Chris Johnstone Email & Phone Number

A Mergers and Acquisitions Boutique formed in 2010 by a team comprising Corporate Finance, Accountancy, Entrepreneurs and Industry Experts to provide innovative advice to owner managers with their growth or exit strategies.Co-Director and freelance Consultant - I have been involved in successful assignments in the frozen food distribution, debt management and IVA, leisure, transport, legal expenses and debt collection, distribution and logistics, security glass manufacture sectors.

Isle Of Man, United Kingdom

An AIM listed private bank based off-shore in the Isle of Man.Interim Finance Director (and acting CEO) - I was brought in by shareholders to remove the CEO and restructure the Board, strengthen the finance function, introduce rigorous financial control and capital planning and develop strategy. A new Executive Board was recruited to develop and execute a growth through acquisition strategy.

Bristol, United Kingdom

A newly AIM listed debt management, IVA, secured lending and lead generation Group based in Bristol.Interim Consultant (acting managing director) – brought in by shareholders to undertake a strategic review of the business and develop a turnaround plan. The review was completed within one month and I was asked to stay on to conclude a successful sale of the major loss-making IVA subsidiary and undertake a reverse takeover of an Insurance Broking business, providing a new and profitable direction for the group in insurance and insurance broking.

Bradford, United Kingdom

A FTSE 100/250 specialist financial services Group with a market capital of £1.5bn; operating in sub-prime credit in the UK and overseas, and a leading motor insurance underwriter and broker in the UK.Main Board Director reporting to the Group CEO, with responsibility for consumer credit in the UK and Ireland (1999 – 2006) incorporating 3 businesses:-• Chairman Home Collected Credit UK and IrelandProvident Personal Credit is the UK market leader in weekly collected doorstep loans; with £1bn of loans issued by 14,000 staff and self-employed agents to1.6m customers, generating profit before tax of £150m pa.• Chairman Vanquis Bank Vanquis is the leading sub-prime credit card in the UK and regularly wins Awards for being the best credit card on the market. In just 8 years from start-up it now boasts profit before tax of £30+m pa and 600k customers.• Chairman Yes Car CreditYes Car Credit was the UK leading provider of cars on credit to more than 35,000 sub-prime customers, with 1,500 staff and operating from 30 UK sites. It was the leading TV advertiser (by revenue) in the UK for two consecutive years. Yes Car was acquired in 2002 from management and Candover Investments. The remit was to oversee the successful execution of management’s plan during the “earn-out” period and thereafter; integrating the business into the Provident Financial Group.

Chairman and Managing Director of the Insurance Division (1989 – 1999), reporting to the Provident Financial Group Board with responsibility for 3 insurance businesses:-• Chairman and Managing Director Provident Insurance plcProvident insurance became the UK leading insurer of lady drivers and a top 10 motor insurer; it was recognised by motor insurance actuary English Mathews and Brockman as the most profitable UK motor insurer based on return on capital and was described by them in the Insurance Press as “the jewel in Provident Financial’s Crown.”Appointed MD in 1989 and given the remit of turning the then “Halifax Insurance Co. Ltd” with 100,000 customers from broadly break-even into a £5m profit pa business within five years or be sold as part of a Group rationalisation.• Non-Executive Chairman Colonnade Reinsurance (Guernsey)Colonnade Re was a Guernsey based captive established whilst I was Finance Director of Provident Insurance to optimise tax and regulatory capital required within the UK insurer.• Chairman Colonnade Insurance Brokers (“CIB,” 1995-1999)Colonnade Insurance Brokers was the UK’s leading registered motor Insurance Broker with over 50 branches and 250,000 customers together with two large call-centres in Halifax and Lurgan, Northern Ireland, offering motor insurance direct to the public over the telephone.

Education record

Education record

Masters, Business Administration

Accountancy