Clive Smith

Experience

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  George Philip Limited

  Jul 1989 - Oct 1992

  Financial Controller

  Introducing Management Reporting and producing the most respected and detailed Management Accounts in the Reed Consumer Books GroupStatutory accounts and account for Group ConsolidationInstallation of group accounting systemTeam reorganisation and reporting to the Finance Director by (the best ever boss by far)Responsible for Reed International Trainee Accountant Placement

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  Reed Consumer Books Limited

  Nov 1992 - Nov 1993

  Management Accounting Manager

  Management Reporting, Budgets and ForecastsA thoroughly unsatisfactory role at the time of my second child's birth and health concerns (at the time)However this lead to a very interesting role for 6 months working on database software which I reluctantly left through promotion

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  Conran Octopus Limited

  Dec 1993 - Dec 1996

  Commercial Director

  Business and strategic financial plans, Sales and profit forecasts and analysis by product. Contract negotiation and agreements. Financial review of all illustrated Gardening, Cookery, Lifestyle (old school), Art, Photography, Interior Decorating and Design projects through to publishing stage. Small element of sales of remaindered titles following stock reviews. Major input into all Financial Commitments and especially Stock Management / ReprintsPart of the management team that in hindsight was pulled apart too soon given a group divestmentI had the pleasure of meeting and working with genuinely creative people in a business that produced high quality books some with a number of high profile celebrities/names in their field. In addition the nurturing ethos of my Covent Garden colleagues held me in better stead for the main part of my career.Reason for leaving - Redundancy in one of far too many Reed Elsevier restructures that I had luckily avoided up until then Show less

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  Ling Design Limited

  Jul 1997 - Dec 2016

  Finance Director

  This role started out as the Financial Controller for Henry Ling & Son London Ltd then Ling Design Limited after the purchase of the business by entrepreneur Duncan Spence in 1998The underlying business acquired was flawed, there was no investment in new product, no creativity, no credit control, inaccurate accounts, stock mismanagement, purchasing was shambolic, few internal controls, poor attitudes and lack of teamwork. My (new) colleagues at all levels and myself addressed all of these. Turning this business around was challenging and there were disputes and disappointments along the way.I reorganised the finance department for Ling Design and was instrumental to the planning, forecasting and budgeting of all financial parameters. Numerous process improvements and business opportunities achieved including acquisitions. Some examples include reducing stock depreciation with efficient ordering, better credit control to improve cashflow, better competitor analysis, vastly improved timely management accounting. Acquisitions include the purchase of Talking Pictures Cards Limited.Responsible with the Chairman implementation of non-industry business system which was a better-fit for the business which proved its worth with above standard industry results for the final 15 years.Directed and oversaw all financial activities and due diligence. Managed and monitored the team, communicated with all stakeholders and kept the company compliant with all legislative requirements. Statutory and management accounts, forecasting models, cash flow, payroll and management of all the finance functions. Contact Negotiation and Supplier Management.On the subsequent retirement of the Julian Nash the Chairman, a key part of the business being sold in 2015.Reason for leaving - wanted new challenge as the new group structure sadly undermined my authority Show less

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  MA Business Limited

  Feb 2017 - Jan 2018

  Financial Controller

  Streamlining management reporting to enable improved analysis and monitoring by multiple parameters and indices. Change management of the relevant procedural changes to increase productivity as a result of the changes.As was business magazines - never go back to an industry that has markedly changedLed to a career-gap following illness and demise of parent

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  LKM Recycling

  Jan 2019 - Oct 2019

  Financial Controller

  A tough role but that one I really enjoyed, working with some hardworking and interesting colleaguesWith a wealth of experience within the industry managing the business and an industry where I had little, I resorted to "running before I could walk" due to the family business was not adequately funded (at the time) and legacy issues led to too much emphasis on not just daily cash flow but hourly cash flow!Reason for leaving - wife's ill-health. A disappointmentThe owner, Gary Eastwood with all the pressure was particularly empathetic towards me when my wife's health started to deteriorate Show less

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  Fridays Limited

  Nov 2019 - Jun 2020

  Finance Manager

  With my wife's illness, decline and subsequent death in November 2020, I could not commit to work longer-term in this family-dominated business. A part-time team was not adequate given the above.

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  Smith Media and Publishing Limited

  Jul 2020 - now

  Director - currently dormant

  Writing the second book (fiction 2 of 3). However what has been written many times before is that I have found recently that fact is far stranger than fiction and has also been unbelievably coincidental and definitely scarily weird, scary actually doesn't do it justice, so I have taken a different directionnon-fiction projects to be released second half of 2021