16th December 2015
About Mirage Resources
Mirage Resources is a family office based in the West End which provides specialist reporting and consultancy to a small group of Middle Eastern families. The company believes in establishing long-term relationships based on independent oversight and absolute trust.
As we had already worked with our client on previous recruitment projects we had a good understanding of the company culture and the candidate profile that would be likely to fit. However, on this occasion the job description and person required was quite different from earlier briefs.
The key purpose of the Client Accountant role was to develop and maintain a reporting system for global family expenditure. This would require designing and implementing a system of controls to minimise fraud and obtain value for money. Additional responsibilities included liaising with all stakeholders.
The successful applicant would need to be a qualified accountant and likely have internal audit experience in the retail/hotel industry and strong reporting skills. Design and operation of systems and controls would also be essential. They would be required to travel and spend a lot of time overseas.
Personal qualities included self-reliance and motivation, discretion and tact, and an ability to undertake new projects on demand which would likely be outwith their normal experience.
We knew from the outset that it would be a real challenge to find someone who fitted the brief exactly. However, we were confident that we would be able to provide a short-list of candidates who would have the skills and experience and personal qualities necessary to carry out the role.
We carried out a detailed search and interviewed the best candidates face-to-face from which we identified a short-list of four for client interview. Of those candidates subsequently interviewed by the client, two were selected for second interview. Following the second interview stage, a clear leader emerged who was offered the job, and accepted.
The chosen candidate proved to be a very good match for the client brief. They were ACCA qualified, had been a financial controller, had experience of working in a family business, a multisite international retailer and practice. Personal qualities included recent world travel, leadership and project management skills and experience of working at the centre of both SME and large businesses. They were tenacious self-motivated and passionate about the opportunity that this role presented.
The success of this placement is borne out by the successful implementation of the project and the resulting benefit accrued to our client’s family. Since joining in 2009, our candidate has continued to work alongside the family and add value.
