KPMG Qualified Group FC – Interim/Perm

Profile.

Education / Qualification

KPMG – ACA Qualified (September 2012).

Aston University – BSc Economics and Management 2005 – 2009 Degree classification: First Class Honours.

A-Level: 3 A’s (Economics, Math’s, Business Studies).

GCSE:  5 A*

Systems used

PowerPoint, Excel inc building financial models, v-look ups, index match, data analytics, Sage 200, Various In House Finance Systems

About

ACA-qualified Finance Professional with over 15 years’ experience across SME and international group environments, bringing a strong blend of technical expertise and commercial leadership. Proven track record of driving revenue growth, improving cash flow, accelerating month-end close, and strengthening financial controls, alongside leading audits, refinancing activity, MBOs and business disposals. Board-level operator with experience managing multi-disciplinary teams across finance and IT, partnering closely with owners and investors to deliver strategic growth, digital transformation and robust KPI-driven performance in fast-paced, evolving businesses.

Career Summary.

• Managing the finance team of 7, across management accounts, accounts payable, and accounts receivable.
• Implemented efficiencies across the month end process, reducing close time from 15 days to 8 days.
• Supporting the CFO with bank refinancing to obtain new long-term finance.
• Working with PE investors, providing analysis on management accounts and cash flow.
• Preparation of monthly board reports
• Implementation of new billing platform, managing the project with the internal team and external system consultants.
• Implemented daily cash review with the credit control team, reducing overdue debtors from £0.5m to £0.1m and bringing debt position down to lowest in over a year.

January 2025 – September 2025 – Planned Career Break after a successful tenure at Pilot Group  – Completed two marathons and spent time travelling

Group FC to May 2022, Finance Director from May 2022 onwards

Family-owned SME, with Group turnover of c£50m. Comprised of 3 main trading businesses involved in the distribution of electrical components, and the design and manufacture of traffic management systems and energy management systems. Key business unit £46m revenue, operating as a global distributor of electrical components with warehouse operations in Manchester, Netherlands and the US.

• Revenue growth of main business unit from £36m in May 2021 to £46m in May 2023
• Management of finance team responsible for transactional team, management accounts, data analyst and payroll. Board member following promotion to Group FD, working closely with owners and part of senior management team for all 3 BUs.
• Responsible for delivery of annual audit, tax compliance, banking relationship and management of general and credit insurance
• Interim lead of Group IT function for 12 months
• Influential in building Data Warehouse and the Data strategy – built a three year business plan on the back if this
• Automated management accounts process
• Involved with disposal of business unit in 2022, managing transition period to support acquirer
• Commercial renegotiation of 3PL contracts with key partners in Netherlands and US, resulting in lower unit costs and additional security.
• Revenue growth in new geographical areas, focused on US, Middle East and Far East. Lead on business development meetings with new customers/suppliers to develop key lines of new business with security from new banking credit facilities.
• Growth underpinned by implementation of digital transformation and data driven strategy. Implementation of leading metrics and KPIs, with daily stand-ups to achieve targets
• Data analysis to maximize sales opportunities and pricing strategies to facilitate growth. Flexible pricing to enable sales growth along with customer rebates to encourage key account growth
• Working in capital management to maximize cash through combination of Group overhead reduction, improved supplier terms and tighter debtor management to reduce overdue debt
• Redesign of sales incentive scheme to reward business development and growth of new customers
• Implementation of FX hedging strategy to mitigate impact of changes in dollar and euro rates
• Lead on development of strategic business plan and 3-year financial model

US owned, global provider of risk management solutions, focused on the housing and lifestyle markets.  Revenues of the largest UK subsidiary of c£200m. With the impending impact of Brexit and recent $2.5bn acquisition, the Group has undergone significant transformation and growth in operations. Key responsibilities of the role include:

• Support in Brexit transformation process with set up of new European entity to underwrite European operations.
• Lead on SOC1 Assurance process which was a regulatory requirement to underwrite new European business post Brexit.
• Extensive review of UK and European controls and documentation of Group controls matrix as part of SOC1 project.
• Identification of control gaps across EU operations along with remediation steps to ensure well designed and robust control framework.

Provides a comprehensive accident management service including vehicle replacement service, vehicle repair management, full claims handling service and personal injury management. The Group has grown significantly from £54m turnover in 2017 to £80m in 2019.

Financial Controller, January 2018 – June 2019

• Reporting to Group FD, with responsibility over Management Accounts team (5) and senior FP&A. Also help to direct the work of the Commercial Reporting and Transactional Finance teams to deliver accounts.
• Closely involved in monthly reforecast and weekly cash flow analysis to ensure covenant compliance.
• Monthly review of balance sheet reconciliations and preparation of month end packs to help prepare the business for future transaction.
• Management of Group audit and tax including preparation of acquisition accounting and treatment of deal fees.
• Review and development of financial controls across the business to ensure robust control framework.
• Analysis of vehicle repair margins by garage to provide KPI analysis to support contract renewals and new business opportunities.
• Modelling of fleet holds costs to analyze performance by manufacturers and calculate true cash cost to business.
• Hire starts (new claims) analysis by business partner and review of commissions incurred. Analysis of margins by business partner to support commission agreements and new variable commissions
• Supervision of senior FPA (recruited in June 2018) to redesign 3-year business model to support future transactions. Closely involved in scenario modelling, sensitivity analysis and analysis of cash impact of planned growth

Key Achievements:

• Created efficiencies in monthly reporting cycle bringing month end close down from 10 to 4 days, through detailed timetable and plan.
• Designed and implemented Board financial presentations which were introduced in January 2018. This was a new feature following the MBO in 2017 and incorporated analysis of key operational data with the impact on financials.
• Brought payroll function in house with implementation of new HR/Payroll system.

Group Accountant, January 2017 – January 2018

As Group Accountant I was heavily involved in due diligence as part of debt backed MBO, working closely with Group CFO, which was completed in December 2017.

• Analysis of historical balance sheet reconciliations to identify material working capital adjustments required to reach business valuation.
• Liaising with both buy and sell side advisors to deal with queries over historical data and respond to queries on a timely basis.
• Reconciliation of historical management accounts to stats
• Main point of contact for tax queries, including corporation tax, VAT and PAYE.
• Main contact communicating with HMRC around CT inquiry, VAT inspection and voluntary PAYE disclosure.
• Managed Group audit and tax comps bringing in new auditors and moving production of accounts in house.

Group Accountant, July 2015 – December 2016

As Group Accountant I report directly to the European CFO. I am responsible for all aspects of Group reporting and financial management, new business financial planning and overseeing the accounting for Head Office.

• Oversee the work of a team of 10 across UK and Europe.
• Preparation of statutory accounts for UK entities (11 statutory accounts) and controlling submissions in mainland Europe.
• Reporting month end numbers to the US parent for all venues throughout Europe; with supporting analysis.
• Preparation and submission of the group monthly forecasts, including P&L, consolidated balance sheet and consolidated cash flow.
• Preparation, submission and coordination of annual budgets.
• Management of the year end process and audit for the European Group.
• Management of the tax matters of the UK Group, including corporation tax returns, VAT, iXBRL filing and transfer pricing documentation.
• Preparation of business plans for new business opportunities, including Excel modelling for new ventures and commercial opportunities.
• Production of monthly KPI analysis and key management information for UK and US management.
• Administration of the banking and insurance arrangements for the UK Group along with company secretarial work for the UK Group.
• In-house administrator for finance systems. Work with US team to develop reporting efficiencies and tailor bespoke reports to produce accurate, real-time information.

Group Internal Auditor, September 2014 – July 2015:

This was a new role in the Group, reporting directly to the CFO of the US parent company. My remit covered several venues both in the UK and Europe. Key projects carried out included:

• Review of cash handling procedures and reconciliations.
• Design of a purchasing authorization matrix to cover all European venues.
• Procurement spend analysis to identify Group saving opportunities.
• Implementation of banking and BACS controls.
• Key liaison for external audit helping to bring down audit fees and develop internal efficiencies in the finance team.
• Core financial controls audit across all sites covering month end reconciliations, payroll procedures, food and beverage processes and box office procedures.

Responsibilities:

• Managed a team of staff to deliver both internal and external audit engagements across the health, housing and education sectors.
• Responsible for writing the audit plan, managing budgets, billing, staff workload, liaising with client staff and reporting to Audit Committee for all my audit clients.
• Lead on the development of IT in audit and data analytics to enhance audit efficiency.

Achievements:

• Passed all ACA exams at first attempt.
• Successful in two audit tenders, contributing to the presentation bid for a University and College clients.
• Delivered technical housing training to trainees to explain the audit approach and key issues facing the sector.
• Delivered a technical FRS102 workshop to several education clients, highlighting the impact of FRS102 and the accounting choices available.

placement year I assisted the Fraud team conducting financial investigations, resolving trade disputes and providing fraud prevention services. I was required to analyse financial accounts, research company backgrounds and carry out electronic reviews of personal data to support any suspicion of fraudulent activity. I also took an active role in marketing to promote the firm organizing team to team events with lawyer contacts and helping to put together Ernst and Young’s 10th Global Fraud Survey. I was a member of the Aston University Campus Team and was responsible for representing Ernst and Young at graduate recruitment events.