Louise Shute

Celebrating International Women's Day with Louise Shute

​In celebration of International Women's Day, we continue our series by highlighting the inspiring journey of female leaders in finance who are making a significant impact throughout their career.In this installation we are thrilled to feature an interview with Louise Shute, the Chief Financial Officer of Hollybank Trust, a not-for-profit care provider dedicated to supporting individuals with complex needs. Since joining Hollybank Trust in 2019, Louise has been instrumental in driving financial sustainability, operational efficiency, and strategic growth. Her leadership goes beyond numbers, focusing on ensuring that every financial decision aligns with the organisation's mission to provide outstanding care. Join us as we dive into her career-defining moments, the traits that have contributed to her success, and her invaluable advice for the next generation of female finance leaders. ​1.Please can you provide a summary of who you work for and your current role?I am the Chief Financial Officer of Hollybank Trust, a large not-for-profit care provider that delivers specialist care and education to individuals with complex needs. Since joining in 2019, I have been responsible for overseeing finance, IT, estates, and HR, ensuring financial sustainability, operational efficiency, and a strong, well-supported workforce. My role is not just about numbers—it’s about making sure every financial decision supports the organisation’s mission. I work closely with the executive team and trustees to strategically plan for the future, secure funding, and drive initiatives that enhance the care we provide. This includes leading acquisitions, driving digital transformation, and optimising resources to ensure we remain sustainable and continue to deliver outstanding care in an increasingly challenging financial landscape.​2.What have been the one or two most defining moments in your career to date?A few pivotal moments have shaped my career and leadership style: Building a finance function from the ground up – One of my most challenging and rewarding experiences was setting up an entire finance team from scratch for a large care group. Bringing the finance function in-house, creating new systems, and ensuring financial stability in a complex organisation gave me invaluable leadership experience. Leading an acquisition – More recently, I successfully led the acquisition of a care business, ensuring financial due diligence, securing funding, and integrating the new business into our operations. This was a defining moment in navigating the complexities of growth while maintaining financial security. Driving digital transformation – Overseeing our transition to a nearly paperless organisation has been a major milestone. Introducing new financial, HR, and operational systems has made us more efficient and forward-thinking, ensuring we are well-equipped for the future. Beyond these, every year brings new challenges in the not-for-profit and care sector, where funding is tight, costs are rising, and financial sustainability is an ongoing battle. Navigating these challenges while keeping the organisation strong and adaptable is something I take pride in.​3.What are the most important personal traits, values or characteristics that, being a female finance leader, has really helped to contribute to your success?Leadership isn’t just about making decisions—it’s about bringing people with you. The qualities that have shaped my success as a finance leader include: Compassion and genuine interest in people – I care about my colleagues and take the time to listen, understand their perspectives, and create a supportive environment. Decisiveness and resilience – In finance, tough decisions need to be made. I can balance strategy with reality, ensuring we remain financially stable while protecting the organisation’s core values. Strong communication – Finance can sometimes feel like a separate world, but I ensure complex financial insights are communicated clearly to teams, trustees, and stakeholders so they can make informed decisions. Positivity, even in difficult times – The financial landscape for care providers is constantly evolving, and it’s easy to focus on the challenges. I believe in staying solution-focused and adaptable, ensuring we embrace change rather than fear it. A positive outlook helps to motivate teams, find creative solutions, and maintain momentum even during difficult periods. I wouldn’t say I’ve faced direct challenges as a woman in finance, but finance leadership remains a male-dominated space, especially at board level. Many women struggle with imposter syndrome, and I think it’s crucial to own your expertise, trust your ability, and bring your unique strengths to the table.​4.What is the one piece of advice that you would share with the next generation of female finance leaders as they look to build their careers?My biggest piece of advice is: do what makes you happy. You spend so much of your life at work—it’s essential to enjoy it. If you don’t, don’t be afraid to seek out something that challenges, excites, and fulfils you. Beyond that, a few key lessons I’ve learned: Be true to yourself. Work for organisations that align with your beliefs, morals, and values. Build a strong team. Surround yourself with capable, driven people—it will make all the difference. Keep learning. I haven’t had an official mentor, but I invest in seminars, courses, and networking to continuously grow. Finding a mentor or widening your professional network can be invaluable. Stay adaptable. Finance, technology, and the business landscape are evolving rapidly. Staying open to change and embracing new ways of working will set you apart. Above all, believe in yourself. Women often doubt their abilities more than men, but confidence comes from experience. Keep learning, keep leading, and don’t be afraid to step up and take your seat at the table.​Louise’s journey is a testament to her power of resilience, compassion, and strategic vision in leadership. Her dedication to Hollybank Trust's mission and her ability to navigate the complexities of the not-for-profit sector have set a remarkable example for aspiring female finance leaders. Her advice to stay true to oneself, build strong teams, and continuously learn resonates deeply, reminding us all of the importance of passion and adaptability in our careers. We hope her story inspires and empowers the next generation of women to pursue their ambitions with confidence and determination. While women are making strides in leadership roles, a significant gender gap still exists. In 2024, 36% of new CFO hires in FTSE 100 companies were female, a notable increase from 2023 when only 14% of new hires were female [1]. Despite this progress, women hold only 25% of CFO positions in the FTSE 100 [2]. These statistics highlight the ongoing need for greater gender diversity and support for women in finance. ​Looking for your next career move in finance or accountancy? At Sharp Consultancy, our expertise lies in matching your potential with the perfect temporary, interim, or permanent position. With a well-established presence in Leeds and Sheffield, our seasoned team of consultants extends their services across Yorkshire and beyond. Don't wait for opportunity to knock, reach out to us TODAY and let's chart your career path together.

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AS WE LAUNCH THE SHARP CONSULTANCY 2019/2020 SALARY SURVEY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR LEE SWEENEY REFLECTS ON THE PREVIOUS 12 MONTHS AND SHARES HIS VIEWS ON WHAT LIES AHEAD OVER THE COMING YEAR.

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​Brexit. It’s never far from people’s thoughts. At the time of writing, we are still awaiting what the final outcome will be, yet the political uncertainty and potential turmoil being foreseen has done little to dampen demand with early indications showing that finance and accountancy remains incredibly buoyant across the region.

The economy continues to improve – we have seen six consecutive years of growth – and with growing companies driving demand for recruitment, the end of 2018 saw employment levels in the UK approach full capacity.

The previous 12 months saw sustained demand from across all industry sectors; even those experiencing reported difficulties– such as retail – pressed forward with recruitment with the changing needs of businesses driving the demand just as much as growth.

The quest for part qualifieds to finance controllers in particular remains high with a notable increase in six figure plus senior level appointments also being witnessed. However, with demand somewhat outstripping supply across a number of roles we have seen significant changes to the way in which organisations are approaching their ongoing recruitment needs.

The dynamics of the current market have led to an increasing number of businesses engaging with recruitment specialists on a retained basis and, with it very much being a seller’s market, companies are making significant moves to becoming more flexible. With increasing emphasis upon part-time and family-friendly working patterns we are seeing organisations seizing every opportunity available to them to make their opportunities most attractive to candidates.

With good quality candidates seemingly having their pick of the available opportunities, it is those companies who are fleet of foot that will triumph in the current market conditions. With the recruitment process for candidates below qualified level typically taking between two to four weeks maximum and senior level appointments typically being filled in less than eight weeks, companies which become embroiled in procedure and red tape are regularly finding themselves behind the curve.

As the pressure on supply continues, the need to retain top talent intensifies. A higher proportion of buy back and counter offer attempts are being made with high pay rises and increased benefits being offered, albeit with often quite strict demands and tie-in conditions in return to secure loyalty. As a result we are seeing fairly sizeable jumps forward in salary levels; typically 5-10% but increases of 10 – 15/20% are no longer unusual.

The volume of demand and pace of the current market has seen businesses reverse the trend of recent years to take their recruitment in-house; many are recognising that for key business change roles in particular, the need for specialist expertise and support is critical to successfully securing appointments.

This shift in the relationship between client and supplier has seen more emphasis being placed upon our role as a trusted advisor and this is set to continue over the coming year as, whatever the outcome, Britain finds itself entering a new era.

The above editorial is an extract from the Sharp Consultancy 2019/2020 Salary Survey; a full copy can be downloaded here.

Sharp Consultancy specialises in the recruitment of temporary, interim and permanent finance professionals.  With offices in Leeds and Sheffield our highly experienced team of consultants recruit for positions throughout Yorkshire and beyond CONTACT UStoday to discuss your recruitment needs with a member of our team.