VisionFR
VisionFR is a UK-based boutique recruitment consultancy placing Finance and HR professionals into creative, media, marketing communications, technology, and professional services businesses. Founded in 2010, it operates virtually with qualified accountant consultants who have direct agency finance experience.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What VisionFR does
VisionFR is a UK-based boutique recruitment consultancy founded in 2010 by Deborah Broadbent ACA, specializing in placing Finance and HR professionals into creative, media, marketing communications, technology, healthcare, and professional services businesses. Operating as a virtual firm with a small team of senior consultants (all qualified accountants — ACA, ACCA, or CIMA — with prior agency finance leadership experience), the company differentiates itself through deep sector expertise rather than scale. Core services include permanent placement and contract/interim placement of finance professionals ranging from Accounts Assistant through CFO, with fees structured as negotiated percentages of candidate salary and billed per assignment.
The company's internal technology stack is modest: Bullhorn CRM and ATS for candidate and client management, a standard CMS-based website, and cookie-based visitor tracking. The most significant technology-related development is the April 2025 partnership with Liberty Hive, which brings an AI-powered skills-matching platform ("Liberty Hive Connects") into VisionFR's offering as a lower-cost self-serve channel targeted at clients unwilling to use the traditional search-and-select service. VisionFR also operates a niche Paprika accounting software consulting module for creative-sector SMEs.
The business model is sales-led and consultative: founders and senior consultants engage directly with hiring managers (CFOs, FDs, MDs), refine the brief, screen candidates, and coordinate interviews. Revenue is generated entirely through placement fees on a per-assignment basis, with no publicly disclosed pricing. The company is founder-owned, has no external investment, operates from a registered office in Stalbridge, Dorset, and a London client-facing office, and targets primarily UK-based creative and media-sector employers with some placements extending to their overseas operations.
VisionFR firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- VisionFR
- Legal name
- VisionFR Limited
- Website
- https://visionfr.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- VisionFR is a UK-based boutique recruitment consultancy placing Finance and HR professionals into creative, media, marketing communications, technology, and professional services businesses. Founded in 2010, it operates virtually with qualified accountant consultants who have direct agency finance experience.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
VisionFR industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Recruitment Services
- NAICS
- Management Consulting Services (54161)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Strategy & Corporate Development Consulting (BPAHACAA)
Keywords
Where VisionFR is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
VisionFR business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Permanent Placement Fees: Traditional recruitment consultancy placing permanent candidates into finance and HR roles. Fees are typically percentage-based of candidate salary, not publicly disclosed.
- Contract / Interim Placement Fees: Places freelance, contract, and interim finance professionals on day rates for temporary needs such as maternity cover, project work, and year-end peaks.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Traditional Search & Select (VisionFR) |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Liberty Hive Self-Serve (via partnership) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
VisionFR product offering
Product offeringCore offering
VisionFR is a specialist boutique recruitment consultancy placing Finance and HR professionals into Creative, Media, Marketing Communications, Technology, Healthcare and other Professional Services businesses. The firm operates consultatively, with all senior consultants being qualified accountants (ACA, ACCA, CIMA) who have held senior finance roles inside the sectors they recruit for. Services cover permanent placements (CFO, FD, FC, Finance Manager, WIP Accountants) and contract/interim placements (maternity cover, project work, year-end peaks).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- VisionFR Specialist Finance & HR Recruitment Boutique, consultative recruitment service placing permanent and interim Finance and HR professionals into creative agencies, media firms, ad-tech businesses, healthcare communications firms and other professional services organisations. Includes executive search for CFO, Finance Director, Financial Controller, HR Director roles and operational/transactional staff placements. Delivered by qualified accountant consultants with personal agency-finance experience.
- Paprika Accounting Software Consulting
Quantifiable outcome
- Research from Oxford Economics and Unum indicates total cost of staff turnover ranges £12,000–£30,000 per employee depending on seniority, with direct costs at £6,000–£19,000. VisionFR's sector-specialist placement reduces churn risk.
Companies that use VisionFR
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
VisionFR technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
VisionFR partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Liberty HivecorePartnership established April 2025 extends VisionFR's offerings through Liberty Hive's AI-powered 'Liberty Hive Connects' tech platform. VisionFR's expert search & select service continues unchanged. Liberty Hive offers clients a lower-cost, self-serve recruitment option, while offering VisionFR's candidates access to a broader range of vacancies including roles from Liberty Hive's own client base beyond VisionFR's usual remit. This is a mutual partnership: VisionFR gains a tech-enabled self-serve channel; Liberty Hive gains VisionFR's specialist candidate database and sector expertise.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
VisionFR competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Handle Recruitment: UK specialist recruitment consultancy placing talent into creative, marketing, and digital agencies. Direct competitor with overlapping sector focus on creative/marketing communications hiring.
- Cobalt Recruitment: Specialist recruitment consultancy placing finance, property, and HR professionals into professional services and agency environments. Strong overlap with VisionFR on finance and HR placements in agency settings.
- Reuben Sinclair: Marketing, communications, and digital recruitment specialist serving agencies and brands in the UK. Comparable to VisionFR in serving the same advertising/marcomms client base.
- Aspire: Specialist recruitment firm focused on the creative, digital, marketing, and communications sectors across multiple seniority levels. Closely comparable to VisionFR in both vertical focus and placed disciplines.
- EMR | The Search Specialists: UK-based specialist recruitment firm focused on marketing, digital, and creative sectors. Direct competitor with comparable niche specialism in placing talent into agencies.
- Salt Recruitment: Digital, marketing, and creative recruitment consultancy operating across multiple geographies. Comparable to VisionFR in targeting agency and tech-adjacent employers for marketing/finance talent.
- Dobson Welch Recruitment: UK specialist recruitment firm focused on accountancy and finance professionals. Comparable to VisionFR's finance-focused placements, though with broader geographic reach.
Broad incumbents
- Robert Half: Global recruitment and consulting firm placing finance, accounting, and technology professionals across sectors. Overlaps with VisionFR on the finance/HR placement discipline but serves a much broader market.
- Michael Page (Finance & HR divisions): Global professional recruitment firm with dedicated finance and HR divisions. Directly comparable on placement disciplines but lacks VisionFR's creative-sector specialism.
Emerging players
- Liberty Hive: Tech-enabled skills-matching recruitment platform and VisionFR's April 2025 GTM partner. Overlaps on placement outcomes but operates a self-serve model rather than consultative search.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
VisionFR social profiles
Digital presenceVisionFR financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
VisionFR leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
VisionFR funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
VisionFR M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about VisionFR
What does VisionFR do?
VisionFR is a specialist boutique recruitment consultancy placing Finance and HR professionals into Creative, Media, Marketing Communications, Technology, Healthcare and other Professional Services businesses. The firm operates consultatively, with all senior consultants being qualified accountants (ACA, ACCA, CIMA) who have held senior finance roles inside the sectors they recruit for. Services cover permanent placements (CFO, FD, FC, Finance Manager, WIP Accountants) and contract/interim placements (maternity cover, project work, year-end peaks).
Is VisionFR a public or private company?
VisionFR is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was VisionFR founded?
VisionFR was founded in 2010. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is VisionFR based?
VisionFR is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does VisionFR make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Permanent Placement Fees are the primary driver. The others are contract / Interim Placement Fees.
Who are VisionFR's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Handle Recruitment, Cobalt Recruitment, Reuben Sinclair, Aspire, EMR | The Search Specialists, Salt Recruitment and Dobson Welch Recruitment. Broad incumbents are Robert Half and Michael Page (Finance & HR divisions). Liberty Hive is listed as an emerging player.
Does VisionFR have an API?
No public API is recorded for VisionFR.
What industry is VisionFR in?
VisionFR's product category is Recruitment Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHACAA, Strategy & Corporate Development Consulting. Its NAICS code is 54161 and its SIC code is 8742.