; it is about understanding people, listening properly and doing the right thing for both clients looking to grow their teams and candidates searching for their next step.
Known for his straight-talking, approachable style, Simon enjoys getting to know the people behind the CVs and job descriptions. Clients and candidates value him for honest advice, practical solutions and a genuine commitment to helping both sides find the right fit.
Outside of work, life revolves around his four children, who ensure there’s never a dull moment. He’s a lifelong Liverpool FC supporter, enjoys strength training, happiest when there’s a BBQ going, and spends far too much time watching “It’s always sunny in Philadelphia”.
Tamara joined us at the end of 2019. This is her first role in Administration after spending 3 years working in Customer Service. She is currently doing her Business Apprenticeship at the local college and really enjoying it. Tamara hopes to progress upwards within Administration.
Tamara’s hobbies outside of work include spending time with family and friends and she enjoys running.
At ACFR, Tim recruits into Public Practice across the North West and North Wales. Clients include the Big 4, Top 10 and Independent Practices.
Out of the office, Tim has an interest in most sports. He plays and follows football as well as managing his son’s Under 12s football team.
Tom has over 20 years recruitment experience with the last 10 recruiting for finance.
Lover of the outdoors… can usually be found running up a big hill. Currently training for ‘The Lakeland 100 Ultra Marathon’ in the Lake District.
When not running up a big hill, Tom loves spending time with his 3 kids (trying to get them to run up a big hill!)
Vicky started her recruitment career almost 20 years ago(eek!) with almost 15 years specifically within the Lancashire Accountancy & Finance market. She is experienced at sourcing niche specialist roles, and equally meeting the requirements of high volume transactional level campaigns.
She is passionate about the recruitment industry, and prides herself on delivering a consultative service to both clients and candidates which results in a high percentage of repeat and referred business.
Vicky has joined the ACR team to lead and manage the Lancashire Office with personal responsibility for senior finance appointments.
Outside of the office, Vicky enjoys running, cooking and spending time with her daughter Matilda. As she is based near the coast, they enjoy seaside walks and bike-rides as well as exploring the lovely Lancashire countryside. When time permits she also enjoys visits to the theatre and nights out/weekends away with friends.
I’ve really enjoyed working at ACR for over 15 years. One of the most rewarding aspects is the flexibility — you’re trusted to run your own desk in the way you know works best, make your own decisions, and manage your work and home life to suit you. Our team genuinely supports and encourages one another to succeed. If you join the business, you’ll be supported to achieve your goals, with rewards beyond bonuses, including trips away, meals out, and real flexibility that supports you personally and professionally.
Seodhna McGill
Senior Director - Temp & Contract
ACR has given me the opportunity to work my way up to Director level. It feels like running my own Payroll and HR recruitment business, supported by Adele Carr Recruitment. I have had great success running my desk and am very well rewarded through competitive bonuses and incentives. It’s fair to say I love my job today as much as I did when I started in 2013.
Tom Thomson
Business Director - HR & Payroll
From the moment I joined the Adele Carr team in 2025, I’ve felt genuinely welcomed, supported, and confident in my role. I really value the autonomy I’m given to manage and grow my desk, while working alongside experienced recruiters with strong local market knowledge.
Liz Renshaw
Business Manager - Warrington
I’ve worked for ACR for over 15 years. Unlike most recruitment businesses, Adele and Stu have given me a lot of autonomy and allowed me to build my career. I’ve been so fortunate to work with great local North West businesses and those beyond, providing the right candidate ‘match’ who in turn play key parts in supporting business growth. I’ve also attended many excellent events/met great inspirational people from all walks of life. Recruitment is a challenging industry to work in and ACR has allowed me to thrive and support/listen to me when needed.
Gareth Boyd
Business Director
With a background in both recruitment and L&D, I work closely with all new starters and the existing team to ensure you receive a smooth onboarding process and then subsequently first class training experience. Working closely with the wider team allows me to ensure everyone receives the support and training needed along the course of your recruitment career with ACR.
Lauren Rickard
Talent & Resourcing Manager
Transitioning from Education to Financial recruitment was scary. The great thing about ACR though is the people you work with. The support and welcome was unbelievable and the in-house training was extremely helpful. I am now a successful Senior Business Manager recruiting for our Liverpool Accountancy & Finance Division. Joining ACR has been the best career choice I have ever made!
Kevin Williams
Business Manager