Ash McDowell

Background

About Ash McDowell

Ash qualified as a chartered accountant in 2014 and has gained valuable experience in Finance teams of varying sizes and industries. He joined Culture Shift in June 2020 as Finance Director and has run and built the finance function from a standing start, providing the founders with valuable financial analysis and important insights into company performance. As a valued part of the exec team, he has helped the business achieve its financial goals and played a key part in growing the wider Culture Shift team. He has ensured appropriate financial controls and processes are in place as the team has grown and provided visibility of key metrics to ensure the business grows sustainably. In August 2021, Ash led Culture Shift through a £1.5million fundraising round, allowing the business to target new markets, speed up the product development process and move into a dedicated city centre office space. This post-seed funding round included follow on from Culture Shift’s existing investors as well as attracting investment from a new EIS fund. Ash is also a Trustee and the Chair of the Finance & Risk Committee at Sheffield Hallam Student's Union. He provides valuable financial insight into the Board and ensures the SU is financially sound and acting within it's powers. Ash is also the Treasurer and a Trustee of Comedy Support Act UK - a benevolent fund for comedians who find themselves out of work due to illness or injury.