Meet our fractional CFOs
Fola Togunloju
I’m a commercially minded finance leader with over 15 years’ experience within SME businesses that are owner managed, PE or VCT backed. I work closely with founders, boards and investors to help businesses in transition, whether that’s through restructuring, raising funding, or putting in financial processes that can support sustainable growth. I have led the turnaround of businesses facing insolvency, improved cashflow performance, built finance teams from scratch, and helped raise investment under tight deadlines.
Cashflow management
Stabilising businesses through hands-on cashflow forecasting, and implementing controls that support short and long-term cash management. Proven ability to resolve historic liabilities while keeping operations running.
Specialist skills
Experienced in raising funds from both institutional and private investors under tight deadlines. Skilled at preparing businesses for investment, securing shareholder approvals, coordinating legal documentation, and managing post-investment compliance.
Designing detailed and flexible financial models to support budgeting, fundraising and scenario analysis. Creating fully reconciled management packs, balance sheets and forecasts that enable informed decision-making at board level.
Managing communications and reporting for diverse shareholder bases, including VCTs, corporate investors and HNW individuals. Ensuring legal and financial compliance across investment agreements, CLNs and HMRC, including EIS and EMI schemes.
Trusted by boards and investors to lead business-critical change. Experienced in advising on company viability, leading cost reduction strategies, and executing restructures to return businesses to profitability.
Reviewing commercial agreements, analysing gross margins, and identifying areas to improve profitability. Acts as a strategic adviser to boards and management on financial decisions, risk and growth opportunities.
Works with business owners and the senior management team to design and implement business strategy, including risk management.
Paul Lenton
I am an entrepreneurial finance leader with experience across the media, creative and technology sectors. My career focus has been to deliver a finance team that delivers valuable insight to the business, and to leverage that information, aligned with a strategic mindset, to drive the profitability and value of the business. I have led multiple businesses through exits to favourable outcomes.
Specialist skills
Organising and leading cross-functional teams, including defining the best structure, recruiting, mentoring and training. Designing and implementing best-in-class financial systems and procedures.
Developing financial forecasts and long-term business plans, forecasting cash flow, analysing expenditure trends, evaluating capital investments, and analysing data to identify opportunities for improvement.
Identifying value drivers beyond core P&L metrics, planning for a showcase profile of a business to achieve high valuation and wide appeal, Information Memorandum planning, and selection of partners to manage exit.
Providing an external sounding board to owners and the senior management team around potential growth or efficiency opportunities, and assisting with plans to execute change strategies.
Identifying underlying weaknesses in business operations and processes that undermine both profit generation and cashflow, then seeking solutions to remedy them.
Michael Connole
I have over 25 years’ experience in senior financial roles in both listed and private groups. I have significant experience in corporate transactions, both buy and sell, and during my portfolio career I have assisted clients with successful exits, advised on strategic direction, successfully raised debt, managed cashflows and restructured finance teams.
Specialist skills
Preparation of a business for exit and trade sales to other industry players.
Focusing the business on securing cash quickly and providing visibility on cash requirements.
Root and branch review of business objectives.
Business partner, confidante and sounding board for business owners. Currently acts as non-executive chairman of two businesses, one in modular construction and one in digital advertising.
Extensive experience of the requirements and process involved for both business acquisition and sales.
Jon Rippon
I am an experienced board level finance and commercial director, with a 25-year track record of setting and achieving company objectives, growth plans and exit strategies. I have comprehensive experience in managing M&A processes on both buy and sell sides. I have strong technical skills in both financial and commercial aspects of business, and comprehensive practical experience developing and leading finance and non-finance teams.
Specialist skills
Business reviews, liaising with business leaders and owners to design and implement their long-term objectives, advising on corporate governance, reviewing and advising on corporate rationalisation.
Budgeting and financial forecasting, delivering business plans and models, cash flow forecasting, data analysis and reporting.
Creating and building new businesses, delivering system designs and implementation for new and established businesses, advising on bespoke Articles, advising on a range of company law aspects and compliance, advising on employment law compliance, attending to company secretarial requirements, filing at Companies House, and working with third party advisers on tax reliefs such as SEIS and EIS.
Managing deal processes, creating information memorandums and sale decks, overseeing share issues, advising on shareholder agreements, sale and purchase agreements, disclosure letters and completion accounts, designing and managing data rooms, drafting and reporting on business valuations, financial data cleansing, and delivering comprehensive legal, financial and commercial due diligence.
Designing management accounts and KPI dashboards, overseeing the development of statutory accounts, overseeing group and consolidation accounting, financial analysis reporting, bank covenant testing, creating bank models, reviewing goodwill and asset impairments, and preparing for and managing client audits.
