Mike Hartwell has left financial services recruitment specialist Sheffield Haworth in London to set up his own contingency recruitment business. He was described by an ex-colleague as a "good biller" whose loss would be felt by the firm.

Tim Sheffield, CEO of Sheffield Haworth, said: "Mike felt that in the City operations market there would be more business for him in the contingency rather than the search market. Sheffield Haworth was not prepared to go down that route, as it has its own separate contingency firm - Lindsay Morgan Associates."