Governance

Background

Phil has been a director of finance for over 25 years across three companies covering such diverse sectors as Manufacturing, Food Procurement and Consultancy.

His first taste of business leadership dates back to the mid-1980’s when he led large and diverse teams as part of the NatWest Bank Group to deliver computer operational services, online share dealing in branches across the UK, customer support helpdesks and the lead on special projects.

After 17 years at the Bank, Phil moved into the role of Finance Director for a Manufacturing company and played a major part in helping them compete on a worldwide stage; including being a lead in their first ventures into Lean Manufacturing techniques which revolutionised how the business operated.

Fifteen years later, he joined Acquire Services where he worked alongside Tim Cookson and Ed Bevan which culminated in Phil coordinating the due diligence process that saw the business successfully purchased by Compass Group.

Phil’s varied and strong skill set, his commercial and innovative thinking plus his committed work ethic is a natural fit for Litmus where he has served as our Finance Director since joining in 2016.

Strategy & Performance

• Determine and implement the policies and procedures to provide sound financial and treasury management and controls across the business that best facilitate growth and our long-term investment ideas.
• To work with stakeholders throughout the business to create clear strategies and the financial goals to inspire and stretch the business to achieve its full potential.
• Coordinate the financial reporting of each part of the Litmus divisions and to collaborate with them in order to produce management accounts and financial projections that will enable the Board to make short and long-term decisions in the best interests of the company’s evolution.
• Develop and report on the Key Performance Indicators for the business that demonstrate how the business is performing against short, medium and long-term objectives.

Risk & Compliance

• Assess our business activity trends, external market conditions and the margins of our services so the Board can support areas of growth and act quickly where business may be at risk.
• Ensure our business is compliant with all financial regulations and that we support our supply chain with fair and reasonable conditions of payments.
• Manage our treasury position to ensure this meets the requirements of the business and to invest surplus cash in plans that demonstrate a suitable return on investment.

People & Culture

• Be a leader and role model for the business who motivates and supports others in a way that maintains the Litmus culture of being creative in their thinking and a business who places trust in staff following sound decision-making processes.
• To educate, advise and mentor others within the business in relation to the key commercial aspects of the company and how they can utilise such knowledge to improve and add value to what they do, whilst also developing their knowledge and skills sets.
• To value everyone’s contribution to ideas and promote positive and entrepreneurial thinking across the business, fostering an attitude that creates change and opportunity and find ways to improve effectiveness.