Simon Raper Email & Phone Number

Minneapolis

Partner and Owner of Thumbprint Capital, a consulting company that leverages my experience and provides services including; part time CFO services, financial modeling, strategic planning, start up support, restructuring and business turnarounds, assistance with capital raises, business valuations, financial reporting improvement, process re-engineering, bank negotiations and business analysis.

Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

Provide part time CFO level and consulting services to small/medium sized companies and not for profit organizations with annual sales up to $25 million in a range of different industries. Services comprised strategic finance input, developing and enhancing modeling capabilities, developing budgeting and cost control models, annual budgets including board presentations, assistance in equity and debt raises and process re-engineering. Examples include; helped medium sized firm restructure its operations, renegotiate bank debt and supplier obligations; developed financial models for clients consistent with strategic business goals for use in investor presentations; helped develop business strategy for branding company including but not limited to financial models and targets; regularly provide strategic advice, both financial and operational, to small to medium sized businesses. Clients included civil engineering companies, media companies, engineering companies, health care providers, nonprofit organizations, publishers, IT consultants and HR service providers.

Minneapolis

CFO and later COO of a digital media company initially delivering curated local news to the state of Minnesota. Added a second business line (healthcare news) in 2014. Initially brought on as a consultant to develop their business model assisted in raising $3 million in angel funding. Subsequently provided part time CFO services which as the business grew led to full time employment in January of 2014 including assuming the role of COO. Responsible for operations and finance. Recently part of senior management team that negotiated the sale of the local news operations to a local strategic investor. Subsequently worked on a second round of financing to help take the healthcare brand national.

Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

As part time CFO and latterly COO worked with MCE to restructure its business. In this role; streamlined organization structure to reflect business orientation and drive efficiency; reduced discretionary and non value added spending; introduced accountability and management responsibility using EOS as a tool; initiated strategic assessment and planning in all areas of the business but especially in machine and people capacity; changed banking relationship to ensure adequate working capital and capital spending lines are in place to facilitate growth (including a new $3.75M facility); re-implemented ERP system including the Financial reporting model; re-engineered inventory management, and; developed capital equipment plan to replace inefficient and outdated equipment. Responsibilities included; all aspects of financial reporting; treasury management and cash flow; capital spending; strategic planning; IT, and; HR

Part Time CFO initially introduced to RLK on a consulting basis before becoming part time CFO in 2009. Throughout the period responsibilities included financial reporting, budgeting and forecasting, IT and development of strategic plans. Later assumed responsibility for HR. Initiated significant cost savings and restructuring initiatives which reduced annual costs by over $2 million. Renegotiated bank debt and other long term contracts including office lease commitments, equipment leases, telephone and other IT services and insurance to be consistent with our business needs. Worked with the President to settle long outstanding litigation in a cost effective and acceptable way and in doing so significantly reduced legal expenses. Negotiated the sale of the company’s regional office to local management for a price 4X annual cash flow including arranging finance for the buyers. Oversaw IT upgrade and outsourcing of HR function. Helped negotiate merger with larger Civil Engineering firm.

Developed and executed a restructuring plan for Asia Pacific operations of Fortune 500 Company, which delivered nearly $25M in P&L improvement in three years; the plan included the rationalization of two divisions and the disposal of a third, plus a significant reduction in regional head office costs. Spearheaded major process re-engineering initiative, IT implementation, and treasury review and improvement of control environment, financial reporting accuracy, format, and timeliness. Headed all day-to-day financial reporting, forecasting, tax, treasury, and IT management and responsible for the preparation and presentation of annual operating plans to senior executives. Worked closely with local offices of major US banks to develop a treasury strategy with allowed the company to take advantage of lower US$ interest rates while hedging our exposure to the RMB. Evaluated internal cost allocations and inter company charges to eliminate complexity and significantly reduce exposure to Chinese taxes including those related to seconded expatriate employees and transfer pricing. Completed an analysis of significant non-remittable inter company balances with Chinese subsidiaries and developed a strategy to significantly reduce these through write offs, with no net consolidated P&L impact, but which eliminated retained losses in the same subsidiaries allowing them to distribute ongoing profits to their offshore holding company. This was achieved with no tax cost by taking advantage of negotiated tax holidays which were about to expire.

Moscow, Russian Federation

Responsibilities included; all aspects of financial reporting, forecasts and strategic plans, IT function including system implementations, capital spending budgets and controls, corporate reporting and recruitment, management and training of finance organization. Part of initial management group that started the business and grew it to 3,000 employees, 30 distribution centers and 3 manufacturing facilities within 2 years of inception. In that environment: developed financial controls and maintained overall responsibility for a $250M+ capital budget: established an initial legal entity structure, which delivered savings of approximately $25M in duty and related taxes: recruited eight senior finance individuals to head up regions and head office functions; worked with these individuals to recruit and train their teams. Within two years, the finance function comprised over 400 people. Achieved an above average internal audit rating for a start up. Developed and implemented an IT strategy to use Pepsi sales and financial reporting systems in an extremely difficult and complex fiscal and regulatory environment.

Vienna Austria

Responsible for financial reporting, taxes, and control environment in 38 countries with gross sales in excess of $500 million. Prepared and managed division head office budgets. Recruited Controllers and other staff in country offices. Conducted acquisition reviews and due diligence as necessary. Reviewed capex proposals across the division. Developed and implemented control environment and tax diagnostic tools, which were rolled out to other international locations. Improved internal audit ratings in all countries audited within the 30 months I was in the position. Promoted three times in 30 months.

Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

London, United Kingdom

Bachelor'S Degree, Modern European History, Upper Second

Ba With Hons, History, Upper Second

Upper Second in Modern European History