Built by industry insiders.

Referment was founded by Alex Odwell and Michael Newell to source candidates for some of the most demanding FinTech companies and Hedge Funds globally. Between them they have lived the mechanics, economics and human cost of hiring, first-hand, as recruiters, clients, candidates and operators. The technology built to service those companies now powers Referment for businesses across the world.

Meet the founders

Alex Odwell

Alex Odwell

Co-founder

Nearly two decades across agency recruitment, internal talent teams and fast-growth businesses. Alex has been on every side of the hiring table and seen every way the traditional model fails people.

Michael Newell

Michael Newell

Co-founder

Michael was a client who had built and scaled multiple successful businesses across investments and trading, now turning his talents to recruitment.

Problems we kept seeing. Everywhere.

Every team. Every search. The same friction.

Far too much admin

Hiring managers juggling multiple recruiters, chasing updates, and still waiting weeks for a shortlist.

Wasted talent-team time

Talent teams stretched thin on coordination work, with no time left for the human side of hiring.

Candidates left in the dark

Applicants ghosted after a CV submission. No feedback, no update, no respect for their time.

Fees that did not add up

Agencies charging 20% to 30% for work that often took hours, and making the process more complex to justify it.

THE BREAKTHROUGH

We stripped the model back and rebuilt it around two decisions.

01

Remove the friction

Technology handles screening, coordination and admin carefully and consistently, around the clock - all over email, with nothing for the client to install or learn. Human judgement stays where it belongs.

02

Fix the incentive

A flat monthly cost, not commission. So the process works for good hiring decisions, not against them.

Together, these made something rare in hiring possible. Calm. Focus. Fairness.

Who Referment is for

Talent teams and people leaders who:

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Care about the human side of hiring
+
Want fair consideration for every candidate
+
Value clear thinking over noise
+
Believe better decisions come from better systems
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Believe every candidate deserves a clear answer
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Want flat, predictable costs over commission incentives

If you enjoy the human part of hiring, Referment exists to clear your way.

Built this way, on purpose.

No commission. No noise. Just straightforward hires.

How it worksSee pricing