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Paula Lister

FD/CFO

A fractional CFO and senior finance leader with over 25 years of experience supporting high-growth start-ups, SMEs and FTSE-listed businesses. Paula has a proven track record of helping founders, boards and leadership teams build scalable finance functions, secure funding and turn financial insight into commercial action. She combines strategic finance expertise with a practical, hands-on approach to improve decision-making, strengthen business performance, support sustainable growth and create long-term value. Paula also mentors emerging founders and serves as a trustee on a charity board.

Paula Lister

Track record highlights

  • Led a £6m investment round including drafting pitch deck, building financial model, presenting strategy to the Board and managing the data room.
  • Secured short-term funding facilities to extend client cash runway during critical expansion phase.
  • Supported on corporate restructure, and employee EMI scheme set up, aligning equity incentives with business goals.
  • Developed governance, risk and compliance (GRC) function for high growth scale-up.
  • Designed and embedded strengthened financial reporting framework, including improved Board reporting, OKR's, and budget holder control.

Sector Experience

  • Technology Media Telecoms: Fintech, proptech, SaaS
  • Manufacturing Transport Logistics: Life sciences
  • Retail Consumer Products: Leisure
  • Not For Profit: Charity

Paula's specialist skills

Business Planning

Built financial models to report on performance and forecast alternative business scenarios.

Raising Funds

Worked with Leadership teams to get investor ready, secure funding and manage post-funding governance.

Cash Flow Improvement

Managed cash runway to ensure sufficient funds during expansion.

Leadership

Provided coaching and mentorship to inhouse finance teams to develop skills and improve confidence.

Strategic Thinker

Worked as trusted advisor to Founders to develop and implement strategy.

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