Rachel Cooper

Rachel Howe is an experienced Chief Financial Officer with over 15 years of cross-sector financial leadership, spanning professional services, digital marketing, consulting, and commercial industries. She currently serves as CFO at Jefferson Locke, where she oversees financial strategy and performance across the firm’s global operations in management consultancy, executive recruitment, leadership development, and M&A advisory. She plays a pivotal role in aligning finance with the wider strategic goals of the business — focusing on commercial growth, operational efficiency, and scaling capability across international markets.

Rachel began her career after qualifying as an ACCA professional in 2001 and has since built a track record of strengthening finance functions, leading high-performing teams, and embedding financial rigour into evolving and fast-paced environments. Her approach blends financial control with commercial insight — often acting as a bridge between finance and non-financial stakeholders to improve forecasting, budgeting accuracy, and business decision-making.

Before joining Jefferson Locke in 2021, Rachel held a number of senior leadership roles. She was CFO at Digital Radish, a fast-growing B2B marketing agency, and FX Digital, a digital design and development studio, where she managed finance through growth and operational transformation. At LAB Group, she progressed from Financial Controller to CFO, supporting a multi-agency group delivering digital, behavioural science, and creative services. There, she was responsible for revenue modelling, profitability analysis, balance sheet management, and strategic board-level reporting — while fostering financial accountability across teams in the UK, Croatia, and South Africa.

Earlier in her career, Rachel held senior finance positions at Capita, where she led a 12-person finance team, ran forecasting cycles, and acted as the key finance lead for operational and commercial leadership. At William Grant & Sons, she was the Finance Manager overseeing partner agency brands and on-trade channels, where she delivered detailed market insights and pricing strategies. She also spent nearly five years at Deloitte Australia as a Finance Manager, bringing a global lens to her skillset.

Rachel’s consistent focus has been on building financially agile organisations, improving internal processes, and contributing to the wider commercial direction of the businesses she supports. Her leadership is grounded in clarity, trust, and a drive for continuous improvement — making her a key strategic partner to CEOs, boards, and cross-functional teams navigating growth, transformation, or acquisition.

Bournemouth University – Leisure Marketing BA (Hons)