SME FINANCE PARTNERS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Portfolio Finance Director
Alan is a commercially driven finance professional, providing clear strategic direction and strong financial project management skills, with a track record of delivering results. Alan has vast experience and huge credibility, having worked on a number of highly complex and commercially challenging projects.
Alan qualified with PricewaterhouseCoopers in 1994, and gained 22 years experience with PWC across a number of assurance, advisory and re-structuring roles. At SME Finance Partners, Alan worked on the successful sale of a clients business in 2015, and is currently helping a number of clients to grow and improve business performance.
Chris is an experienced, commercially focused Finance Director with a proven track record covering a range of both blue chip and SME businesses. Having qualified as an accountant with British American Tobacco in 1998, he moved on to various senior finance roles in Automotive, Semi-conductor and Manufacturing sectors. Prior to establishing SME Finance Partners, Chris was Divisional Finance Director for Hargreaves Services Plc, an AIM listed Mining & Support Services business.
At SME Finance Partners, Chris has worked with a range of both large and small clients, helping them raise finance, re-structure businesses, improve financial performance and manage relations with key stakeholders.
Job Titles:
- Portfolio Finance Director
Colin is an accomplished senior leader and commercially focused Finance Director with a track record of delivering results. Since qualifying in 1996, Colin has worked within a wide range of industries including brewing, automotive, cosmetics & toiletries, healthcare, food & defence. Colin's roles have encompassed Operations, IT, HR, Purchasing, Quality and R&D as well as Finance. Colin is highly experienced at all aspects of finance from delivering detailed business models through to driving business change, re-financing businesses and MBO's. Colin is a member of the Institute of Directors and joined SME Finance Partners in July 2019.
Job Titles:
- Portfolio Finance Director
Colin is a MBA (Warwick Business School) and FCA (PwC) qualified Finance and Non-Executive Director. He has broad experience in business strategy, financial management and control, raising finance, business transactional management, systems implementation, risk management and assurance. Colin gained this experience working at Board, Audit and Executive Committee level in multinational listed groups and in various SMEs in different industry sectors.
Since joining SME Finance Partners Colin has supported clients on MBOs, business disposals, debt restructurings, securing equity finance, ERP systems implementation and improving their management and financial reporting.
Job Titles:
- Accountant
- Co - Founder
- Finance Director
Darren, a qualified accountant with 17 years' experience covering the Automotive (Calsonic) and Healthcare (Johnson & Johnson) sectors. Darren is a strong finance leader with commercial flare and strength of character that has made a significant impact at the senior level within the companies that he has worked.
At SME Finance Partners, Darren is the Finance Director for a number of businesses in the Healthcare sector, and recently guided a client through a successful floatation on the Euronext market.
Job Titles:
- Portfolio Finance Director
David joined SME Finance Partners in February 2019, having been the Finance Director of a surface mining and land remediation business, Tower Regeneration Ltd. David previously worked with Chris & Julian for the Hargreaves Services group of companies, where he gained considerable operational finance experience, leading the finance function of their surface mining interests throughout the UK.
David has experience of securing funding, setting up Joint Ventures, integrating acquisitions, implementing new systems and financial reporting & forecasting within a plc group, and he is now bringing those skills to benefit small & medium sized businesses.
Job Titles:
- Portfolio Finance Director
David joined SME Finance Partners in December 2018, having previously been a CFO within the Oil services and metals manufacturing sectors. Calm, experienced and unflappable, David has worked with key stakeholders to put structure & control into challenging business environments. In July 2019, David became a member of the Institute for Turnaround.
David's has worked in listed, privately owned and private equity backed businesses, with experience of business turnarounds, operational improvement plans, M&A due diligence and balance sheet restructuring.
Job Titles:
- Portfolio Finance Director
Ian joined SME Finance Partners in November 2022, having previously been the Finance Director of Jenkins Bakery in west Wales. Ian started his career with Coopers & Lybrand, training in Audit and qualifying in 1996. After qualifying, Ian moved into industry, joining Bemis Group, a global supplier of packaging used in the food, consumer products and healthcare sectors. Ian worked for Bemis for 20 years in a variety of divisions and roles, including latterly being the VP of Finance for Europe. After leaving Bemis, Ian started working with SME's in senior finance roles in the medtech, consumer products and manufacturing sectors.
Job Titles:
- Portfolio Finance Director
Julian joined the business as an equity partner in January 2016, having previously held various senior finance roles in the Industrial Services sector. Julian qualified as an accountant in 2009, before joining Chris at Hargreaves Services and progressing through the finance function.
Julian has been the finance lead on the establishment of a number of new businesses, and his strength lies in working with business owners and leaders to support their business planning and growth aspirations.
Job Titles:
- Portfolio Finance Director - South West
Kevin recently joined SME Finance Partners in 2019 and has 35 years of experience in industry.
A Finance Director who has worked in complex multi-site organizations providing financial and commercial support, Kevin has worked in businesses across Food, Construction and Property with turnovers ranging from £4m-£95m.
Kevin is a strategic thinker and has a track record of successfully managing functions including Finance, HR, Sales and IT.
Job Titles:
- Portfolio Finance Director
Kevin is a qualified Chartered Accountant, qualified teacher and NVQ assessor with over 25 years experience in senior finance roles. Kevin started his career in Practice with Grant Thornton, before moving into Industry with AMCOR and RPC Group. Latterly Kevin has combined portfolio finance work with a number of fast growth businesses, with a move into lecturing and training within Education.
One of Kevin's key strengths is to improve management information and analysis of business performance to add value for the organisations that he supports.
Job Titles:
- Head of Recruitment & Governance
Lian completed her Law Degree in 1998 and has over 15 years' experience in legal, company secretarial and HR covering the Automotive (Calsonic), Software (Misys Plc) and Finance (HBOS) sectors. Lian has undertaken a number of roles throughout her career, including living in Asia for 8.5 years, which has provided her with a breadth of experience from which to draw upon in her commercial life.
At SME Finance Partners, Lian is Head of Recruitment & Governance and joined the SME Finance team in September 2018. She is now working with the team to strengthen the Company's processes and procedures.
Job Titles:
- Portfolio Finance Director
Phil is an experienced Senior Finance professional with strong manufacturing and systems experience. Having completed his CIMA qualification with Scottish & Newcastle in 1997, Phil joined Sears Manufacturing Co (Europe) Ltd, the US owned manufacturer of seating systems for off road vehicles. Phil went on to become Director of Finance and Company Secretary of Sears European operations, with responsibility for Finance, HR, IT, Sales & Administration, reporting directly to its US owners.
Since 2015 Phil has worked as a part time FD with a portfolio of businesses in the automotive, healthcare and manufacturing sectors.
Job Titles:
- Portfolio Finance Director
Scott has extensive Finance Director experience, working in the manufacturing, construction and services sectors, both for quoted companies and SME's. My career has taken in a number of roles which have provided me with a breadth of experience from which to draw upon in my commercial life.
Scott started his career in Civil Engineering before moving into Finance and qualifying with EY. Scott currently works with both owner managed SME's and larger Corporate clients where his calm, considered approach and leadership helps to drive improvement and deliver results.
Job Titles:
- Finance Director
- Portfolio Finance Director
Stuart is a vastly experienced Finance Director, who trained with EY before moving into industry. Stuart has extensive manufacturing expertise having worked for Morgan Advanced Materials Plc, in various international senior finance roles over an 18 year period.
Stuart now works with a number of SME businesses, who benefit from his significant experience.
Job Titles:
- Portfolio Finance Director
Tom joined SME Finance Partners in July 2022, having previously been the Finance Director Oprema, the fast growth 50 security device distributor. Tom started his finance career in practice, training with Broomfield & Alexander, working in audit before moving on to a role in their Corporate Finance division. Tom subsequently moved into industry in 2011 joining Logica Plc the IT & Management Consultancy provider, before working in the Industrial Services sector with Runtech Ltd and Abriox Ltd.