Former competitive swimmer David is driven by his sportsman’s sense of challenge and achievement to develop financial strategies that maximise profitability and growth. It’s an approach that has delivered a proven track-record of success over a career spanning more than 20 years, in many different sectors, at different stages of business growth.

David’s strong focus on constantly improving information, data, and analytics has enabled him, even in early-stage businesses where information is often initially poor, to draw out actionable insights that show the way to strengthening the business’s financial position.

He has used this intelligence to drive everything from operational efficiencies to successful mergers and acquisitions (M&A), complex post-M&A integrations, measurement and enhancement of profitability, and business turnaround.

Unrelentingly commercial in his Finance and financial management outlook – “All my experience has entailed looking closely at the commercial side, I’ve been living that day in, day out for many years,” he says – David has pursued a policy of putting Finance at the heart of every strategic decision, on the basis that every such decision relies on financial resources.

But he has also made a point of articulating Finance’s importance at all levels in the business. He communicates the story that the numbers tell simply and clearly, in line with each stakeholder’s needs and priorities, and builds strong relationships from the boardroom to the office, in order to, as he puts it, “get everyone pulling in the same direction.” 

With a degree in Accounting and Finance, and his Chartered Institute of Management Accounting (CIMA) training, David brings both respected qualifications and extensive experience to his financial management role at EFM, covering, amongst others:

• Data-driven profitability improvement, including the financial analysis and subsequent turnaround of a services and projects business with eight loss-making regions
• Cost reduction and efficiency gains: leading and managing the restructure and consolidation of departments to eliminate duplication of effort, streamline productivity, and drive down costs
• Optimisation of revenue: Forensically identifying and correcting missed billing opportunities to increase average invoicing amounts and support revenue uplift

• Accelerated growth through integration: Delivering post-M&A integration projects to successfully exploit synergies, shorten payback times, and boost business growth, achieving up to 50% increase in sales and 47% increase in EBIT

• Enhanced forecasting and benchmarking: Overhauling forecasting models and benchmarking procedures to measure both current and prospective performance, delivering up to 20% greater accuracy

• Reconciliation and resolution: Analysing historical financial issues to resolve them and reduce the business’s exposure to liabilities, across loans, share capital, and, in one instance,325 different bank accounts operating in three different currencies

A well-known security company with a history of acquiring SMEs found it was experiencing unsuccessful post-acquisition growth.

David developed and implemented a comprehensive integration programme to address historical acquisition issues, optimise synergies, and drive growth - delivering a 50% uplift in sales and a 47% increase in EBIT.

1. Multi-sector, background, including fire and security, retail fashion, consumer electronics, and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG)
2. Accustomed to getting hands-on, with limited data and information
3. Experienced in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and post-M&A integration
4. Skilled in business plans, cash flow analysis, forecasting, strategy and modelling Finance
5. International experienced, commercially and culturally – UK, Europe, North America

A fan of the great outdoors, National Trust member David likes nothing more than outings and breaks in the countryside and on the coast, where he and his partner enjoy walking their dog.