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Paul O’Leary

FD/CFO

Paul is a Fractional CFO with over 30 years of finance leadership experience, supporting businesses from SMEs to global organisations. He helps founders, CEOs and boards prepare for sale, deliver acquisitions and integrations, build high-performing UK and international finance teams, and drive profitable growth. With extensive board-level experience, Paul turns financial insight into strategic action, helping businesses improve performance, increase value and navigate change with confidence. His approach is to become a trusted adviser within the leadership team, combining commercial insight, pragmatic delivery and high integrity to achieve lasting results.

Paul O’Leary

Track record highlights

  • Exit readiness: Prepared c.£200m, c.450-employee PE-backed financial services group for refinancing or exit, including developing the equity story and co-ordinating investor engagement.
  • M&A delivery: Directed UK and international infill acquisitions for a professional services business, from heads of terms through due diligence and valuation to negotiation and integration. Strategy development - Developed strategic options for wealth and private banking businesses on value-based management principles.
  • Cost and margin improvement: Led cost base reviews resulting in meaningful action to bring down costs, and repriced an international advisory firm’s services, introducing a new rate card and pricing decision governance.
  • Core finance delivery: Built and led finance teams from SMEs to global groups, delivering Board reporting, treasury and funding, planning and forecasting, finance systems change, public listing reporting and legal restructurings.
  • Regulatory change and governance: Supported a regulated investment firm through significant regulatory change covering risk frameworks, capital adequacy, liquidity and stress testing, serving as FCA Senior Manager (SMF3) and Board member.

Sector Experience

  • Banking Financial Services: Wealth management, Retail financial services, Investment banking
  • Services: Professional services and consulting

Paul's specialist skills

M&A Specialist

Bringing the senior financial leadership and experience needed for strategy development, funding rounds, sales or acquisitions.

Business Planning

Delivering credible plans for new investments, actionable budgets and forecasts, and reporting insights that help drive growth.

Profit Improvement

Unlocking growth opportunities and optimising margins for maximum profit.

Cash flow Improvement

Ensuring the business can support daily operations, as well as strategic investments, through enhanced visibility, analysis and early warnings.

Financial Operations

Designing and implementing the right finance processes and systems, and building the right team.

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