Stephen Ford

Background

About Stephen Ford

A results-driven senior finance professional with extensive industry experience gained in plc environment across several sectors including environmental services, recycling, food manufacturing and aviation services. Excellent leadership skills, strategic thinking and commercial acumen with hands-on experience in business ownership (including acquisition and disposal), bank and equity finance, business turnaround, working capital management, corporate governance and project management. Provider of experienced consultancy services to small to medium sized businesses which require strategic review, guidance and CFO skillset to promote growth and value realization.Fellow member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and qualified with Deloitte in HIGHLIGHTS• Successfully led Management Buy Out (MBO) of leading environmental services business with five sites across island of Ireland and turnover in excess of €40m• Negotiated equity and bank financing including extensive financial guarantee and invoice discounting facilities and subsequently managed banking relationship • Managed various due diligence streams including legal process, SPA negotiation and transitional arrangements with former parent• Project managed and implemented comprehensive IT migration project• Successfully implemented and managed business growth strategy as owner/manager of business which led to subsequent sale to industry competitor • Negotiated key terms of business sale, managed sale process and DD streams, coordinated process with stakeholders including bank and equity partners.• Managed competition review process with CCPC while maintaining earnings levels during period between SPA signing and CCPC approval (8 months)• Business turnaround project in UK resulting in significant EBITDA improvement over a three-year period following management team restructuring and bolt-on acquisitions• Led divestment of loss-making business in Irish midlands• Key part of divisional management team tasked with performance improvement for four metal recycling sites with turnover in excess of €100m; successfully reduced costs and increased material margins• Implementation of rigorous internal control environment across various plc businesses • Extensive plc experience including board and management reporting, corporate governance and implementation of internal controls, working capital management, multi-site responsibilities across Ireland and UK, capital projects and business acquisitions/integrationsFD | Finance Director || CFO | Chief Finance Officer