Richard

Operating executive focused on distressed and complex businesses. Steps into carve-outs, liquidity pressure, and operational underperformance to establish control, stabilize cash, and hand over to permanent management.

Experience spans private equity portfolio operations, acting and interim CFO roles, restructuring, ABL financing, and transformation across industrial, manufacturing, mining, and financial services. Works with investment teams, boards, lenders, and management on Day 1 readiness, 100-day plans, liquidity and financing, operational improvement, and standalone business creation.

Portfolio Operations Executive at Mutares US, Inc. (2026-01 – 2026-08)

Member of Mutares' U.S. Portfolio Operations team, which deploys mandate-based operating teams into newly acquired industrial companies to stabilize performance and transition to permanent local management. Supported acquisitions, carve-outs, restructuring, financing, and value creation; deployed as Acting CFO and board member at Ohio Strip Steel following its acquisition.

• Built and executed Day-1 and 100-day plans covering standalone operations, liquidity, financing readiness, governance, and finance transformation.
• Implemented a cash-focused operating model (13-week cash forecasting, payment governance, working capital controls, lender reporting) that preserved liquidity through the operational ramp-up; resolved process deficiencies across AR, AP, inventory, budgeting, and reporting.
• Led financing readiness with lenders and advisors, including borrowing-base development, diligence materials, and covenant analysis and reporting; supported activation of the ABL revolver in July 2026.
• Recruited a permanent VP Finance and completed the leadership handover to local management, embedding governance, cash management, and performance reporting.

Relocation to the U.S. & LL.M., Corporate Restructuring & M&A at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (2023-09 – 2025-12)

Relocated from the UK to the U.S.; completed an LL.M. with a concentration in Bankruptcy, Secured Transactions, Corporate Restructuring, and M&A.

Director, Strategy & Value Creation at Fairline Yachts (Hanover Investors) (2021-08 – 2023-09)

Led transformation and value-creation work for a private-equity-backed yacht manufacturer, working with the CEO, CFO, board, and investors; reported progress against transformation initiatives to investors and the board.

• Recovered a delayed Syteline ERP implementation and used process redesign and performance management to improve operational efficiency by 15%.
• Established transformation governance that reduced project delivery timelines by 20%; supported a 12% improvement in liquidity.
• Partnered with the CEO, CFO, and board to redesign organizational structures, strengthen working capital, and implement cost transformation initiatives.

Associate Director, Turnaround & Restructuring Strategy at EY-Parthenon (2020-02 – 2021-07)

Led restructuring, liquidity stabilization, and performance improvement engagements for private-equity and corporate clients across energy, mining, media, and industrial sectors.

• Delivered a global media operating-model transformation, consolidating more than 150 brands into six and improving EBITDA margins by 15%.
• Developed liquidity-preservation strategies, 13-week cash-flow models, and working capital improvement programs for distressed businesses.

Group Finance Director at Metallon Corporation (2014-04 – 2018-06)

Executive leadership role overseeing finance and business operations for a multinational gold-mining group operating across four African jurisdictions.

• Led a group turnaround that increased gross profit by 28% and reduced the workforce from 6,500 to 4,000 employees.
• Implemented Sage X3 ERP across five operations and contributed to a 25% increase in EBITDA through finance transformation and operating improvements.
• Introduced 13-week cash forecasting and centralized cash controls; oversaw finance, IT, risk, and HR across multiple jurisdictions.

Interim CFO at Standard Telecom (Metallon Group subsidiary) (2017-07 – 2017-12)

Concurrent secondment during tenure as Group Finance Director; led finance, FP&A, tax, and operational finance during acquisition and stabilization.

• Identified financial irregularities during due diligence, supporting a $3 million reduction in acquisition consideration.
• Strengthened controls, governance, and reporting across a 23-person finance organization.

Executive Director, Private Equity at Kazimir Partners (2013-03 – 2014-02)

Worked with investment teams and portfolio-company executives on acquisitions, restructuring, post-investment value creation, and operational improvement.

• Supported operating improvement across investments representing approximately $1.4 billion of enterprise value.
• Led post-separation integration after the demerger from Renaissance Capital and delivered 18% cost synergies through finance consolidation and process redesign.

Vice President, Finance at Renaissance Capital (2010-02 – 2013-03)

Oversaw finance and operating matters across investment funds and supported cross-border fund transactions and listings.

• Led fund restructurings, re-domiciliations, and listings, including a $180 million fund listing on the London Stock Exchange.
• Supported a $630 million infrastructure fund launch with Macquarie, securing commitments from EBRD and IFC; resolved a tax matter yielding €1.3 million and delivered $250,000 in recurring audit savings.

Board Member at Mutares portfolio company (2026-01 – 2026-08)

Chair of Finance; Approved Person SMF 8 & SMF 17 at Money Matters Bank (2021-09 – 2025-12)

Treasurer & Chair of Audit Committee at Charity Works (2019-05 – 2023-10)

LL.M. in Corporate & Commercial; Bankruptcy & Restructuring – University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (2024 – 2025)

MSc, Sloan Fellow in Leadership & Strategy – London Business School (2018 – 2020)

MBA in Finance – University of East London (2008 – 2010)

BSc in Applied Accounting – Oxford Brookes University (2006 – 2008)