Simon Smith Email & Phone Number

London, England, United Kingdom

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Chicago, Illinois, United States

London, United Kingdom

• Finance lead over the consolidation of Capita’s IT resale businesses with £200m+ revenue. Developed and implemented business turnaround plans driving 2017 growth.
• Assessment of existing and acquired companies, identifying cost rationalisation opportunities and setting strategic objectives for increasing market share.

• Lead role overseeing the merger of three Capita businesses. Ensuring integrity of all business finances, with a team of 50+ finance staff, maintaining business continuity and growth through a rapid transformational.
• Led organisational redesign and restructure of 2,500 employees, affecting a 16% headcount reduction, delivering significant cost base savings and right-sizing the business.
• Implemented new processes and redefined spans of control across discretionary spend, additional payments, recruitment, capital expenditure and revenue leakage, leading to £3.5m of in-year margin improvement.
• Standardised financial reporting, improving quality of management information and subsequently decision making agility. Led to 15% reduction in onshore finance headcount.
• Drove turnaround of three distressed transformation programmes through rigorous governance. Stopped losses and developed improvement plans for returning contracts to profitability.
• Redefined forecast and budgeting process, producing concise, accurate consolidations within two months of business merger.

• Responsible for Capita’s hosting and applications businesses, with 1000 employees servicing 100+ clients across a variety of sectors, generating £150m+ revenue.
• Delivered year on year margin growth of over 50%, through:o Overseeing vendor negotiations on new cloud technology investment, generating £2m+ savings for Capita Group.o Developing the strategy and pricing models for.
• Re-built, and developed, a top class trusted finance team, improving team morale, internal perception and customer satisfaction scores.
• Improved working capital management, promoting better understanding and driving ownership into the business.

Hong Kong

• Responsible for financial strategy, partnering the business supporting financial services clients in the AMEA region. Leading a team delivering financial control, process improvement and analysis, on a complex.
• Lead finance role on the transition back of services to AMEA’s largest client. Program delivered to schedule and budget, with no stranded cost exposure. Transition included transfer of 300+ staff and £40m+ assets.
• Led AMEA activity on CSC global internal restructure which impacted internal systems and reporting, with headcount restructuring and offshoring; effected all changes on schedule minimising business impact.
• Oversaw restructuring activities of a key failing contract in the region. Contract changes led to account profitability improvements of £5-10m per annum.
• Preparation and presentation of reporting packs to U.S. senior management. Hong Kong contact for internal and external audit. Member of investment review board for Capital purchases, and review and sign off on New.

Hong Kong

• Responsible for financial strategy, growth, process and control on a large, complex, multi-country outsourcing contract in Asia.
• Account set up on contract award, design and build of unit-based volumetric billing system and integration with Remedy service desk tool. Delivered on-time financial support and ‘order to pay’ process in a phased.
• Established, and then led, a finance team in Hong Kong, delivering the full monthly / annual finance activity on this key AMEA account.
• Worked through significant first year impairment write-down on the contract. Generated organisation-wide understanding of issues, effecting key changes to improve profitability.

Aldershot / London

• Successfully led a team of business partners on a large, high profile, and under-performing account, delivering the full suite of financial cycle reporting and business support.
• Took the lead finance role during an intensive five month contract reset with the client, resulting in a contract restructure that delivered significant savings for both parties.
• Implementation of new controls and reporting tools, providing clarity and understanding of problems and challenges and meeting complex external client reporting requirements.

Aldershot, UK

From contract award in early 2007, provided financial direction during the transformation and rapid growth of this key government contract, to one of the UK’s largest accounts. In a unique and challenging environment, built and developed successful client and 3rd party relationships, negotiated commercial terms and provided financial business acumen.

Aldershot

Joined CSC’s graduate scheme in 2004, working in a number of varied roles whilst gaining accountancy qualifications.

Acma - Chartered Management Accountant, Accountancy

Bachelor Of Engineering (Beng)