Richard Wilman Email & Phone Number

London, United Kingdom

Skillnet Ltd is an independent recruitment and training provider of automotive and engineering apprenticeships with over 1,500 learners. The recruitment side of the business generate 600+ new starts a year.I look after the Finance, Strategy, IT, HR, VLE and learner administration for Skillnet Ltd.Developed the strategy for the 5 year business growth plan, returning the business back to profitability within the first year.* Reduced major supplier costs by 10%* Turn around loss making organisation to £1.2m+ EBITDA within 3 years* Implemented VLE for apprentices to cover pastoral care and online learning* 10% year on year growth in volumes* Goal to reach £2m profitability within next 2 years* Successfully led the MBO of Skillnet Ltd in December 2020

Reading, United Kingdom

Head of Finance for International Ecommerce Business based in Reading, selling garden equipment.Key responsibilities include:* The implementation of a new ERP system to enable growth for Primrose in its established markets of Europe and US. * Finish Year end accounts and audit* Review the operations of the business from sourcing in Far East, Logistics to Sales Channels, to drive efficiencies, margin improvement and profitability* Responsibility for International FOREX and Sale tax obligations* Prepare the business for future investment and or sale

Sw London - Chessington

Overall responsibility for Finance and part of the senior management team. * Forecasting and Budget* Stock management and warehouse management* AIM listed financial reporting* Contracts , review of deals, rebates, vendor management* Cash management, created detailed cash forecasting models, FOREX* Strategy document and implementation

Se London - Beckenham

Recruited by new high wealth investor to extend exiting short term finance facilities, find new long term funders for the Company and turnaround loss making enterprise by driving business improvement.•Created new business plan with revised strategic objectives and full 3 year financial projections.•Negotiated new High Wealth funding of £4m, outsource POS consumer debt funding of £9m and successfully completed £10m secured lending line with Shawbrook•Completed IBR with KPMG for existing funders and agreed 6 month funding extension•Leading strategic move towards retail outlets for the product range and expansion outside UK•Driven £1m of operational savings with the business now on track for £3.8m operating profit•Outsourced Financial Services company improving collections, customer service and operational savings

Headhunted by PE backed E-learning and Financial Services company to resolve the high level of bad debt and protect the PE investment• Developed credit scoring for new student loans, reducing annual bad debt by over 60% and improving overall profitability of the business by £2m p.a.• Negotiated bank term loans of £1.2m, additional PE funding of £5m, outsource funding of £4m and numerous debt sales, totalling over £30m.• Overcame an adverse ruling by HMRC by presenting a plan for a Pre-Pack to the VC that ensured a smooth transition to the new company with all connected parties satisfied.• Reduced print costs by £1m p.a. in 2009, driving operational performance• Initiated DCA champion panels resulting in a 100% increase in collections • Outsourced credit function reducing overall operational costs and improving default collections• Project managed the introduction of new CRM system and integration into the web• Introduced daily, weekly and quarterly cash monitoring, reviews and forecasting• Established ecommerce system increasing sales by 20%

Managed Finance, Forecasting, Credit, Anti Money Laundering, Risk & Underwriting • Led and implemented a Sarbanes Oxley compliance project to meet the tight deadlines of the Japanese holding company• Carried out an IFRS review, implementing changes and managing the transition to new reporting requirements with a new budget completed using old and new standards to highlight variances• Successfully oversaw and managed the process of moving two legacy financial systems to a new full blown ERP system• Developed pricing and profitability reviews of products and customers• Refined credit risk analysis of B2B customers resulting in improved provisioning methods• Overall responsibility of corporate and retail assets of £300m+• Statutory and Management reporting to UK and Japan within 3 working days

Lebanese Holding Compnay with investments in distribution, food processing, property and waste managementRecruited to assess the future profitability and strategy of loss making frozen food manufacturer and distribution company.* Created and defined a standard costing model for frozen food production facility* Established a logistics and customer margin model to improve the profitability of the wholesale food distribution company

Manage a team of 10 qualified group accountants.• Motivated the group reporting department to achieve for the first time the audited signed accounts for the Stock Exchange announcement (UK GAAP & US GAAP)• Compiled the timely production of the consolidated mgt accounts, forecasts and budgets• Co-ordinated the group wide effort to achieve year end operating cash targets• Streamlined the KPI reporting of working capital for divisional entities (150 worldwide)• Successfully negotiated the contingent liability provision to minimise the impact on operating profit• Completed impairment review of subsidiaries and onerous contract provisions – circa £700m

Suppliers and Maintenance Contractors of Automatic Teller Machines The reconstruction of previous financial reports and implement systems controls.

Food Retailer with T/o £2.3bn and 200+ outletsHead of department of 24, whose duties included the preparation of monthly reports, consolidated statutory accounts, financial analysis, accounts payable / receivable, stock control and budgeting. • Led Activity Based Costing project, identifying true product margins and eliminating costs within the supply chain. • Implemented new VAT scheme with all related technical reports and procedures saving £2m.• Refined Buyers kick back procedures and systems to ensure accuracy of product margins.• Proved the business benefits of a new stock accounting system to tackle £30m shrinkage issue.• Participated in the strategic review of Waitrose branches.• Developed new logistics processes and billing system for Ocado joint venture.• Simplified the logistic processes via the ‘Pick at Supplier’ project (chilled meats), set-up to remove costs out of the supply chain.• Performed financial sign off on all CAPEX investments, from new stores to refits.• Produced business review of a subsidiary highlighting key benefits to the organisation and the viability of the investment. • Integrated the Leckford Estate Farm Reporting System• Outsourced goods not for re-sale in the branches to logistics firm Bunzl saving logistic costs• Reviewed OCADO System including data flows and overall supply chain, highlighting deficiencies and making recommendations for improvement.

Outdoor clothing retailer with over 20 storesHead of Finance, Personnel and Information Technology functions with a total of 18 staff. Chairman of the IIP Committee, Quality Manager for Head Office and Company Secretary.• Selected and project managed a successful implementation of a new SAP system. System installed was IS Retail, modules Sales & Distribution, Merchandise Management and Financials (FI/CO), E-commerce. • Due diligence work for new acquisitions, IPO, investment analysis, price / bid criteria and management of all aspects with corporate financiers, banks, venture capitalists.• Successfully implemented a fully automated EPOS system within all branches.• Introduced rolling quarterly branch audits to maximise the control of stock and reduce shrinkage. • Successfully implemented fully automated EPOS system within all branches.

Responsibilities included Finance, Credit and Administration- Reduced Bad Debts from peak 15% of sales at time of joining to below 1%- Increased operational efficiency and eradicated BSP payment duplications- Moved financial reporting from manual to fully automated system

Product profitability and margin analysisContract negotiation and deal sign offDivisional performance reporting

Management AccountantStock control Shrinkage analysis

Weekly and monthly management accountantStandard costing variance analysisYield analysisStock Control

Ba, Accounting Studies

Education record