Experience

• 

  Early career

  Jan 1982 - Jan 1992

  Various

  3 years grounding with Lucas Automotive, initially on a Graduate finance programme. Over the next 4 years gained exposure to sales, marketing, distribution and financial modelling with Spillers Foods (Dalgety). Progressed to Chief Accountant within Dalgety £35m t/o subsidiary.

• 

  Spontex ltd

  Jan 1992 - Jan 1997

  Finance director

  Responsible for all Finance and IT activities. No.2 to MD, ‘Guardian’ of the IT led Business Plan which resulted in 10% growth p.a. in sales.

• 

  Trw steering systems

  Jan 1997 - Jan 1998

  Financial controller

  Main responsibility was to ‘Make the Plan’ ie monitor & influence results. Role ended due to global redundancy programme.

• 

  First great western, firstgroup plc

  Jan 1998 - Jan 2002

  Financial planning manager

  Responsible for managing the Company’s financial planning cycle and profit reporting, carrying out the commercial & financial review of all business initiatives. Achievements:- Successful £5m business plan preparation leading to new internet retailing site.- Managed complex £17m claim on Strategic Rail Authority - Prepared and negotiated £20m claim with Insurers post-Hatfield train crash

• 

  Stagecoach

  Jan 2002 - Feb 2003

  Divisional finance director

  Responsibilities primarily involved assisting in the stabilisation phase at the newly commissioned Shared Service Centre

• 

  National express group

  Mar 2003 - Aug 2007

  In 2006 NX created a team to prepare Bids for 4 UK Rail Franchises tendered during 2006/7. The output from this work was a detailed submission / Business Plan that met the aspirations of the Dept. for Transport. I was Finance Director on 2 of these bids. My main input was instil Strategic & Financial robustness ensuring all NX Group objectives were met. I initially joined the Group as Finance Director of the in-house coach operating subsidiary but after re-structuring I was asked to take on a General Management role for this activity, leading a team of operational managers responsible for delivering coach and bus services incorporating a fleet of 200 vehicles and 650 drivers.

  • Finance Director - Rail Bidding

    May 2006 - Aug 2007

  • Finance Director / Head of Owned Operations

    Mar 2003 - May 2006
• 

  Veolia transport uk ltd

  Sept 2007 - May 2011

  Commercial finance director

  A start-up / turnaround role with focus on re-engineering business processes and improving business performance. Achievements included:-- 8 month project to create a new UK Central Finance facility in Birmingham. Closed existing offices in Wales & Nottingham. Central team successfully established to Veolia Group standards to given deadline- Replacing failing Management Reporting systems, overcoming senior management reluctance to accept the accuracy of poor results- Overhauling Financial Forecasting routines to meet local & Group needs- Identifying and evaluating business improvement schemes. +£2m profit improvement between 2009 & 2010, achieved through elimination of loss-making contracts & depot closure / re-structuring programmes- Preparation of Tender bids targeted at opening new markets, including NHS- Leading Commercial Team – providing Commercial evaluations to the businesses, bidding for new work, customer liaison, scheduling & timetable preparation. - Reviewing Business processes, implementation of route profitability reporting Show less

• 

  Abu dhabi department of transport

  May 2011 - Jul 2015

  Senior financial consultant

  Business Partner to, and a member of the Senior Management Team for the Bus Office. Performing business case evaluations, preparing Financial Plans, negotiating high value contracts, preparing Tenders. Supporting all aspects of Business Development, preparation & presentation of Long Range Plans for Government. Key Achievements:- Creation of stable control environment re £200m p.a. Budget, including management of Budget preparation, coaching UAE-national budget holders- Mentoring UAE-nationals and ex-pats, coaching local managers in procurement strategy, contract management- Strategic design, preparation and evaluation of Operations Tender in excess of £1.0 bn- Leading financial project for launch of Automated Fare Collection system- Leading negotiations re contract variations and extensions- Oversight of the Departmental Finance Team Show less

• 

  Kite hill consulting ltd

  Aug 2015 - Oct 2020

  Director

  Professional Interim Manager undertaking Finance & Commercial assignments. Recent role as Interim FD for Arriva London Bus ended January 2018. Broad sector experience but specialising within Public Transport, including Rail Franchise Bidding and the financial management of Bus & Coach Operations. Other recent assignments: overhauling the Financial Reporting & Planning for a publicly owned Bus Company (Oman), supporting a Direct Award project for a major rail franchise (Birmingham), preparing the financial and commercial submissions for a taxi bid (Muscat, Oman), Finance Lead for a bid for the London Overground Concession (London). Show less

• 

  Transport for london

  Apr 2018 - Nov 2018

  Head of finance - rail
• 

  Mwasalat oman

  Mar 2019 - Mar 2021

  Specialist adviser