The Forward Thinking CFO

In this episode of The Forward Thinking CFO, we were joined by the inspirational Soufyan Hamid, founder and financial storytelling trainer at SouFBP.

With a background in auditing and consulting at top firms like PwC and Deloitte, Soufyan discovered the power of storytelling during his time as a finance business partner in the telecommunications industry.

Soufyan's journey taught him the importance of winning over internal stakeholders, and now he's on a mission to revolutionise finance presentations by transforming them into captivating business stories told by finance professionals.

During their discussion, Stephen and Soufyan delve into:

- Identifying and addressing the five common issues with finance presentations

- Structuring financial presentations to resonate with different audiences

- Harnessing the power of visuals, value delivery, and brevity

- Understanding why body language, engagement, and practice are crucial

Whether you’re an established CFO or an aspiring one, this fascinating conversation will give you plenty of real, actionable advice to bring your financial stories to life.

We’re keen to hear your thoughts on this episode, so please do get in touch below with any feedback you have.

If you want to find out more about Soufyan, check out his LinkedIn profile – https://www.linkedin.com/in/soufyanhamid/

If you want to learn more about SouFBP, have a look at his website – www.soufbp.com

In this episode of The Forward Thinking CFO, Stephen Aldridge was joined by Marco Torrente, Global Chief Financial Officer at WebBeds, a global online marketplace for the travel trade.

Marco heads up the finance team of about 220 people spread across the globe. As a global finance leader and director who has provided strategic counsel to many blue chip companies, Marco has helped implement operational efficiencies that target growth for businesses listed on the FTSE100, NASDAQ, and ASX. Marco brings a wealth of experience to the episode.

During their fascinating discussion, Stephen and Marco delve into:

- Managing a global online marketplace during the pandemic

- Using AI and machine learning in finance

- AI adoption in finance and the CFO role evolution

Whether you're an established CFO or aspiring to be one, this thought-provoking conversation will keep you updated about the latest industry changes and the evolving role of CFOs.

We’re keen to hear your thoughts on this episode, so please get in touch below with any feedback you have.

If you want to find out more about Marco, check out her LinkedIn profile – https://www.linkedin.com/in/marco-torrente/

If you want to learn more about WebBeds, check out their website at – http://www.webbeds.com/

In this episode of The Forward Thinking CFO, we were joined by the inspirational Magdalena Markiewicz, CFO of Eel Power, providers of battery storage for the UK’s renewable energy supply.

Magdalena shares her fascinating, slightly non-traditional path to becoming a CFO with us on this episode. Magdalena's journey took her from New York to Barcelona and back to London where she joined Rothschild. Her ultimate goal was to become a CFO for a company making a difference, and she achieved it at Eel Power. Her journey has been truly remarkable.

Her incredible expertise, straightforward attitude and passion for low-carbon energy transition and renewable power infrastructure make for a captivating episode. During their discussion, Stephen and Magdalena delve into:

- Transitioning from consulting to the finance industry

- The emerging battery industry and it’s role in managing grid volatility

- How battery storage works and how it is evolving

- Quality and cost prioritisation for battery storage in the future

Whether you’re an established CFO or an aspiring one, this compelling conversation will give you plenty of food for thought.

We’re keen to hear your thoughts on this episode, so please do get in touch below with any feedback you have.

If you want to find out more about Magdalena, check out her LinkedIn profile – https://www.linkedin.com/in/magdalena-markiewicz-34345b3/

If you want to learn more about Eel Power, have a look at their website at – https://eelpower.co.uk/

In this episode of The Forward Thinking CFO we spoke to Guy Ellis, Partner at Rockpool Investments, a private equity business specialising in £5-15m investments into lower-mid market companies.

Returning to the subject of sources of finance for business in this episode, Guy is the perfect guest to share his incredible knowledge of the world of private equity. With over a decade of experience in the sector, having previously worked at Goldman Sachs and Alcuin Capital, Guy shares practical insights and tips to make private company investing accessible and transparent.

In this insightful episode, Guy and Stephen delve into:

- How Rockpool Investments differs from a traditional private equity firm

- How investors choose where to put their money

- What drives companies to look for investments

- The role of the CFO in private equity investments

If you’re an entrepreneur or CFO looking at funding options, this episode is packed full of tried-and-tested advice and tips.

We’re keen to hear your thoughts on this episode, so please do get in touch below with any feedback you have.

If you want to find out more about Guy, check out his LinkedIn profile – https://www.linkedin.com/in/guy-ellis-6b7a6216/

If you want to learn more about Rockpool Investments, have a look at their website at – https://www.rockpool.uk.com/

In the latest episode of The Forward Thinking CFO, we catch up with Daniel Quint, Chief Financial Officer at Staffline Group PLC.

Staffline Group PLC specialise in developing and deploying highly flexible, robust and skilled workforces to organisations. They are the UK’s leading provider of flexible blue-collar workers, supplying approximately 40,000 staff per day on average.

Daniel joined the company when it was in a distressed state in 2019 and has executed an award-winning turnaround, moving from a material risk to a going concern, to a stable, profitable business. Daniel applied all his experience from previous roles as Finance Director at the ICAEW and at Robert Walters PLC to restructure the company.

With decades of expertise behind him, Daniel is well-placed to provide some fantastic financial advice you won’t want to miss.

In this insightful episode, you’ll discover the following:

· How to turn an organisation around when share prices begin to drop

· The key elements you need to think about to integrate a new acquisition successfully

· Why a three-pronged approach can serve you well when embarking on a cultural transformation

If you’re a CFO or entrepreneur looking to restructure your finances, this episode will provide you with the knowledge and advice to help you do so.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode, so be sure to get in touch with any feedback you may have.

If you would like to learn more about Daniel’s work, check out his LinkedIn profile – https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielquint/?originalSubdomain=uk

And if you want to find out more about Staffline Group PLC, you can view their website – https://www.stafflinegroupplc.co.uk/

In this episode of The Forward Thinking CFO, we’ve got a special edition for you. Taking a different approach, we've gathered some of the Numeritas team's leading experts for a roundtable discussion on the impact external environmental factors have had on the sector in recent times.

The last few years have certainly been turbulent, from Brexit and the pandemic to the war in Ukraine and everything in between, but what can we learn from it?

In this episode Stephen Aldridge is joined by colleagues Denver McCann and Tushar Naik to share their experiences from supporting clients through these challenging times and to explore:

- Tools and resources that are invaluable during turbulent periods

- The importance of being able to agilely re-forecast

- How to effectively utilise the abundance of data now available

- How attitudes towards forecasting and frequency of forecasting are changing

If you’re an entrepreneur or CFO looking to future-proof your organisation, this episode is packed full of practical advice.

We’re keen to hear your thoughts on this team discussion episode, so please do get in touch with any feedback you have.

In the latest episode of The Forward Thinking CFO, we catch up with Janene Liston, a highly trusted Pricing Consultant & Business Coach.

Janene’s company The Pricing Lady specialises in supporting businesses with their pricing, and offers workshops, mentoring and strategies to help SMEs and large-scale businesses improve their relationship with profits.

This is something Janene has been doing since her early days in corporate management. After starting out her career as an engineer, she worked her way through various marketing jobs to become a Pricing Manager at Siemens and Syngenta AG.

In 2016, Janene decided to take the plunge and co-found her own business, Gouta. This eventually evolved into The Pricing Lady – an all-encompassing service that teaches leaders to manage their pricing with confidence.

With a huge breadth of knowledge and experience in pricing models, Janene is well-placed to give some valuable insights and advice that can help your company thrive.

In this compelling episode, you’ll learn:

- The key components of a pricing strategy, and why these should align with your brand, communications, values and overarching business goals

- How to make the most out of a value-based pricing model

- Implementing strategically different approaches for B2B and B2C organisations

- The three key things you should be considering when re-evaluating your pricing model

Whether you’re a CFO or entrepreneur wanting to refresh your pricing and offerings, this is the episode for you.

As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please get in touch with any feedback you have.

If you want to find out more about Janene, you can view her LinkedIn profile – https://www.linkedin.com/in/thepricinglady/

And if you’re eager to learn more about Janene’s business, you can take a look at The Pricing Lady website – https://thepricinglady.com/

In the latest episode of The Forward Thinking CFO, we speak with Chris Roling, Chief Financial Officer at Coinme.

Thanks to careful pivots in the business model, Coinme continues to go from strength to strength. Offering safe and accessible methods to buy and sell cryptocurrency, Chris has steered Coinme forward to become the world's largest, fully licensed, cryptocurrency cash network.

It’s been a natural step for Chris, who has represented some of the biggest brands in the world during his career. He’s previously worked as a CFO for Pepsico and Getty Images, as well as Kellogg’s and EMI Music.

With a hugely impressive portfolio behind him, Chris offers some exceptional insider insights and advice that you won’t want to miss.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

- Why CFOs should prioritise soft skills to become more externally focussed

- How to effectively balance operational due diligence with strategic planning

- How a CFO can influence and impact a company through careful relationship-building with board members

Whether you’re an established CFO or an aspiring one, this fascinating conversation will give you plenty of direction on bringing clarity and integrity to your role.

We’re eager to hear your thoughts on this episode, so please get in touch with any feedback you have. We always enjoy hearing from you.

If you would like to learn more about Chris’ work, you can check out his LinkedIn profile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisroling/

And if you want to find out more about Coinme, you can do so by visiting their website - https://coinme.com/

In this episode of The Forward Thinking CFO, we speak with Mark Gilham, Director and Evangelist at Enable.

This unusual title has given Mark an opportunity to act both as an ambassador and a consultant for Enable simultaneously. At Enable, Mark helps businesses use rebates as a strategy to drive growth and trust between trading partners. By promoting their innovative software, he helps manufacturers, distributors, and retailers optimise the commercial value of their rebate programs.

Mark started out his career at major financial institutions Barclays Bank and Royal Bank of Canada where he qualified as a chartered accountant. From there he progressed to senior finance roles in the construction industry, most recently being at Grafton Group PLC for nearly a decade where he witnessed first-hand the strategic value of rebates. This has been a natural step for Mark, who has built his finance career from the ground up. After starting out in commercially orientated accountancy, he then moved into builders merchanting and private equity before focusing on rebate management.

With decades of experience under his belt, Mark is brimming with some expert advice that you definitely won’t want to miss.

In this compelling episode, you’ll discover:

The ins and outs of rebates, and how they affect different parts of the supply chain.

The benefits of modern financial software that is designed to manage contractual arrangements.

How to navigate financial trends in the current business climate to ensure growth and sustainability.

If you’re a CFO or entrepreneur wanting to take control of your rebate program, this episode will give you the insights and insider knowledge to maximise your potential.

If you would like to learn more about Mark’s work, take a look at his LinkedIn profile – https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-gilham-87617276/

And if you want to find out more about Enable, a collaborative rebate management platform, you can view their website here – https://enable.com/

You can also apply to join Enable's Rebate Community here - https://community.rebatestrategists.com/registrations/groups/65255

We’re keen to hear your thoughts on this episode, so please do get in touch at [email protected] with any feedback you have.

In this episode of The Forward Thinking CFO, we speak with Ryan Whitworth, Regional Sales Director at Leumi ABL.

Leumi ABL is a specialised, award-winning asset-based lending company that helps both small and large businesses achieve their goals. The company adopts a flexible and personal approach to structuring effective asset-based lending solutions that supports refinancing, restructuring, growth, and acquisition.

Whilst Ryan hasn’t come from a banking background, he’s utilised his time in retail to learn more about how behaviours and activities can impact financial performance. He joined the senior management team at Leumi ABL after moving out of retail and succeeding at Santander and ABN AMRO.

With a wealth of experience and knowledge behind him, Ryan provides fantastic insider tips and insights that you won’t want to miss.

You’ll discover:

- What sets Leumi ABL apart from bank overdraft facilities

- Why flexible asset-based lending can serve as a viable option for your business

- How this process works, and what you will need to do to prepare for your partnership with an asset-based lender

If you’re a CFO or entrepreneur looking to raise capital for your business, this episode will provide you with expert advice on asset-based lending facilities and invoice discounting.

We’re keen to hear your thoughts on this episode, so please get in touch with any feedback you have.

If you would like to learn more about Ryan’s work, check out his LinkedIn profile – https://www.linkedin.com/in/whitworth-ryan/

And if you want to find out more about Leumi ABL, you can view their website – https://www.leumiabl.co.uk/