Peter Cobley

Background

About Peter Cobley

I am a qualified chartered accountant with experience as the Finance Director in turnaround businesses, improving profit and enabling VC / PE exits. Most recently this has been in the high-volume regulated Financial Services field. Before I gifted my eternal soul to the Financial Conduct Authority, my experience was gained mainly in UK manufacturing. The battle-scars from those “metal-bashing” days have paid dividend, such as allowing me to adapt lean-processing and kaizen approaches to the post banking crisis world of FS. For the record, I also have experience in audit, distribution, retail / e-tail, and technology environments, as well as having run my own speciality coffee roastery cum cafe. I learn quickly, and delight in getting to grips with the new, whether it be skills, technology, a change of business or a whole different industry. I like to get under the skin and go deep. My colleagues have said that I have exceptional analytical skills, and that I can explain complex situations clearly to a range of audiences, building rapport from shop-floor to Board and shareholder level. I generate good ideas for strategic decision-making, and once tested and agreed, I will help turn these ideas into action and change. By the way, a few people have asked me about the cityscape photo in my profile banner – it’s my hometown Worcester with the Severn in flood (again!), taken from near the Cathedral Watergate, with All Saints church standing out on the skyline.