Neil Douglas Email & Phone Number

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

The core role of the Head of Financial Control is to safeguard the assets of the partnership through developing and driving the firm’s compliance and control agenda.The Head of Financial Control leads the CMS Cameron McKenna financial team of 90+ located across the firm’s UK and international offices. The team’s core functions comprise management and financial accounting, partnership accounting, treasury and cash management, cashiering and group and partner tax

Leeds And Newcastle

Parklane Plowden is one of the largest set on the North East Circuit with nearly 80 members based in Leeds and Newcastle. Key aspects of role are to:- provide efficient, modern and first class practice management & support /facilities for members of Chambers and clients- provide reliable cost-effective systems of internal administration and financial control- supervise a support staff team of 18 including clerks - develop and implement Chambers’ strategies to acquire new work, retain existing work and maintain and develop strong business relationships with existing and new clients - drive and implement a committed business development and marketing strategy, focusing on core client relationships, and exploiting cross selling opportunities and oversee the press and communications activity of chambers

Project Managing how the Law Society of Scotland will accomodate the Legal Services (Scotland) Bill re Alternative Business Structures for the legal profession in Scotland

Offices in Glasgow, Edinburgh, London and Aberdeen - 70 partners and a turnover of c £55m in 2009. Role also included responsibility for Risk Management and Facilities including premises and other back office functions. Worked closely with Chief Executive on firm-.wide strategy and projects. Was also a director of a subsidiary financial services compliance company.Major achievements included:Commercial focus• Improved commercial awareness within the partnership including development of Key Performance Indicators/metrics and increased focus on profitability.• Designed and implemented enhanced budgeting and business planning process to deal with the size and complexity of the business. Ensured the owners of the budget “bought into” the overall plan.• Devised financial reporting that identified trends and allowed appropriate action to be taken as soon as possible.• Delivered successful project management of major tasks including acquisitions.Finance and accounting• Devised and implemented systems and controls procedures that were required following change to LLP status and hence need for statutory audit.• Championed changes to working capital management leading to a reduction in lockup days of 10% over a 2 year period and hence improved the net indebtedness position. Delivered successful renewal of banking facilities and other funding as necessary.• Established Audit Committee; liaised with external auditors re statutory LLP accounts and other year end reporting. Dealt practically and successfully with issues in the financial statements such as WIP valuation, pension fund deficits, consolidation requirements etc.Premises and Facilities• Initiated and coordinated project to review of all overheads which led to significant savings of up to 35%.

Operated from a single site in Bristol with a serviced office in London - 50 partners and a turnover of c £32m in 2003. Brought in to deliver a more professional and commercial focus to the business.Major achievements included:• Improved financial budgeting and reporting including visibility of departmental and client profitability.• Developed profitability models and business plans. Worked with partners and others to encourage them to produce formal plans addressing issues.• Designed revised partnership model including remuneration models. Initiated review of partnership capital structure including establishment of pre-approved providers of loans.• Established and formalised basic/initial systems and controls procedures.• Improved working capital management (including management of WIP, disbursements and debtors).

Trained in Leeds and then transfered to London. Last five years worked as Finance Manger as part of firm mangement

Ba, Mathematics

BA in Mathematics

Education record