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Paul Nichols In 60 Seconds
I have extensive CFO experience in multinational corporate, and PE-backed SME consumer luxury brands. I have led growth strategies as well as business turn-around through to exit. My CFO Centre career has allowed me to build on my consumer brand experience whilst extending successfully to other sectors e.g., proptech, design services, and marketing agency.
Specialist Skills
Corporate Finance
Exit planning, IM preparation, due diligence, management of process through to sale.
Management Information
Uncovering the true story in a business's numbers to understand what will improve performance.
Business Planning
3-5 year strategic plans down to 12 month operation plans and budgets.
Raising Funds
Asset and revenue based lending, crowd funding, venture debt, commercial and bank loans and overdrafts, Private Equity finance raises.
Financial Operations
Leading edge processes and controls, best in class inventory management, hands-on approach to process improvements and documentation.
Track Record Highlights
- CFO and Operations Director, Coach Europe, managed growth from $2m to $135m revenue in 5 years.
- Led the £4m sale process of a PE-backed Architectural service business.
- Managed the financial, personnel, and office infrastructure development for 5 global marketing teams for De Beers.
- The CFO Centre: to date I have negotiated £2.5m total funding facilities for my clients, consisting of £1.1m crowd funding equity, £1.4m debt products including overdrafts, revenue-based lending, invoice discounting, commercial loans.
- The CFO Centre: Proptech franchisor: I brought transparency to the company's performance including clear monthly management accounts and performance dashboard, enabling 50%+ year on year growth of their franchise business over the last 3 years.
- The CFO Centre: Online fashion retailer: I created their first long term business plan and detailed 12 month strategy, whilst introducing tight inventory and purchasing controls and advising on a new logistics partner. Last 12 months have accelerated revenue growth to +75%, achieved lean inventory levels and paid back our revenue-based loan finance facility.
- The CFO Centre: Online with wholesale lingerie retailer: I solved Netsuite integration issues, recruited a new Finance Director, implemented inventory management controls, and helped them return to growth and positive cash flow over the last 2 years. I am now helping them to prepare for an Exit.
Sector Experience
- Retail & Consumer Products
- Design & Architecture
- Mining, Resources & Energy: Precious stones
- Technology, Media & Telecoms: Proptech
What's next?
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