Paul Beech Email & Phone Number

Manchester, England, United Kingdom

Sales, installation and service of automated security bollards

Aqua Air is a leading manufacturer and distributor of cleaning solutions and accessories, selling through a network of distributors, wholesalers and B2B, primarily into the hospitality sector. T/O £957k 2021. I initially joined the company as Customer Services Manager in 1996 before being appointed as Management Accountant in 2001. I was subsequently promoted to the role of Operations and Finance Director in 2004, where I am accountable for overseeing the day-to-day financial, accounting and operational activities for the organisation, including preparing statutory accounts. My remit also includes preparing monthly accounts, management accounts and board reports, overseeing foreign currency management, customer service and office administration functions, and preparing business valuations for shareholders based on net assets and future earnings. Most notably, I developed and executed the organisation’s business plan and financial forecasts in collaboration with the Managing Director to secure investment for the organisation. I successfully led the company through a complex HMRC investigation regarding VAT returns following a decrease in VAT payments on a similar revenue stream, which involved presenting evidence to the HMRC to reduce a potential VAT bill of £100k to £1,200. In addition, I delivered incentive payments of £12k by switching bank accounts from RBS to the Cooperative Bank, and was instrumental in supporting the shareholding of the company’s transition from 2 equal holdings to a single shareholding.

Hale, Cheshire

Barry Bladon Hale is an independent pharmacy and gift shop with a turnover of £1.5m. In my capacity as Financial Controller, I am accountable for producing accurate and timely statutory accounts, monthly accounts, board reports and quarterly management accounts to key stakeholders including business owners and the bank. I work closely with external accountants and auditors, ensure regulatory obligations are complied with, and drive performance across multiple business areas including foreign currency management, customer services and office administration.Most notably, I have been instrumental in automating and streamlining accounting and financial functions by migrating accounts and payroll from paper-based to Sage on joining the company in 2012. I have also delivered cost savings of 30% across the company by reviewing and re-negotiating all non-pharmacy contracts and embedding sustainable efficiency improvements, and delivered £21k in incentive payments by switching from RBS to the Co-operative Bank.