Rob Konzon’s career has seen him take the Finance helm in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in sectors as diverse as digital marketing, skincare, recruitment, and many others. And it’s a mark of his expertise that he was selected for this portfolio of businesses by none other than Lord Sugar - and was also appointed as Finance Director (FD) by one of Sugar’s The Apprentice winners.
A qualified accountant with FCCA (Fellow Chartered and Certified Accountant) status, Rob’s approach to Finance and financial management is clear, focused, and methodical: breaks the work down into the day-to-day (compliance, profitability, credit control, paying, and getting paid), and the activities that will strengthen and improve the business (management reporting, cash flow forecasting. financial modelling, and so on).

But communication, openness, and accessibility are also key for Rob. He’s practised in articulating Finance matters at all levels of the organisation – as he puts it, “from the intern to the Board members” - and he describes himself as “not the kind of Finance chief who sits behind a desk with the door closed.”

With a track record of developing financial strategies to propel both profitability and growth, Rob has also worked extensively with investors, banks, and other financial stakeholders to raise funding, drive the scale-up stage of business growth, and facilitate numerous successful business sales and acquisitions.

About Rob

Rob is proficient in financial analysis, budget management, and financial modelling, and he sees these as the core of the value he adds to his clients’ businesses. “Accounts are not just about bookkeepers and the numbers,” he says. “They paint a picture and tell a story about where the business is going, why, and what the business plans will look like to get it there.”

Developing these insights is also at the heart of his work with start-up businesses, where he relishes “getting to the crux of their idea, and how you map that out for success, working with bankers, investors, and sources of external finance.”

Part and parcel of this approach, Rob emphasises, is taking the lead on evaluating and improving internal controls, financial systems, and processes, to create the transparency and reporting needed to support better decision-making, and to align Finance activities to the business’s wider commercial goals and milestones.

And getting the business behind him to take it on that journey to success is critical. “It’s not just a question of reconciling the balance sheet,” he explains. “You need to be personable and approachable, and secure the business’s buy-in.”

“Everybody in the business, at all levels, must have an understanding of how the Finance strategy enables them to contribute to the company’s business objectives.”

What Rob will help EFM to do

Rob’s background and experience will enable EFM, first and foremost, to expand its ability to deliver sound financial advice to businesses across multiple sectors, acting as growth advisors, rather than as ‘just’ accountants.

His skill in engaging with stakeholders across and outside organisations, and bringing individuals with sometimes diverging views onside, will also deliver value to EFM and our clients, whilst his focus on data and insights will ensure that planning and execution are based on credible intelligence that promotes better financial and commercial outcomes.

At the same time, Rob’s experience working with high-profile entrepreneurs in fast-moving environments equips him to manage SME Finance challenges effectively and without drama, creating a ‘safe pair of hands’ clients can rely on.
With a human touch that unites client teams and leadership alike behind him, Rob will enable EFM to do more of what it does best – provide pay-as-you-go financial management expertise that feels more like it’s in-house.

In his own words

Rob says: “I came to EFM because I’ve worked with many SMEs, and I know how important it is for them to benefit from affordable, accessible Finance expertise – and EFM’s model leads the market in addressing this need.”

“But I’m a dedicated family man as well as an experienced Finance professional, and EFM’s flexible working model enables me to combine both those passions to achieve a really fruitful work-life balance that I’m sure many other Finance professionals could benefit from!”

Click here to view Rob’s EFM Profile.