Peter Kuncewicz

An experienced Finance Director, Peter Kuncewicz is a Board level finance business leader, with multi industry, cross functional and multicultural experience with particular exposure to Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

Peter has worked in privately owned, Venture Capital backed and multinational listed companies. In addition to strategic and operational abilities, Peter has strong Project Management experience, particularly in the Information Technology sector. He has worked as Head of Procurement for billion dollar organisations and thrives in organisations undergoing rapid change.

A Chartered Accountant with an M.Sc. in business planning, Peter delivers immediate value, bringing a wealth of experience and a broad range of business skills to the table.

Peter completed a first degree in Biology and moved into business with an M.Sc. in business planning & finance from Salford University. He joined the Graduate Scheme at Boots the Chemist where he completed his professional qualifications. With his Polish heritage he speaks fluent Polish. Boots the Chemist gave Peter a thorough understanding of the pharmaceutical sector, capital investment appraisal and business process.

He then took various senior financial roles in the electronic and building materials sectors, further widening his experience. Moving to the Middle East, Peter began his international finance career, working first as Finance Director in the Health and Telecommunications industries. His international career took him to Poland, Pakistan, Indonesia, Kuwait and Qatar where he worked at Finance Director/Board level in the Telecommunications, Food Manufacturing and FMCG sectors. Peter has always had multiple roles combining Procurement and IT portfolios with his Finance Director responsibilities.

He is effective in multi-cultural environments and in businesses of all sizes. Driving best in class performance in finance and across all areas of the business management spectrum, Peter also knows when to take a step back.

Peter is most proud of having added real value in every role he has held, simplifying the complex areas of finance, making it understandable to all in a business. He is a business partner and sounding board to his peers, multi-skilled with the ability to see the big picture whilst also rolling up his sleeves when required.

Over the course of his career, he has:

• Business Planning – responsibility for implementing a five year business planning  process in several organisations. This included training of non financial staff, IT system upgrades and process change.
• Cash-flow – developed and implemented cash forecasting and daily cash control processes in a business that was over trading and in danger of failing.
• Due-Diligence – supported sale of a family owned business.Vendor side included ensuring preparation of virtual data room and presentation of relevant material and analysis. Supported the purchase of a telecommunications Company in the Middle East, including valuation and the negotiation process.
• Business Turnaround – instrumental in the financial turnaround of a telecommunications Company where the entry of a third Competitor resulted in disastrous loss of sales, market position and profitability. Projects included downsizing, critical business challenge and increasing the profile of the Finance Director in the business.
• Finance transformation – creation of best in class finance and administrative functions to align with strategic vision, creation of road map, and effective implementation.
• Exit planning – Achievement of top and bottom line growth for a family business through business life cycle to optimise valuation for business sale.
• Buy/Sell Business –disposal of a food manufacturing and logistics business to maximise return for the family and Venture Capital partner.
• Project Management – responsible for the implementation of integrated state of the art information technology systems in the telecommunications and FMCG sectors. The FMCG system was awarded Fifth Best place in a national competition. I achieved the fastest successful Oracle migration for a project in the Middle East.
• Information Technology – achieved use of complex software tools to solve practical, complex business problems. In Eastern Europe, an award winning project involved the seamless integration of financial, production planning, forecasting and Mobile Salesman platforms.
• Procurement – headed the Procurement operation in a range of Companies. My strong negotiation and process skills ensured transparency and savings in millions of dollars.
• Management Information – in all my roles provided timely and pertinent information to the Management Team. Ensured that there was no data overload and that we could not ‘see the wood for the trees’.

Business Issue

Star Foods S.A. was a start up Company in Poland owned by a Greek, entrepreneurial family. The patriarch was charismatic, energetic and visionary. He had four sons who he was grooming to take over. Some were more competent than others.

An informal decision making process, high priority for growth with an end goal of eventual exit had led to position where the Company was drastically over trading. This resulted in working capital issues, abnormal levels of bad debt and operational inefficiencies.