Hello! I’m Steve, CFO here at Meet. 

Before I stepped into the world of accounting, I was a teacher. Don’t get me wrong, I loved it, but after a while, I felt the need for a change. That’s when started my ACA training where I  conducted audits across a diverse range of clients in several industries. I’m a hyper-observant person, so being in all those different environments gave me great insight into different types of workplace cultures and incentives, but there was one industry in particular that drew me in: recruitment.

Since qualifying as a Chartered Accountant in 2009, I’ve worked exclusively in recruitment , starting at a European-focused IT firm, Staffgroup. When I first joined Staffgroup, there were only about 40 consultants working out of one office, and the finance team was just myself and one other person. That gave me the opportunity to work closely with the founders and I was heavily involved in supporting the growth of the company.

In 2015, after securing a successful exit for the founders by playing a central role in the sale of the company to Cordant Group, I got to experience working within a large corporate. By 2018, when I was ready for my next challenge, Staffgroup had grown tremendously with a contract book of 520 freelancers, 130 consultants, and offices across Europe, including Berlin, Hamburg, Paris, Oslo, and Stockholm. 

When the time came for me to start looking for a new role, I was asked if I wanted to move out of recruitment – it was a firm no! I had been very bought into the culture at Staffgroup, and not once over the previous decade did I ever wake up and think, ‘I don’t want to go to work today’. Recruitment is such a dynamic industry but what’s most compelling to me is the buzz; It’s a fast-paced sales environment, which is an exciting space to be immersed in!

Joining Meet in 2018 was a great transition for me – not only is my skillset more suited to SMEs, but I’m completely drawn to Meet’s integrity, values, and entrepreneurial spirit. When I first started at Meet, the finance department was just three strong and with no strategic direction. My vision (along with Hannah’s) was to really accelerate Meet’s growth and create value.  

To begin, I set up a finance infrastructure and built out the department by bringing on people with the relevant skills and experience to help fill the gaps and stimulate Meet’s growth story. We started (and continue) to provide timely and accurate information to the management team so they can make more informed decisions. Fast-forward to present day, our global finance and operations team has quadrupled in size and will only continue to grow in tandem with the rest of the business.   

In 2020, together Hannah and I made the decision to explore our options of securing financial investment to facilitate our growth story. Throughout that process, I worked closely with external partners and advisors to identify the best route for us to take; one that aligned with the company values but also one that gave us the best opportunity to create growth in the business and opportunities for our team. 

Since September 2021, when we joined forces with the private equity firm, NorthEdge, my team has really stepped up and now expertly manages the day-to-day running of the finance function, allowing me to work closely with NorthEdge to ensure that we’re creating value and on track to where we want Meet to go. It’s an exciting time for us, and I simply can’t wait for the next chapter of Meet’s story.