Management Team

David Howell

Managing Director – EM Group 

Since co-founding EM in 1993, David has led search and selection campaigns across all sectors, focusing on profit centre leaders and the providers of equity that finance them. Clients have included HgCapital, 3i, GIC, Associated British Foods plc, Goldman Sachs, Viacom, 20th Century Fox, WH Smiths, and Wal-Mart. He is also responsible for EM’s own corporate development, across four sector specific divisions and three geographic regions. David’s early career was in business planning within the defence and publishing sectors as well as heading the UK division of an international financial recruitment firm.

Sharmila Sharon Parekh

Managing Director – EM Group 

As co-founder, Sharmila has shaped the strategic growth of the Group. She now has ultimate responsibility for the performance of each of EM’s divisions as well as the development programs for recruitment professionals at all levels.  She has led the ongoing reconfiguration of the business to reflect the changing needs of its marketplaces and conceptualised and built the EM Finance business, personally leading international search and selection assignments across Europe for clients including L’Oreal, EDS, Kingfisher, Sainsbury’s and De La Rue. In her early career she led the senior financial recruitment division of a mid-market UK consultancy and previously was an accountant having trained at Ernst and Young.

Andrew Bott 

Director - EM Consulting 

With a first career in civil engineering and project management, Andrew joined EM in 1995.  Initially focused across senior finance and supply chain roles throughout the UK and Switzerland, he has led the EM Consulting division since 1998.  Clients include the strategy houses such as Boston Consulting Group as well as larger consultancies like Accenture, PwC and Deloitte. He is experienced in top level searches as well as co-ordinating volume based mid-level campaigns.  In 2006 Andrew was awarded Top Management Consultancy Recruiter as voted by subscribers to Top-Consultant.com

David Hurwood  

Manager - EM Retail & EM Finance (North)

David joined in May 2006 taking responsibility for EM Retail and the launch of EM Finances' first regional footprints in Leeds and Manchester. Having successfully established both businesses David now manages the EM-Finance - Banking Team, covering all accounting roles within the middle office such as financial control, product control, fund accounting, compliance and risk for Investment Banks, Investment Management vehicles and Retail Banks. Prior to EM, David has held leadership roles in branches across the UK and in New York the latter whilst working at Robert Walters PLC where he was responsible for recruiting Middle Office based candidates for the likes of Nat West Markets, CSFB, and Goldman Sachs. For the last few years David has concentrated on Retail/Consumer clients with Witan Jardine and latterly with EM. Having also worked in Executive search and run his own business. David brings a wealth of experience across a wide range of markets and disciplines.