Derek May Email & Phone Number

Providing support to growing businesses.

Scotland

• I joined the Business Doctors network to work with SME owners and demonstrate how dramatic improvements can be achieved by creating a robust, stress-tested Strategic Plan and then concentrating on the value-building.
• Focused on achieving tangible results for my clients by recognising that the implementation of a Strategic plan is the key to success.
• Worked with clients to increase their Value Builder Score, a statistically proven methodology, to help increase the value of a business. Companies with a Value Builder Score of 80+ are typically worth 71% more than.
• Introduced the concept of red teaming to clients. Adding critical and contrarian thinking and a challenging everything approach to the strategic planning process helps to reduce the impact of biases that individuals.

Glasgow, Edinburgh & Moray

• A Business Insider Top 500 company and at the time the largest independent recruiter in Scotland. As CEO I reported to the Board and was responsible for all aspects of company performance. The company was purchased for.
• Instrumental in developing the company 5 Year Plan using strategic planning techniques, ensuring buy-in from all key stakeholders and embedding key goals and objectives within management accounts and reporting suite.
• Significantly increased profitability and efficiency through a combination of business development, sales & marketing, business integration, headcount reduction, competitive funding and the use of innovative technology.
• Successfully sold the business for a high earnings multiple and then fully integrated it into a new ownership structure post-acquisition.
• Responsible for new Sales & Marketing strategy designed to improve candidate and client engagement using social media platforms. Appointed the company’s first Marketing Executive to provide support to the Operations.
• Successfully change managed through the introduction of a business-critical £200k CRM/back-office system by managing the formal tender process, performing due diligence and then leading the project team responsible for.

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

• Appointed as the company's first Finance Director having performed the role on an interim basis since the inception of the company in 2006. I operated as a key member of The Board to drive business strategy and oversee.
• Developed the finance function from scratch, and created a highly efficient and best-in-class finance team that supported year-on-year double-digit growth.
• Led an overhead rationalisation programme that reduced unnecessary costs by 15% and contributed to a significant upturn in profitability.
• Introduced new reporting capability using new accounting software, driving an increase in efficiency and resulting in a 50% reduction in the time taken to produce the monthly management reporting pack.
• Played a key role in the goodwill purchase of the Quality Link recruitment business from Murray Capital. Performed due diligence, was central to negotiations and the legals and integrated the business post-acquisition.
• Successfully steered the company through the financial turbulence caused by the 2008 financial crash by robustly managing cash flow.

Greater Glasgow Area

• I operated my own accountancy practice as part of the AIMS Accountants network. supporting local SME businesses in Lanarkshire. My objective was to add value to my client's businesses by becoming a trusted advisor and.
• Built a new franchised business by offering an alternative to the High Street accountant and grew it by marketing to the local business community, networking and creating a robust referral strategy.
• Promoted the concept of "Knowing Your Numbers" to clients to help give them a better understanding and appreciation of how every business decision at some point will have a financial implication that needs to be.
• Created a niche Interim FD service for clients that required access to better quality financial expertise but were unable to afford or justify a full-time accountant.

Glasgow, United Kingdom

• Scottish Citylink is a long-distance express coach operator in Scotland and Ireland and laterly has operated as a joint venture between ComfortDelGro and Stagecoach plc. As Financial Controller I supported the MD.
• Key part of the team that was involved in the purchase of an Irish subsidiary and its subsequent integration into the business.
• Created robust internal controls, particularly in relation to cash handling and the maximisation of Fuel Duty Rebate and Concessionary Fare claims.
• Played a key role in negotiations with sub-contractors over new mileage rates and created a financial model to forecast their impact on profitability.
• Liaised with the competition authorities to help gain regulatory approval for the JV deal.