Business Development Manager and Fee Earner, Hunter Marshall & Co Ltd, Chartered Accountants
2010 to 2015
Providing advice and support to Managing Partner in the further development of the practice leading to its sale in May 2015. Co-managed the practice with hands on approach, supporting service deliver to client in excess of 500 in number, of which 50% were companies collectively generating £500k in gross recurring fees
Feb 2006 to Nov 2008
- Delivered comprehensive service to practice clients including full accounts preparation, tax planning and financial advice
- Led the sourcing and acquisition of two accountant practices leading to increase of 25% in the GRF base of the practice. Manged the due diligence process, conducted negotiations, drafted acquisition agreement, evaluated and sourced funding, and designed and implemented the client relationship process ensuring 100% post merger retention
- Designed and introduced paperless office including the scanning and destruction of all legacy files
- Introduced server based document management system and accounts approval system. Cut down client accounts turn-around time by 50% and reduced postage costs by 80%
- Facilitated strategic review of the business and option analysis in retirement plans leading to the sale of the practice in May 2015
Head of Finance, Lee & Priestley LLP
2000 to 2008
Member of the executive management team working on Strategy formulation and development of detailed plans defining goals, objectives and financial budgets. Leadership of finance and IT team of 8 in the delivery of an integrated service of financial control and business intelligence
Feb 2006 to Nov 2008
- Developed use of Key Performance Indicators through desktop reporting delivered through desktop reporting. Delivered to each fee earner on a daily basis incorporating a system of “traffic light warnings” flagging shortfall against targets. It advanced the pattern of billing from several days after month end to an even spread throughout the month. Lead to the generation of a 6% increase in fee rates.
- Negotiated funding package in excess of £1m covering overdraft, term loan and lease finance
- Managed the introduction of the intranet as the primary vehicle through which management reporting delivered throughout the practice. Reduced the delivery of month end results by over 60% to 4 working days after the month end.
- Designed and implemented ‘Service Level Agreements’ defining standards of service provided by support staff. Response times reduced between 75% and 50% on the range of financial processes and 60% on I|T support
- Conducted root and branch review of IT requirements developing a long term plan for technology application to meet the specific needs of the practice
- Managed the procurement of ‘cost recovery’ solution to support recovery of print costs leading to recovery of an additional £100,000 of income
- Financial and organisational evaluation of fee earner to support staff ratio delivering a 3:1 support to fee earners staffing ration leading to a 12% reduction in departmental staffing costs
Principal Consultant, The Modernising Healthcare Partnership
2000 to 2007
As a business consultant with financial expertise delivered on a number of consultancy projects specialising in the application of technology to the re-engineering and management of healthcare provision, providing Strategy and Process Implementation services to all sectors of the NHS
- Facilitated the strategic development and business planning of the organisation
- Designed and implemented financial control systems
- Managed company secretarial function for the company together with all compliance matters
- Developed and implanted project management methodologies and procedures to support the quality control in deliver of client projects
- As principal consultant delivered on assignments involved in the application of telemedicine to the improvement in the delivery of patient care in all sectors of the health service, primary, secondary and tertiary care
- On behalf of the three cancer networks making up the northern region – implementation of video conferencing to support the provision of Multi-Disciplinary Team meetings in the care of cancer patients. The application of the telemedicine solution reduced time from presentation to treatment by two weeks leading to a reduction of 20% in the patient care pathway
Managing Director, Delta Consultancy
1990 to 2000
Founded the consultancy and led the development of corporate strategy, promotion and marketing, business development and service positioning. Grew consultancy from an initial team of 5 to a group of 20 associates operating within a network of 4 offices throughout the UK
- Founded the consultancy and led the implementation of business development and marketing strategies for the enterprise growing the organisation from a single office based in North Yorkshire to an operation spread across a network of 5 offices serving clients based in Yorkshire, Greater Manchester,Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire and Wiltshire
- Expanded the executive resource from an initial team of 5 to a group of 20 consultants functioning throughout the network of 5 offices
- Designed and delivered programmes of continuing professional development for the team of consultants operating within the group
- Formulated marketing strategies based around the unique skill set of the consultants operating within the network
- Consulted on a wide variety of consultancy projects from strategy to process improvement for a range of companies and sectors including, logistics, health service, legal services, heavy engineering and manufacturing
Business Development Manager, Frank Brown & Walford
1985 to 1990
Established niche business consultancy operating within the practice expanding the range of services offered to clients. Achieved 16% increase in organic growth year on year
Business Consultant, Frank Brown and Walford
1985 to 1989
- Established niche business consultancy operating within the practice expanding the range of services offered to clients and thereby increasing the rate of organic growth in fee income
- Designed and implemented business development and marketing strategies in the identification and sale of consultancy services
- Delivered on a range of client projects; sales and transfer of insurance brokerage network to a national chain; production of a strategic and business development plan for a niche electronic publishing company leading to its acquisition by a multinational publishing organisation; management of IT restructure on behalf of an international consumer electronics plc
Commercial Accountant, Renault Trucks plc
1982 to 1985
Supported dealership network in all aspects of the establishment of financial control of the franchise base throughout the northern region
- Developed and implemented strategic and business planning framework throughout the networkDesigned and introduced a full management control and information system incorporating the application of budgets, quarterly forecasting, credit stock and cash flow control
- Established standardised administrative practices and procedures including personnel, health and safety, company secretarial and financial systems training
Divisonal Financial Controller, Redpath Engineering – Trafalgar House plc
1979 to 1982
Member of executive team under the control of the divisional manager. Responsible for the financial control of the 6 engineering units comprising the division
Group Financial Accountant, The Expanded Metal Company plc
1978 to 1979
Supervised team of 35 accounting staff in production of monthly management and year end statutory accounts and group consolidation statements for submission to the board
Audit Senior, KPMG
1974 to 1978
Supervising of audits varying in size from large UK, and American groups to small close companies