Michael Sterling Email and Phone Number

CFO for rapidly growing entrepreneurial recruitment business in the Commercial and Industrial sector, with a presence in Beds, Bucks, Herts and London. Somnium is a leading head office and commercial talent solutions business with a unique approach, unrivalled experience and an outstanding team.

Working Capital Consultancy Ltd. is a consultancy established to provide financial and management advice to SME’s in the service sector, with emphasis on preparing the business to release funds to holders of equity. The company offers higher level FD support and guidance required for:• Refinancing the business• Managing and improving cash flow to reduce net debt• Establishing and enhancing operational and financial systems• Structuring the Accounting and Finance team• Establishing high-level reporting, especially to Board/shareholders• Preparing for equity transactionsWith more than 20 years’ experience with SME’s, notably in the recruitment sector, Working Capital Consultancy’s advice is aimed at enabling owners to realise value from their businesses. Services range from detailed interim support to NED engagements.Recent achievements:- Completed business forecast and accounting streams for a £1.5M fund raise for an internet recruitment business. Use of proceeds included completing a US acquisition – completed due diligence, arranged acquisition agreement and legal documents with advisors, concluded negotiations with sellers and integrated the business into the acquirer.- Concluded a £200K angel investment in a start-up recruiter in the renewables sector. Prepared business plan & forecast, arranged investment agreement with legal counsel, and concluded investment formalities. Start-up has established its current cash flow and is trading ahead of forecast.

Promoted to Group Financial Director following the acquisition of Eden Brown by HCIG, a holding company backed by James Caan's Hamilton Bradshaw private equity group. I retained primary responsibility for the arrangement and maintenance of Group finance, and control of the Treasury function. The Group embarked on a “buy-and-build” strategy, during which I concluded financial models and DD for acquisition of 3 subsidiaries, including negotiating one acquisition from the Administrator, and integrated the Finance and back-office systems of all acquisitions and 5 start-up businesses into the Group. In 2011 I established HCIG Operations, the Group's award-winning “shared services” division, which provides centralised Finance and Operations services to Group companies, and back-office services to 5 companies outside the HCIG Group. Working in collaboration with the Group COO, I also reduced central overhead by 12% during the Group’s 100% expansion since 2007. This scalable operating platform was central to defining the Group’s growth strategy and value proposition.In 2014 I led the Finance streams for the IPO process, including restatement of accounts under IFRS, conclusion of audit within 45 days of year-end and building of a 4-year predictive model for the Group. IPO process was completed through to issue of Pathfinder, before being discontinued in favour of a PE process. I engaged with secondary PE transaction team and professional advisors to complete PE model, financial, commercial & legal DD, and presented HCIG during syndicated bank fund raising. Acquisition and financing was successfully concluded for the acquisition of HCIG from the Hamilton Bradshaw portfolio in November 2014.Served as Director for 25 Group companies during my tenure as FD for HCIG.

Joined a Board of 4 Directors for a privately-held recruitment company supplying contractors to Construction and UK Local Government. Contributed to company growth from 35 staff to 5 UK offices and 200 staff, including the creation of Matrix, a supply chain management business in the staffing sector. Implemented the company's first integrated back-office system, and established the accounting, budgetary and reporting structure. Refinanced the business from factoring to an ID facility, reducing costs and increasing headroom. Implemented the accounting systems and working capital model for Matrix, which provided the finance to fund the disposal of Eden Brown to a private equity acquirer.

Financial Controller and UK General Manager for a start-up computer games company that relocated its development resources to the USA to penetrate the largest games market. Managed a UK/European sales and outsourced production operation of 10 staff, and a factoring facility that provided finance for both UK and US operations.Primary collaborator with CEO for all major strategic decisions, including the eventual sale of the business to Sierra On-line. Supported the CEO in Boston during the negotiations, and provided all DD and legal information pursuant to the share exchange.