There is no substitute for experience. All our virtual finance directors are qualified accountants and have bought or sold companies and raised funds for businesses. They all understand the needs of the business owner.
Virtual Finance Director & Virtual Financial Controller – Profiles
A part time Finance Director or Virtual Finance Director provides you with years of sharp end financial and management experience, at a fraction of the cost of employing a full time person.
All our Virtual Finance Directors are Qualified Accountants and have:
- Minimum 5 years FD experience (most have 10 – 20 years)
- Fundraising experience
- Deal experience – Buying or Selling businesses
Our Virtual Finance Directors have had many years of commercial experience in business working alongside MDs, chief executives and Chairmen.
Our Virtual Financial Controllers have strong experience of automating monthly accounts, systems selection and implementation.
Click on a name to view their profile:
Associates
Carl T. ACA
Carl is a Chartered Accountant with 25 years of commercial experience. As a seasoned leader within Operations, he has seen business from all angles. His Finance skills provide a barometer and a backbone to decision making. Carl’s clients value his broad practical business experience which includes: recruiting and growing teams; property transactions; assessing, as well as preparing, businesses for sale; and raising mortgages, bank loans and asset finance. He can handle banking and audit relationships. He develops KPIs which make sense of the business. Carl has a Masters in Coaching and Mentoring.
Carl has set up an overseas manufacturing subsidiary from scratch, and is also a skilled linguist, fluent in Spanish and French, with a working knowledge of German.
Since February 2021 Carl has been the leader of the vfdnet London & Bucks hub.
Norman A. ACMA
Norman is a Management Accountant with 35 years experience in industry and commerce, including 30 years at Director level. He has been closely involved with a number of VC backed private companies as well as a PLC director taking them from an AIM listing to a full listing on the London Stock Exchange. His experience has involved City Investor presentations, dealing with banks and corporate finance teams.
In addition his entrepreneurial experience includes leading a management buyout. Having been responsible for manufacturing, supply chain, logistics, IT, and having studied lean process engineering and the Goldratt theories he enjoys applying that thinking to financial processes to ensure a firm foundation for decision making. He has operated in turnaround and high growth scenarios with a good understanding of the needs of shareholders.
He has followed up his business degree and ACMA qualification with the Cranfield Business Leaders Programme and a determination to keep on learning from successful people in a wide variety of fields.
He has regularly been handed areas of new responsibility, with no prior experience, as an indication of his ability to apply logical thought processes and to arrive at solutions that are credible to his superiors. He has worked for some excellent leaders and is determined to share and pass on the benefits of lessons learnt.
Ian H
Ian joined the vdfnet team in early 2022 having enjoyed some well-earned time off during lockdown after nearly 35 years as an accountant, deeply involved in the management and growth of businesses. Having trained with a top 20 firm, going on to work as a consultant helping SME businesses with their varied accounting needs, before heading up the finance function for Poundworld Retail and guiding them over 11 years. He developed the financial and commercial needs of this ambitious family run business from a £20m turnover start up to one with 300+ stores a £350m turnover, and assisting in a successful exit for the founder. He later worked part-time finance consultant for another family-owned retail business.
Phil R
Phil has 40 years of experience as a Chartered Accountant, having qualified with a big 4 firm. He is an experienced commercial accountant and he has managed core teams dealing with business services areas including HR, IT, Property, as well as Finance. He has worked as a Business Partner, collaborating with the management team and contributing towards the development of the business. Phil has specialised in specifying and managing improved reporting processes using commercial IT packages and loves supporting business owners in maximising service and improving business profitability. His experience in managing virtual teams working across offices, and often across different cultures, has been critical in optimising communication, enhancing engagement and so delivering improved performance to support business in its objectives.
Phil’s most recent role has been the Regional Chief Operating Officer (Finance) for a major international law firm, responsible for partners and staff in multiple offices across Europe. He carried out post acquisition integration work in the Finance function for a newly acquired German business. He transformed the Finance function and was also responsible for other functions. Prior to that Phil worked in the banking sector in London. He had roles including Group Financial Controller in one private bank before becoming Head of Finance at another private bank with three investment management subsidiaries. During his time in banking he was responsible for many aspects of both banks’ operations including managing the banks’ IT operations, introducing new management reporting systems in multiple jurisdictions and managed the disaster recovery processes, including dealing with live situations. Experience also included working on a turnaround project on behalf of the banking department. In his early career in the profession, he had been involved in many financial business audits.
Matteo T FCCA
Matteo is an accomplished Finance Director, Board Director, and Entrepreneur, with a 28-year journey across clean technologies, water, infrastructures, medical technology/SaaS, telecom, retail banking, recruitment and renewable energy sectors. His expansive portfolio spans PLCs, SMEs, and startups, marked by expertise in M&A, capital raising, and crisis management. With fluency in French, Italian, and Spanish, Matteo’s global outlook enriches his strategic acumen.
Matteo’s pivotal strengths revolve around creating vertical supply chain solutions and implementing intellectual
property strategies, further amplified by royalty models. His strategic prowess empowers businesses to surge past competitors, elevating margins, expanding market share.
Matteo has strong experience of successful capital raising, for both for small and large businesses, from sources of Equity and Debt, having raised over £240m, raising amounts between £5m to £200m, including £5m of private venture debt.
As CEO and founder, Matteo steered a valuation leap from £10m to £140m in the Biotech/Circular Economy sector, showcasing his visionary leadership. His expertise extended to exhibiting strong Boardroom and Influencing Skills, enabling collaboration and effective decision-making.
Additionally, Matteo has directed the seamless implementation of SAP, Microsoft, and Oracle ERP systems, ushering in operational efficiency and excellence.
