Financial Controller (previously Finance Manager) - Portas Agency Ltd - London
(2013-02)
Full day-to-day financial control, multi-entity financial management and executive governance for a leading creative brand consultancy (£3m turnover).
- Full financial control: end-to-end day-to-day financial management for a multi-entity creative brand consultancy (£3m turnover, £2.4m annual budget), governing the month-end close cycle — multi-entity balance sheets, P&L, accruals/prepayments, fixed asset register, depreciation postings and revenue recognition.
- Treasury, cash flow & banking: primary bank contact, managing a £250k commercial overdraft facility; full ownership of cash flow forecasting and liquidity management across multiple entities, including AP/AR strategy.
- Statutory & audit compliance: Ensure statutory tax compliance across both entities, including preparation and submission of VAT returns; manage corporation tax position in liaison with external advisers; oversee year-end audit preparation to ensure accurate tax accounting and reporting in line with regulatory obligations.
- Executive & board reporting: prepare and present monthly board packs, management accounts and variance analysis to Founders and senior leadership to inform commercial decisions.
- Board governance: Trustee Board Member for the Employee Ownership Trust (EOT), driving corporate governance and long-term employee ownership strategy.
- Team leadership: lead finance function supporting 15 staff plus freelancers (Paprika); previously managed a team of 2 direct reports.
- Cost control & budgeting: owned the annual budgeting cycle and rolling forecasts, identifying and reducing fixed costs including insurance to better align expenditure with margin targets.
- Audit: delivered complete audit-ready reporting pack — management accounts, balance sheet reconciliations, and accruals/prepayments schedules — to external auditors a full week ahead of the year-end deadline.
- Process & compliance design: developed standardised freelance contracts (sole trader and Ltd company) with the CFO supporting IR35-conscious working practices; designed and rolled out new expenses and subscription sign-off processes, including a company-wide approval form.
- Design & implementation of financial processes & controls: eliminated paper-based workflows by introducing a fully remote, streamlined invoice sign-off and posting process. Led cross-departmental initiative with IT to introduce MFA-secured VPN access, mitigating cyber security risk.
- Payroll transition: led the transition from in-house to outsourced payroll, improving efficiency and compliance.
Accountant - Design Research Ltd (T/A Tom Dixon) - London
(2008-05 - 2012-04)
Management of the corporate finance department, covering UK and US operations.
- Financial leadership & reporting: Managed the finance department, overseeing monthly management accounts, month-end close procedures and balance sheet/control account reconciliations.
- Audit & statutory compliance: Led annual audit process with PWC (full audit file preparation); managed VAT, Intrastat, EC Sales List and annual return submissions.
- Purchase & sales ledger: Ran full purchase ledger (BACS/cheque runs, expense reconciliations, invoice sign-off) and sales ledger, including credit analysis and term negotiations.
- Payroll & pensions: Managed payroll for 40 staff including Director's payroll and year-end reconciliations; led research and implementation of company pension scheme.
- Treasury & cash management: Managed FX trades and cross-currency bank reconciliations, plus cash flow projection and analysis to support liquidity planning.
- Budgeting & fixed assets: Led budget preparation with Studio Manager to control overheads; maintained Fixed Asset register, depreciation and journal postings.
- Group & subsidiary accounting: Managed multi-jurisdiction tax compliance including UK VAT, Intrastat and EC Sales List submissions, and US subsidiary accounting, demonstrating understanding of cross-border tax obligations and their impact on group financial reporting.
- Stakeholder & team management: Managed key relationships with banks and auditors; led departmental recruitment from shortlisting to onboarding.
Finance Officer - Rich Mix Cultural Foundation - London, UK
(2006-10 - 2008-05)
- Managed the accounts department, resolving a legacy purchase ledger backlog and streamlining workflows.
- Held accountability for month-end close, intercompany accounts, and multi-bank reconciliations (SUN Systems).
Assistant Finance Manager - Sisley UK & Ireland - London, UK
(2004-03 - 2006-03)
- Co-authored monthly management accounts with variance analysis and commercial insight for senior management.
- Managed sales and purchase ledger close-downs (Sage) and payroll schedules.
Accounts Assistant - Marcus Evans Ltd
(2004 - 2005)
Fees Clerk - 36 Bedford Row, Chambers of Michael Pert Q.C.
(2002 - 2003)
Collections Manager/Advisor - HFC Bank
(2000 - 2002)
Caseworker - Legal Services Commission
(1999 - 2000)
