Executive search · Banking & financial services
One search partner. Start to finish. No handoffs.
Board, C-suite and senior risk, finance and compliance appointments for UK banks, specialist lenders and fintechs. Ian Pope runs every search himself — and you can see where it stands at every stage.
- 15+ years
- in executive search, specialising in banking and financial services
- Board to C-suite
- Chair, NED, CEO, COO, CFO, CRO, plus Risk, Audit, Compliance and Commercial leadership
- UK-wide
- banks, specialist lenders, fintechs and financial services firms
01 — What we do
Senior hires that hold up in a regulated business
A search is not a job advert with a bigger fee. It is a map of who could actually do the role, a personal approach to each of them, and an honest assessment before anyone reaches your board. That is what Verity does, in four places.
Board, Chair and NED
Independent directors and Chairs for banks, lenders and fintechs, with the standing to challenge properly and still add something in the room.
CEO, COO and CFO
The executive team for a bank, lender or fintech, found among people already doing the job under UK scrutiny.
CRO, Risk, Audit and Compliance
The functions that keep the licence. Credibility with the PRA and FCA is part of the brief, not an afterthought.
Commercial leadership
Revenue and distribution leaders who understand the product and the conduct rules that come with it.
Not sure which of these your hire falls under? Neither are most people at the start. A call sorts it out faster than a form does.
Discuss a role with Ian02 — How Ian works
Smarter, fairer and more accountable. Here is what that means on a Tuesday afternoon.
Most senior searches are sold by a partner and run by someone you have never met. Progress comes as a monthly call and a shortlist that arrives when it arrives. Verity was built to be the opposite.
- 01
The person you brief runs the search.
Ian takes the brief, builds the map and makes the calls. There is no research team to hand it to. The name on the engagement letter is the name on the phone.
- 02
The map is built, not bought.
Data and technology find the whole market, including the people not looking; old-school headhunting brings them to the table. Market feedback and the search strategy are with you within five working days of instruction.
- 03
Progress is visible, not reported.
You see who has been mapped, approached and assessed as it happens — not in a summary at the end of the month. No surprise at week six.
- 04
Candidates get a straight answer.
Fairer for them means better for you: people who are prepared, told the truth and treated well arrive ready to say yes.
03 — About Ian
Fifteen years in, Ian built the firm he wanted to hire.
“15+ years in executive search, specialising in banking and financial services. Built Verity Search around transparency, quality and long-term relationships rather than high-volume recruitment.” That sentence is the whole business plan. Everything else on this site is how it works in practice.
04 — Track record
The work, with the names taken out
Executive search is confidential by nature, so the track record is described by sector and role rather than by client. Ask Ian about any of it on a call.
05 — Insights
Straight talk on hiring at the top of financial services
Notes from live searches, what boards are asking for, and what candidates should ask back. Articles land here soon; for now, you can find Ian on LinkedIn.
Book a call
Tell Ian about the role. He will tell you honestly whether he can fill it.
A 30–45 minute call, no deck, no pitch team. If the search is right for Verity, Ian sets out the strategy in writing within five working days.