Alan qualified as a Chartered Certified Accountant with Cable & Wireless PLC where he quickly assumed the role of Finance Manager for Other Licensed & Cable Operators, managing a £500m business unit. Alan moved onto a commercial role as UK Carrier Relations Director with Worlcom (now Verizon Business). Managing a budget of $1.25bn, Alan was responsible for introducing 2 tier tariffing strategies to the wholesale telecommunications market. 

In addition, Alan has extensive experience negotiating multi-million pound contracts such as the first interconnect agreement between Deutsche Telekom and an OLO; multiple interconnect agreements in the UK including BT, CWC, Energis and direct operating agreements with PTO’s such as France Telecom, Telefonica, Belegacom and many eastern European carriers. 

Alan introduced the concept of Network Trading to the wholesale telecommunications market and was the first person to trade an Indefeasible Right of Use (IRU) on a cable system between two operators. This led to many operators leveraging their assets to expand their footprint without impacting actual cash flow. Following this highly successful period of his career, Alan left to join Lucent Technologies and managed the relationship between Bell Labs and BT Research. Much of Alan’s work involved developing business and managing “incubator” businesses until they were adopted by a product unit. 

More recently Alan has returned full time to finance and is working with a Tier 1 ranked international boutique law firm as their Finance Director on a part time basis driving profitability and improving working capital and cash flow. His key challenge on joining was to improve profitability and gross margins. Alan undertook an extensive review of performance and identified poor performers and unprofitable services. Introducing changes led to gross margin improvement by 10%. 

In addition, Alan has worked with a Private Equity firm to help sell a Telecoms business and led the due diligence process and offering memorandum activity to completion. Alan’s range of experience as a Finance Director covers technology incubator businesses, online software gaming, telecommunication companies, private equity and legal sector businesses. 

Over the course of his career, he has: 

• Business Planning- Responsible for developing financial strategies for two business units with a combined turnover of £500m business unit. Creating incentive plans and ROI expectations for business unit. Presenting to the Operating Board. 

• Business Case/ Investment Planning- Created business cases for national PSTN network for major Licensed Operator. Enabled Operator to terminate calls in the UK and break international cartel. Created business plan proposals for incumbent PTT to roll out national meshed WiFi Max network as an alternative to purchasing mobile operator. 

• New Business Set-Up– Managed an incubator start-up concept to ultimately establish adoption by the Product House. 

• Cash-Flow- Managed cash flow on both short term rolling 13 week and long term strategic basis through the COVID period for a law firm. Stress tested various scenarios and arranged CBILs funding. 

• Due Diligence- (for acquirers and vendors) – Successfully supported sale of £10m t/o telecoms business by PE backed firm. Providing due diligence and worked closely with PE Firm and broker to present opportunity to buyers. 

• Business Turnaround –Review of loss making overseas law firm. Established new gearing requirements to optimise utilisation. Reduced expenditure after supplier contract review. Turned loss making firm into $500k profit firm. 

• Finance Transformation-Currently transforming finance and administrative functions within a law firm and introducing new systems to align with strategic vision, creation of road map, and effective implementation.

• Business plans
• Due diligence
• Inventory management
• Raising equity
• System implementation
• System selection
• Treasury
• Banking
• Business Analysis
• Business Process Improvement
• Business Strategies
• Financial Analysis
• Financial Modelling
• Financial Restructuring
• Financial Structuring
• Investment Banking
• Private Equity
• Project Management
• KPIs
• Financial Forecasting
• Fundraising 

1. Accountancy
2. Advertising
3. Legal
4. Professional Services
5. Technology
6. Telecomms