Fractional FD & CFO for ambitious SMEs
Board‑level financial leadership when it matters most
Clarity, control and financial leadership for businesses navigating growth, complexity or change.
I help owners and leadership teams strengthen performance, improve cash flow and build the financial structure needed for confident decision‑making — without the cost or commitment of a full‑time CFO.
Why Strathcrest
Clarity that cuts through complexity
I get to the heart of how a business works — the drivers that matter, the risks that need attention and the actions that will move performance. You get clear, practical insight you can use immediately.
Commercial judgement built on real experience
20+ years as a Finance Director and CFO across SMEs, scale‑ups and international organisations means I bring board‑level perspective, not just analysis. I help you make decisions with confidence, grounded in experience of what works in practice.
Flexible support with a trusted partnership approach
You get the financial leadership you need — whether that’s stabilising cash, preparing for investment, improving performance or supporting growth — delivered in a way that fits your stage, pace and priorities. I act as a steady, commercially minded partner you can rely on.
About the founder
I founded Strathcrest after more than 20 years as a Finance Director and CFO across owner managed businesses, mid market companies, high growth scale ups and large international organisations. As a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS), I’ve seen first hand how financial leadership needs to adapt as a business grows, evolves or faces new pressures.
I’ve worked closely with CEOs and Managing Directors through growth, transformation, restructuring, investment and exit — shaping strategy, strengthening operations and improving performance across the whole business. My experience spans commercial decision making, operational improvement, international expansion, systems and reporting, M&A and integration, and building the financial and organisational structure needed for scale.
Through Strathcrest, I bring SMEs the judgement and practical leadership of a board level CFO. I quickly understand how a business really works — its economic drivers, operational realities and strategic choices — and turn financial information into clear, actionable plans. I partner with CEOs and MDs to provide the challenge, insight and commercial perspective needed to make confident decisions and ensure the finance function supports the ambition of the business.
Services
I provide board‑level financial leadership that helps CEOs and Managing Directors strengthen performance, improve cash flow and build the financial structure needed for confident decision‑making. These are the areas where I typically step in.
Financial leadership & strategy
Strathcrest provides interim or part‑time CFO leadership — shaping financial priorities, aligning budgets to strategy and bringing the commercial judgement needed at board level. Strategy is translated into clear milestones, decision frameworks and practical, actionable plans.
Profitability & performance improvement
The focus is on identifying the commercial drivers that lift margin and cash, then turning them into targeted, practical actions. This includes improving pricing, product and customer profitability, and ensuring reporting drives the right decisions.
Cash flow & working capital
Strathcrest stabilises cash quickly and builds disciplined cash management for growth — rigorous forecasting, tighter collections, improved supplier terms and practical working‑capital improvements that strengthen control and resilience.
Finance function build & systems
Finance teams, processes and reporting are strengthened so the function becomes a genuine business enabler. This includes upgrading month‑end, improving management information and implementing systems that support scale and operational clarity.
M&A, exit & investment readiness
Strathcrest prepares businesses for investment or sale and supports buy‑side activity. This includes deal readiness, investor‑grade financial models, due‑diligence support and ensuring smooth integration post‑deal.
International expansion support
Support for cross‑border growth includes reducing execution risk, strengthening cash and reporting processes, and ensuring tax, compliance and operational alignment across multiple jurisdictions — enabling businesses to expand with confidence.
How I help in practice
The examples below reflect the type of work I’ve delivered across different sectors and stages of growth — improving performance, strengthening cash flow, preparing for investment and supporting leadership teams through periods of change. Each engagement is different, but the focus is always the same: clarity, commercial judgement and practical financial leadership that moves the business forward.
M&A, Exit & Integration
- Led the $350m sale and integration of a global diagnostics business into a major healthcare group, managing complex data requests, tax strategy and full finance integration.
- Delivered the MBO and £7.9m sale of a UK manufacturing business.
- Supported multiple acquisitions across Europe and the Middle East.
Profitability & Business Intelligence
- Delivered over $2m annual profit uplift through product and customer profitability analysis and improved labour costing.
- Implemented SAP and standard costing for a major integration programme.
- Redirected a UK printing business to increase enterprise value by £4m.
Reporting, Systems & Change
- Led shared‑service transitions and month‑end transformation, reducing close from four weeks to three days across multiple international businesses.
- Delivered ERP implementations including SAP, NetSuite and EFACS.
- Implemented business information platforms such as Power BI and Business Warehouse.
Scaling High‑Growth Businesses
- Scaled a global diagnostics business from $20m to $450m turnover in two years.
- Grew a manufacturing business with a global sales presence from £13m to £42m and profits from £2m to £6m, expanding its international sales offices from 9 to 17.
- Established eight overseas entities and built the financial structure required to support rapid international expansion.
Cash, Inventory & Working Capital
- Recovered £6m of lost inventory for a global diagnostics business and reduced inventory from $18m to $3m for an aerospace manufacturer.
- Cut overdues by £9m for a multinational FMCG business.
- Strengthened cash discipline across multiple organisations.
Risk, Tax & Insurance Recovery
- Led tax strategy for a major corporate sale.
- Increased R&D tax claims by £4m and £900k across two high‑growth businesses.
- Resolved high‑value HMRC enquiries with no additional tax or penalties.
- Managed a complex insurance claim for a multinational manufacturer, securing a £14m payout including £4m loss of profits.
How Engagements Work
1. Understand your business
I quickly get to the core of how your business operates — the drivers, risks and pressures — so we focus on what matters most.
2. Agree the priorities
We define the outcomes you need, the pace you want to move at and the level of support that fits your stage and resources.
3. Deliver with clarity and pace
You get hands‑on, commercially minded financial leadership — from stabilising cash to preparing for investment or improving performance.
Contact
If you’d like to discuss your business, explore whether fractional CFO support is the right fit, or simply get a clearer view of your financial position, I’d be happy to speak. There’s no obligation — just a straightforward conversation about what you need and whether I can help.
Address
Newton Mearns
Glasgow
United Kingdom