EquityFD and Smith & Williamson present 'The Contemporary FD' on Tuesday 15th March in London

The role of the Finance Director as value creator

Date: Tuesday 15 March 2016

Time: 08:30 – 18:00

Venue: Millennium Hotel, 44 Grosvenor Square, Mayfair, London W1K 2HP

There’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all finance director. Company size, type, sector, a multitude of different situations and the style of other senior colleagues all demand different attributes.

But FDs in mid-sized, growth-oriented businesses need a bit of everything – from strong team management skills to the ability to do deals, from cost control to co-piloting the business with the CEO.

We think these FDs, more than any other, need opportunities to meet and share ideas. ‘The Contemporary FD’ will fulfil that role with a programme designed to feed the mind, tease out practical advice and uncover new ways for the finance function to add value.

‘Value’ is the key word. We want to help FDs find new ways to express themselves as business leaders first and accountants second. The importance of discipline – or the knowledge that your core skills are intrinsically valuable to any business are a given. But it’s equally clear these attributes are not enough to enhance the value of your business on their own.

Why is this event different?

There are no sponsors. So there are no pitches. There will be no PowerPoint – it’s not a lecture (there won’t be any CPD points either for that matter). And definitely no press.

This really is about Finance Directors and for Finance Directors. The delegates are just as important as the speakers. Rather than just using the word 'network' we are looking to facilitate your networking by putting as much thought into the business mix on the tables as we do into the panels themselves, to ensure that you do meet as many of your peers as possible.

Who should come?

FDs in growth businesses; those backed by private equity; and those seeking exciting ideas to supercharge their career and their contribution. You’re a clear partner to your CEO. But you get things done – even if that’s in Ops, IT or HR as well as finance.

If you’re working hard to both deliver on-the-money numbers week-in, week-out; working hand-in-glove with a CEO to create value; and shooting for clear growth targets which might necessitate M&A activity or market expansion…Contemporary FD is a must.

Programme

The programme will be hosted by Richard Young

08:30	Registration and breakfast
09:00	Welcome - EquityFD and Smith & Williamson
09:15	Opening keynote Vernon Hill, Chairman and Founder of Metro Bank
09:45	Value from transformation Martin Glanfield, CFO at Mercia Technologies Kirsty Macdonald, Partner at Growth Capital Partners Gillian Wilmot, Chairman and NED – Founder of Board Mentoring Dan Sherfield, Finance Director at Grind Rick Waterlow, President International of Vice Media Inc
10:45	Coffee break
11:00	Value from challenge Toby Harris, CFO at D&D London David Lee, CFO/COO at Stratajet Charles Cameron, CFO at Tracscare Debra Wood, former CFO of Liberty
12:00	Value from vapour Chris Cole, Managing Director of Make it Cheaper Group Ltd Frazer Fearnhead, CEO and Founder of Housecrowd Richard Gibson, Tech CFO/Chairman James Bodha, CFO at Thunderhead
13:00	Lunch
14:00	Value from values Frances Daley, Non-Executive at Baring Emerging Europe PLC Rowland Johnson, CEO of Nettitude Margaret Rice-Jones, Chairman of Skyscanner and Openet Jane Dumeresque, CEO at Folk2Folk
15:00	Valuing the FD Paul Bosson, Serial Private Equity CFO Sarah Hunt, Founder of EquityFD Chris Hurley, CEO of LDC Martin McCourt, Entrepreneur Investor
16:00	Coffee break
16:15	Closing address Stewart Wingate, CEO of Gatwick Airport
17:00	Networking & drinks
18:00	Close

Booking fee

Places cost £143.70 plus VAT, this booking fee covers the cost of the conference facilities. Once you have registered to attend this event, we will send you an invoice. Payment can be paid via BACs transfer or cheque.

Contact us

To speak to us or for more information, please contact Stacey Leader
(T: 020 7131 8304)

Join Peter Cook on Share Radio tomorrow Tuesday 1st March at 6.30pm GMT for a conversation about Leadership, Creativity, Innovation and Business

Shaylor Group eyes £100m turnover reports Business Insider

Walsall-headquartered contractor Shaylor Group expects to "comfortably" pass the £100m turnover mark in 2016 after newly filed accounts revealed a hike in revenue and pre-tax profit. 

The family-owned company hailed 2015 as a "strong and encouraging" year that built on the on the momentum of the previous period. 

In the 12 months to 30 September, turnover reached £81.4m, up from £70m in 2014. Pre-tax profits also climbed to £3.2m from £2.7m. 

During the year, Shaylor Group carried out a number of major projects for Rolls-Royce, BMW and the University of Birmingham. 

A statement signed off by chief executive Stephen Shaylor (pictured) said: "Our selective approach to new business has placed us on an upward trajectory as we continue on our path of planned and managed growth, which will see the business comfortably push through the £100m turnover threshold in 2016." 

Shaylor Group is currently involved on 25 frameworks with clients such as the Ministry of Justice, Royal Mail, Post Office and the Royal Bank of Scotland. The company said all agreements "delivered meaningful activity" in the year under review and revealed that three quarters of its target forward order book is already secured for 2016/17. 

Director Martin Chamber's also told Insider that Shaylor has recently secured a £16m contract it will work on over the next 42 weeks. 

"It really highlights that we have an incredible track record," he added. "We're well-positioned for growth in both the private and public sectors". 

Shaylor Group's head office is in Aldridge and the business has additional sites in Birmingham, London and South Brent in Devon. It employs almost 180 staff.

Leading & Managing Change - Free CIMA Event in Cannock on Thursday 25th February

The ability to change smoothly and consistently as part of the inherent mind-set and competency of an organisation is important to the success of an organisation in a globally competitive market where technology, innovation and commercialisation increasingly drive the agenda.   

Early stage enterprises, established businesses and mature multi-nationals often tell us they have tried change initiatives before but that these have failed to make an impact.  They recognise the need to change but do not want to fall into the same trap.  They are desperate to ensure new change initiatives are successful and that change becomes an integral part of what the organisation does. 

Date: 25 February 2016

Time: 18:30 

Location: Ramada, Birmingham North, Bridge Street, Cannock WS11 0DQ   

Price: FOC  

Buffet served on arrival 

Reserve your free place by emailing julie.witts@cimaglobal.com  

What you can gain

• Types of change and why change succeeds and fails.
• The qualities and capabilities of a good change leader and manager, so identifying those skills you would like to improve.
• How to lead and manage good change that lands well within your organisation.
• The breadth of skills required within the organisation to successfully design, develop, deliver and embed change.
   
  Speaker Details
   
  Sarah Coleman has over 25 years’ experience as a project, programme and change professional designing and delivering business critical initiatives up to $ 50million in the UK and internationally.  During her career she has worked extensively in professional services, healthcare, financial services, technology and telecoms as well as local government and central government.  She typically provides consultancy, training and development and facilitation.
   
  She is also a qualified and experienced leadership and executive coach who coaches and mentors professionals who want to improve their performance and step up to the next level. Her clients say they value her communication skills and her ability to challenge positively and constructively.
   
  Sarah speaks at business schools, events and conferences including RBS, Defra, the IIBA, Goldman Sachs, Innovate UK and the APM. She contributed the chapter ‘Dealing with Power and Politics’ to ‘Business Analysis and Leadership: Influencing Change’ (2013) published by Kogan Page and has just completed co-authoring ‘Project Leadership’ (3rd edition) for Gower Publishing due to be published 2015.

IoD West Midlands - Free Networking Evening at The Swan Hotel, Stafford, on Thursday 4th February from 6pm to 8pm

We are delighted to host another networking evening at The Swan, an 18th Century Coaching Inn. Join fellow directors along with Richard Bisiker, events chair for IoD North Staffordshire for an evening of informal networking. We will be there to welcome you from 6pm. 

Location: The Swan Hotel 46-46a Greengate Street Stafford ST16 2JA 

Date: 04 February 2016  

Time:18:00 - 20:00 

Directors members evening in the relaxed setting of The Swan, an 18th Century coaching inn. 

Member price: Free of charge

 

Non-member price: Free of charge

"Get Ready to Break Big in 2016" - CIMA Event in Walsall on 9thFebruary at 6.30pm

Attending this seminar will help you to assess where your business is right now and take you through ten strategic steps to get you to the next level of growth. 

What you can gain: - 

Find out about the 10 practical steps to realise the full potential of your business and help you achieve your business vision. 

1. Ditch the business plan.

2. Understand why you want it.

3. Build on firm foundations.

4. Understand what business you are in.

5. Get ready to break big.

6. Know your market.

7. Look in the mirror.

8. Stand out from the crowd.

9. Create a sales plan.

10. Press the RESET button.

 

Date/Time: 9 February 2016 starting at 18:30

Location: Holiday Inn, Great Barr, Walsall B43 7BG (M6 Jct 7)

Price: No charge.  Buffet served on arrival

Book: julie.witts@cimaglobal.com

 

Speaker Details: - 

Harvey Gora, Director, Business Doctors, spent more than a decade transforming his family’s clothing manufacturing company into a successful pet accessories company by forging loyal relationships with SMEs and focusing on delivering what customers need. 

'When I joined the family business, I got involved in every single aspect, from sales and procurement to admin and finance. It was quite an experience. I turned it from a loser into a winner that currently employs around 17 people.' 

After graduating from the University of Manchester in economics, Harvey worked for a few large organisations in telecoms, financial services and business development. Then faced with a tough and challenging decision decided to carry on the mantle of the family business. The business was in the red after a huge bad debt but Harvey battled on and a couple of years later managed to turn the business and repay the debt. He subsequently changed industries, took production overseas, deployed a structure for LT growth and financial sustainability and ten years later built a hugely successful business, which still remains in the family. 

During this time Harvey also qualified as a CIMA management accountant, secured several investments, ran a property portfolio and started up an e-commerce business, which was successfully resold. 

Matthew Levington, Managing Director, Business Doctors - Intelligent, talented individuals who enjoy fast-paced, challenging environments make ideal business consultants and advisors. Matthew certainly fits the bill. A veteran of the highly-competitive and rapidly evolving media industry, Matthew started his career in sponsorship and promotions at Piccadilly Radio. He quickly moved up the corporate ladder at EMAP and was soon displaying his talents in a series of senior roles. 

Matthew became managing director of Crash FM in Liverpool after its failed launch and managed to reverse its fortunes by attracting the valuable youth market and the advertising revenues that follow. Matthew moved to Chrysalis stations Galaxy 105 in Yorkshire, followed by Galaxy 102 in Manchester, one of the UK’s largest radio markets. Matthew revived the underperforming Manchester station with bold, carefully calculated strokes that included the appointment of a senior management team, relocation to the city centre and a determined focus on building a profile amongst the city’s advertisers, businesses and communities. 

Matthew’s relevant business experience and talent for turn-around led him to found Business Doctors Ltd. This unique opportunity to promulgate his hands-on style and to have a major impact on clients' bottom lines made Business Doctors the ideal venue for Matthew’s many competencies and talents.

Peter Milligan to speak at CIMA/CIPD Event, 'Organisational politics and power: How to work with it, earn respect and make a positive difference' on 27th January at Newcastle-under-Lyme

Venue & Time

Holiday Inn at Junction 15 of the M6 Newcastle-under-Lyme ST5 4DL
6.30pm for 7pm
No charge.  Buffet served on arrival 

What you can gain

The session will be interactive and will include: 

• What power and politics really are. 
• Why you need to understand basic psychology, and how to apply it. 
• The two emotions that can make or break you. 
• What you need to be able to read a room effectively.
• Understanding and dealing with different agendas. 
• Working with the ‘hidden’ side of organisational life.
• Stakeholder relationship management. 
• Building immunity from the political game playing of others.

Participants will leave the session with: 

• a better appreciation of organisational dynamics
• a deeper and useful insight into human psychology
• some practical actions they can apply to improve the way they think, act and influence at work.  

Speaker Details

Peter Milligan is a corporate psychologist with more than 21 years of international experience in developing business leaders and teams.  
After moving to the UK in 2000, Peter became a director of Europe's largest and longest running executive coaching firm.  He was a contributor to the book, ‘10 Things That Keep CEOs Awake’ and regularly writes and speaks on leadership, communication and career success.


Peter has worked with leaders at all levels including managing directors and other board members. In 2005, he established New Generation Leaders in line with his passion for accelerating the awareness, confidence and contribution of emerging leaders. He is currently writing a book designed to help these people learn and grow more quickly on their leadership journey.