Mel Mackuin

Experience

• 

  GEC Telecommunications Ltd

  Aug 1983 - Dec 1985

  Accountancy Assistant

  GEC(T) consisted of ten factories in the UK divided into four divisions – Telephone Switching Group, Transmission, Private Systems and Telephone Sales.Employed in two departments; 16 months in the Central Accountancy Services department followed by 12 months in the Telephone Switching Group Engineering Accounts department. I assisted in the preparation of management accounts, budgets, forecasts, project costs, and liaison with non-financial departmental managers on costs.

• 

  Associated British Foods plc

  Jan 1986 - Feb 1988

  Management Accountant

  Associated British Foods is a multinational business with interests in agriculture, ingredients and oils, grocery and retail, and packaging with over 100 companies operating in the UK. When problems of varying nature occurred, as a member of the head office management accounting team, I visited the appropriate location. Completed several major assignments with diverse operating companies located across the UK. These assignments were on site and ranged from producing management accounts, year-end accounts, supervision of staff, covering staff departures and reconstruction following serious problems. Show less

• 

  AB Ingredients Ltd/AB Technology Ltd

  Mar 1988 - May 1989

  Finance & Administration Manager

  AB Ingredients Ltd was set up in 1982 to provide bakery ingredients to the baking industry. AB Technology was formed in 1988 to provide food grade emulsifiers, stabilisers and plastic bread baskets to food manufacturers. Turnover was £17m, EBIT £3.9m and employees 80.Redirected the finance and administration department following a period of lack of control.Designed and prepared the management accounts for presentation to the Managing Director.Reported budgets, actuals and forecasts to head office.Prepared year-end financial accounts for statutory audit and gained audit approval. Show less

• 

  Abitec Corporation

  Jun 1989 - Dec 2001

  ABITEC group (an autonomous subsidiary of ABF) consisting of 11 companies operating in the UK, US, Germany and Finland, providing a portfolio of technical and functional food/speciality chemical ingredients for further processing in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Turnover was £150m, EBIT £17m and employees 520.Worked closely with the managing director in the appraisal of potential acquisitions.Successfully integrated the new USA and European acquisitions, ensuring that the synergies outlined in the acquisition strategies were met. Appointed as Vice President of US Business in 1995.Integrated existing ABF subsidiaries that had been transferred to the group, following liaison with general managers and finance managers.Compiled, reviewed and presented detailed plans and forecasts to the board of ABF.Led the implementation of the new computer network (e-mail, shared information, Y2K). Show less During 1989 ABITEC Ltd, a holding company was formed and ABITEC NV a Belgian subsidiary was formed to facilitate export to Europe. AB Ingredients Ltd and AB Technology Ltd also became part of this group. Turnover was £32m, EBIT £7m and employees 140.Recruited and supervised the additional finance and administration personnel to facilitate growth.Prepared the consolidated accounts for period and end-of-year statutory reporting.Member of the senior management group – attended monthly board meetings to discuss the performance of the group and assisted in developing future commercial strategies. Appointed as a director of AB Technology Ltd in 1992.Liaised and provided guidance to the new general managers of the separate divisions. Ensured the provision of management information was relevant to the goal of expanding their divisions through product and market development. Show less

  • Finance Director

    Jan 1994 - Dec 2001

  • Financial Controller

    Jun 1989 - Dec 1993
• 

  Pindar Set Ltd

  Jan 2001 - Aug 2008

  Finance Director

  Pindar Set Ltd (a privately owned family business) was a leader and key partner in the fulfilment and delivery of integrated media advertising products in the UK, USA and Spain. Pindar Set’s turnover was £50m, EBITDA £7m and 1,500 employees. In August 2008 Pindar Set Ltd was acquired by Yell Group and re-named Yell Adworks Ltd.Led the transfer of Pindar Set Ltd to Yell Group. Responsible for due diligence, transition plan, sale proceeds and liaising with internal and external mgmt teams to ensure successful transfer of people and assets.As part of the Executive Management Board, established overseas working ventures to reduce costs whilst maintaining high quality, through Build/Operate/Transfer models; USA, India, Philippines and Spain.Successfully integrated different foreign cultures, management styles and processes through liaison, coaching and mentoring whilst maintaining company values and ethics. Established and led the international finance teams providing support and development of team members.Provided commercial support to the geographic General Managers and Finance Managers meeting the challenge of an audience with diverse skill sets and cultures, through regular liaison.Designed and presented commercial models to the board and customers ensuring sustainability and continued investment - enabled our new US operation to move from loss making to profitable; facilitated move from print to digital media.Designed and implemented new chart of accounts and commercial templates to improve understanding of key business drivers and performance for all geographies.As part of the Executive Management Board, established company branding and core values which reflected the changing nature of the business and acted as a role model for our international businesses. Show less

• 

  Yell Adworks Ltd

  Aug 2008 - Dec 2011

  Chief Financial Officer

  Yell Adworks Ltd (part of the Yell Group) is a leader in the fulfilment and delivery of integrated media advertising products for Yell in the UK, USA and Spain. Yell Adworks products and services are provided from operations in the UK, US, Spain, India, Philippines, Columbia and Peru. Yell Adworks has a turnover of £65m, EBITDA of £11m and 2,500 employees.Led the financial, commercial, payroll and purchasing activities across Yell Adworks 5 geographies and 5 time zones (UK, USA, Spain, India and Philippines).Provided sound commercial advice, managing a range of relationships with both the parent company and the various international entities the company operates with an emphasis on appropriate financial and commercial skills at the ‘coal face’ – onshore and offshore.Led the finance function to ensure its full integration into the business in order to understand and challenge where value could be added. Collaborated with the geographic General Managers and group CEO as a key contributor to the decision making progress.Created and continually developed information requirements to give one view for effective decision making (i.e. consistent and effective commercial/cost models, chart of accounts, data recording).Transitioned Yell higher cost services to Yell Adworks, achieving cost savings whilst maintaining quality – IT projects, Processing Operations, Advert production. Worked with operations management to implement/transition cost effective projects with an ability to ‘speak the language of the business’.Implemented new Yell Group reporting requirements ensuring these were achieved in terms of information, accuracy and timing (full management accounts in 1-5 working days). Show less

• 

  Arcus Consultancy Services

  Sept 2012 - Dec 2012

  Finance Director

  Fixed Term Assignment:Leading and adding value to the financial and commercial activities of the business, whilst at the same time adding value to the individuals within the team and working closely with people across the organisation as a whole.Defining the ‘Finance role’ for Arcus Consulting Services Ltd and associated companies.Assessing the current finance and administration resources; advisors; and finance systems in relation to existing and future business growth requirements.Recommending future financial, commercial and management Information reporting based on the anticipated growth of the business.Agreeing a new integrated finance structure with clearly identified roles in order to support current and future financial; commercial; and operational needs. Show less

• 

  Retired

  Jan 2015 - now

  Chief Finance Officer: Retired