Panavision hires camera, lighting, grip equipment, and services to the film, television, professional photographic and allied industries. Turnover £120m. Managing the EMEA Group Finance function of 12 staff, reporting to EMEA Finance Director.Responsibilities:• Overseeing the production and review of monthly reports to US Corporate and management accounts• Overseeing the production and review of EMEA statutory accounts. Responsible for co-ordination with the auditors• Overseeing the production and review of tax submissions to HMRC for all Group entities• Management of the Accounts payable and Treasury functionsMy main focus since taking the role has been improving financial and business processes to enable the business to function more efficiently.

LeeFilters manufactures and sells its products internationally into the lighting filter markets (sectors include motion picture, TV filming, theatres, festivals etc.) and camera filter markets. Turnover £15m.Managing both the finance and IT departments, reporting to Managing Director – 4 staff.Responsibilities:• Producing quarterly/ annual forecasts, achieving the necessary coordination across all business areas.• Preparing monthly reports, justification of the business performance at operational reviews to Group management.• Completing year end accounting submissions, ensuring all relevant information available to the external auditors to support the reported year end position.• Preparing and presenting budgets for Group approval Key Achievements:• Drove a £1.4m reduction in working capital and tightly managed business costs to deliver a positive cashflow in COVID impacted year.• Developed a fully integrated P&L, Balance sheet and cashflow forecast model to meet the enhanced Group reporting requirements through COVID impacted trading period.• Changed standard costing methodology in the business to provide more accurate costings for commercial decision making.• Oversaw redundancy program to deliver £0.5m of annualised savings.• Developed KPI’s covering all departments within the business, generating improvement actions and monitoring impact

Chemring Technology Solutions provides Electronic Warfare systems, EOD and Detection products to Defence Forces both in the UK and abroad both direct and via the large primes. Started trading in November 2015 adding the products business from Roke Manor Research to the Chemring EOD business. Turnover £20m.Finance DirectorInvited to manage a finance department and provide a strategic financial capability, deliver financial input to all key business decisions, reporting to the Managing Director - 3 finance staff.Key Achievements:• As part of the Leadership team created and gained approval for a £4.5m development programme for a next generation Electronic Warfare product• Recruited, managed, appraised and developed a high performing team, achieving a low attrition rate.• Developed and maintained relationships, despite making tough and unpopular decisions, across all functions of the business.• Sponsored the introduction of call-off contracts with the main suppliers achieving material purchase savings of 5% on the main EW product. • Drove £1.5m reduction in the overhead base against budget in the first year of trading.• Implemented policies to reduce inventory from £4.4m in Nov-15 to £2.2m in Oct-16.• Oversaw the implementation of SAGE MRP system across the consolidated CTS business. The implementation took place in very short timescale. Concurrently drove the establishment of process and controls to enable the business to function efficiently utilizing shared support services from the Roke Manor business.

Roke provides R&D services to the UK Security Services & UK MoD and has an Electronic Warfare systems and Detection products business.Invited to provide financial support to the Product Business Segment Directors, giving financial input into business decisionsKey Achievements:• Took ownership of the budgeting and forecasting process, working with the Business sector managers to drive the business to achieve forecasts and to provide financial input at Operational reviews.• Provided financial input and presentation of business case for £1m+ product development of Electronic warfare product enhancements.• Given responsibility for the financial elements of two successful >£7m export tenders, involving oversight of internal cost/price data and production of financial tender submission documents.

Chemring EOD manufactures and supplies worldwide a comprehensive range of Counter Threat Solutions to protect people and assets in both military and civil environments worldwide. Invited to manage the finance department, reported to Managing Director – 3 staff.Key Achievements:• Planned and implemented a site closure plan in 2010, delivering the project under budget and resulting in a reduction in overheads in 2011 which exceeded budget and enabled the business to return to profit in 2011.• Planned and implemented subsequent cost reduction plans in 2012 and 2013, resulting in a further 17% reduction in the cost base over the 2 years and a 23% overhead saving on budget in 2013.• Implemented an MRP system (sage 200), generating data to support the strategic planning process.• Initiated the introduction of a bonded store, which combined with the MRP system, provided the business with accurate inventory records and costings, enabling the business to more easily manage inventory levels, reducing inventory by £0.3m (20%) during FY13 and highlighted areas in which production efficiencies can be achieved.• Drove the merger of two trial balances into one, the movement away from a cheque-based payment system and the simplification of the excel files used within the finance processes, enabling the reduction of 1.5 heads in the department.

Appointed to establish the internal audit function at a FTSE 250 group of Defence companies recruiting European and US based auditors to cope with the increasing demands on the function, reported to the Group Financial Controller – 2 staff.• Successfully created the internal audit programmes to test the key internal controls around the main financial processes and test compliance with the policies in Group accounting policy manual. • Provided internal audit updates to the Group audit committee on a regular basis.• Updated the Group Accounting Policy Manual (GAPM), performing revenue recognition testing and produced a variety of reports on request from the Group FD• Performed fair value reviews of newly acquired business units

Recruited to the Controls and Compliance Team for Europe and South Africa (turnover in excess of $1.6billion), reported to the Controls and Compliance Manager.• Worked on the "Sarbanes Oxley" project and on more wide-ranging internal audits, involving the supervision of external personnel used to perform the testing and review of the work produced.• Discussed the control weaknesses with local management, presenting the results to senior management and meeting the tight deadlines set by US corporate to resolve the issues.

• Worked as a trainee accountant studying for ACA qualification at a top twenty accountancy firm based in London.• Prepared accounts, audited and carried out tax work for SMEs and charities. • Gained experience working in the tax department, preparing tax returns for individuals.• Carried out audit planning, budget preparation and supervision of junior staff, ensuring compliance in line with company audit standards. After completion of audits discussed contentious issues with client management and the audit partner.