Risk, Governance & Compliance
Board Reporting & Working Capital Management
In Action
Crisis cashflow forecasting
Built short- and medium-term models under pressure to inform funding conversations.
Lender negotiation
Sourced and secured a new working capital facility on favourable terms.
Leadership under pressure
Balanced clarity, empathy, and decisiveness in a high-stakes funding environment.
Stakeholder communication
Rebuilt lender confidence through transparency, frequency, and credibility.
Board reporting
Delivered regular, focused updates to internal and external stakeholders under scrutiny.
Operational continuity
Managed internal disruption and external expectations while maintaining service delivery.
Board Reporting & Working Capital Management
Restoring confidence in a high-pressure funding environment.
Delivered clarity, control, and lender trust when it mattered most — keeping the business moving under pressure.
Challenge
The company was heavily reliant on trading finance for working capital. Shortly after I joined, it became clear the facility had not been appropriately managed by the previous FD. To make matters worse, the longstanding bank relationship manager was replaced by someone with a far more conservative risk appetite — resulting in an immediate reduction in funding. Payroll was at risk, supplier relationships were strained, and the very continuity of the business came into question.
Approach
I rebuilt the financial model and cash forecasts from the ground up, providing clear, granular insight into the business’s short-term and medium-term cash position. I opened direct, daily communication with the bank’s new relationship manager — walking through assumptions, providing full transparency, and building confidence in the numbers and the leadership.
Simultaneously, I initiated discussions with alternative lenders and successfully negotiated more favourable terms with a new provider. Although the transition introduced short-term disruption (including bi-monthly audits), I led the process end-to-end and ensured operational continuity. As confidence grew, audit frequency was reduced to annually.
Impact
Averted a liquidity crisis and maintained payroll without interruption.
Restored lender trust through financial clarity and consistent communication.
Secured a new facility on improved terms, despite tight market conditions.
Reduced audit frequency from bi-monthly to annually within six months.
Introduced sustainable cashflow discipline and a resilient reporting cadence.
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