Adrian Lawrence Podcast

Welcome back to another exciting episode of FD Capital's "Executive Insight," the podcast where we delve into the world of executive leadership and recruitment. I'm your host, and today we have a fascinating topic to explore—London CFO headhunters. To start off what exactly a CFO headhunter does? A CFO headhunter, also known as an executive recruiter or executive search consultant, specializes in identifying and recruiting top-level financial executives, specifically Chief Financial Officers. They work closely with organisations looking to fill their CFO positions with exceptional talent. CFO headhunters have an extensive network and expertise in the finance industry, allowing them to identify and approach highly qualified candidates who may not be actively seeking new opportunities. That sounds intriguing. Now, what makes London such a hub for CFO headhunters? London has long been recognized as a global financial center. It is home to numerous multinational corporations, financial institutions, and investment firms. As a result, the demand for top-tier financial executives, including CFOs, is incredibly high. The competitive nature of the London market has led to the rise of specialized headhunting firms dedicated to identifying and attracting the best CFO talent for their clients. So, what are some of the key qualities and skills that London CFO headhunters look for in potential candidates? Excellent question. When seeking CFO candidates, headhunters typically focus on a combination of technical expertise, leadership abilities, strategic thinking, and industry knowledge. A strong CFO candidate should possess a deep understanding of financial management, risk assessment, and corporate governance. They should also be effective communicators and have the ability to influence key stakeholders. I can see why finding the right CFO is so crucial. Could you walk us through the typical process that CFO headhunters follow when working on a search assignment? The process typically begins with a detailed consultation with the client to gain a deep understanding of their specific needs, organizational culture, and strategic goals. This helps the headhunter develop a comprehensive candidate profile. They then leverage their networks, industry knowledge, and research capabilities to identify potential candidates. Once a shortlist of qualified candidates is compiled, the headhunter engages in discreet conversations to assess their interest and fit. From there, they facilitate the interview and selection process, offering guidance and support to both the client and the candidates until the ideal CFO candidate is chosen. That sounds like a meticulous process. Now, what advice would you give to CFOs who may be approached by headhunters? For CFOs who are approached by headhunters, it's important to approach the conversation with an open mind and a willingness to explore new opportunities. Even if you are not actively looking for a new position, it can be beneficial to hear about exciting opportunities that align with your career aspirations. Maintain professionalism and confidentiality throughout the process, and remember to thoroughly evaluate the potential role, company culture, and fit with your long-term career goals before making any decisions. Now, before we wrap up, do you have any final thoughts or insights you'd like to share with our listeners? Absolutely. If you are an organisation in need of a CFO or a CFO considering a new opportunity, working with a specialized headhunter cangreatly enhance your chances of finding the right fit. The London market is dynamic and competitive. To learn more about FD Capital Recruitment and our Headhunting team visit our website at https://www.fdcapital.co.uk/cfo-headhunters/

In todays episode Adrian Lawrence talks about how Reporting Accounts the popular pay as you go business credit report service is seeing strong growth again. Activity was subdued during the pandemic lockdown, but we are pleased to report impressive growth already in 2022. Reporting Accounts are in discussion with private equity houses about a fund raise, so if you are an existing customer and would like to invest, then watch this space as they say, as the Reporting Accounts fund raise is likely to be in the news again in the near future. To learn more about our business and our London based HQ team, visit our website which can be found at Reporting Accounts.

In today's episode Adrian Lawrence talks about how FD Capital Recruitment have added two new locations to their national coverage this week, being Derby and Brighton. The business has been running since 2018 and is based in Great Portland Street, London but following two new opportunities that started this week we now have extended our coverage to include these locations. If you are a Business based either in Derby or Brighton, reach out to FD Capital today and we can discuss how we can help your business find the perfect Finance Director or Chief Financial Officer. To learn more about our business please visit our website which can be found at https://www.fdcapital.co.uk

In today's episode Adrian Lawrence our resident financial expert talks about the new living wage rate from 1st April 2021 and how it impacts on the economy giving Brexit and the recent pandemic lockdowns. Adrian took part in the 2020 Low pay commission review and is cited in their previous report. He discuses how the new NLW does not apply during Furlough and that some employees those aged 23 and 24 will see an 8.7% increase. To Learn more about Reporting Accounts and how we hold information and insights into more than 4.9 million UK companies visit our website today at https://www.reportingaccounts.com

In today's episode Adrian Lawrence our resident financial expert talks about Cineworld and their announcement that they will re-open their USA cinemas starting in April and their UK ones in May. They have also agreed a deal with Warner Brothers to show films in cinemas for 45 and 30 days prior to them being streamed online. This is a really positive news story as cinemas have been amongst the worse hit businesses by the Pandemic. To learn more about Reporting Accounts and how we hold insights and information covering more than 4.8million UK companies visit our website at https://www.reportingaccounts.com

In today's podcast episode Adrian Lawrence our in-house financial expert talks about the National Grid and how they have announced an asset swap deal, they are selling their UK Gas distribution assets and buying more electricity ones in their place, this increases the proportion of their revenue from Electricity and reduces the proportion from Gas. Given the UK's plans to reach net zero by 2050 this is a positive move, as it moves the company away from involvement with Fossil fuels. Electricity is a regulated area so it also increases the percentage of its revenue which is regulated. Overall its a positive news story and one that will be welcomed by environmental groups. To learn more about Reporting Accounts and how we collect information and insights covering more than 4.8 million UK companies visit our website which can be found at https://www.reportingaccounts.com

In today's episode our resident financial expert Adrian Lawrence talks about recruiting finance a finance director or CFO for your business. FD Capital are a specialist FD recruitment business that cover London and the West Midlands areas, they offer a full range of services such as Part-Time Finance Directors, Interims and specialist areas such as Turnarounds and E-Commerce specialist FD's. To learn more about their business visit their website at https://www.fdcapital.co.uk If you need to Recruit an FD reach out to them. Reporting Accounts holds insights and information covering more than 4.8 million UK companies visit our website to find out more.

In today's episode Adrian Lawrence our resident Financial expert talks about a new service launched by FD Capital, who are a specialist Finance Director and CFO recruitment business operating in London and the West Midlands. They now offer specialist Private Equity FD's who can help create pitch decks and pitch them to private equity houses. They now also offer Turnaround FD's who have experience of Business recovery and the turning around of loss making businesses back to profit, if you need either of these skill sets or indeed are interested in finding a new role in these areas then reach out to FD Capital for all of your recruitment needs. To learn more about Reporting Accounts and how we hold information and insights into more than 4.8 million UK companies please visit our website for more details.

In today's episode from Reporting Accounts Adrian Lawrence our resident financial expert talks further about Part-Time Finance Directors, and how they can be a great resource to access particularly now following the pandemic when businesses need help to raise funds and restructure but are cautious of taking on significant costs. We can recommend FD Capital who offer Part-Time Finance Directors in London and Part-Time Finance Directors in Birmingham. It's possible to hire an experienced financial professional to work one day per week, and they bring with them a lot of knowledge, experience and contacts which can be invaluable to a business, plus enhanced credibility with banks and private equity houses. To Learn more about Reporting Accounts and how we hold information and insights intom more than 4.8 million UK companies visit our website today.

In today's episode Adrian Lawrence our in-house financial expert talks about Rolls Royce who have reported a £4billion loss today compared to £583m profit in the previous year. Their results are brutal but that does reflect that their model is to charge for the hours their engines are running rather than for sales of engines. The impact of the worldwide pandemic has very badly impacted on their model. The company is reducing its workforce by 7,000 people and is in discussions to sell some of its subsidiaries. The positive news is that with the roll out of vaccines worldwide the worse is behind the company, but it will be later in 2021 before the world of international travel returns closer to normal. To learn more about Reporting Accounts and how we have information and insights covering more than 4.8 million UK companies please visit our website at https://www.reportingaccounts.com

In today's episode our in-house fianancial professional talks about Clarks Shoes the 195 year old family owned business which announced its sale to a HK based private equity house. They have a chain of 320 high street stores and have had a tough time recently with the Lockdowns and the move to online retail. Whilst restructures have reduced costs, they are not enough for it to remain viable without investment. Like so many similar companies Clarks just did not embrace change fast enough and now they have fallen into foreign hands. There is however huge international potential for their shoes and of course the potential for online growth, both of which their new owners recognise. To learn more about Reporting Accounts and to find information and insights into Clarks shoes and more then 4.8 million UK companies visit our website at https://www.reportingaccounts.com

In today's episode Adrian Lawrence our in-house financial expert talks about CFO's (Chief Financial Officers) and how they have seen their earnings drop from between 2020 and 2019, which given the lockdowns and Brexit should be no surprise. Our sister company FD Capital have recently entered the CFO Recruitment niche, and if you are a company based in London or the West Midlands and are looking for a Part Time CFO then we can recommend speaking to them as they are a reliable outfit which we have known for the last 3 years, and our CEO Adrian works as a CFO himself with them. To learn more about FD Capital visit their website at https://www.fdcapital.co.uk and to find out more about Reporting Accounts we hold information and insights covering more than 4.8 million UK companies visit our website also.

In today's episode of Reporting Accounts podcast our resident Financial expert Adrian Lawrence talks about our partner company London Equity Release. As their names suggests they are focussed on the London market but do take on work in the home counties and will consider any UK location if the property valuation is high enough. The criteria are that you must be 55 or above and have at least £75,000 of Equity in your property. These schemes have many advantages the biggest being that you remain rent free in your home for the rest of your life but gain access to the equity in the property which can be very significant if you lived your life in London. To learn more about our service Reporting Accounts and how we hold information and insights into more than 4.8 million UK companies, please visit our website at https://www.reportingaccounts.com.

In today's episode our in-house Financial expert Adrian Lawrence talks further about becoming a Portfolio FD, he works as the CEO for Reporting Accounts one day per week, but as a Portfolio CFO himself 3 or 4 days per week for a number of different SME clients. At FD Capital we get regular calls from FD's interested in moving into Portfolio work, common questions include how easy is it to find Portfolio work? You need to build up a network to be fully occupied and that takes time and effort, typically a day per week needs to be set aside for networking and reaching out to build up a network within the Private Equity and corporate finance spaces. How many days per week can I expect to work? That's another common question and the ideal seems to be 4 days per week as that allows for extra time to support clients with their requirements for year ends, budgets, forecasting and fund raises. It also allows for time for networking. Are their networks you can join? Yes there are and FD Capital is one of them. We are actively looking for new Opportunities and FD's in London and the West Midlands. So if you are looking to Recruit a part time FD in London then reach out to FD Capital. To find more Hints and tips to become a Portfolio FD read our blog post here. To learn more about Reporting Accounts and how we hold information and insights covering more than 4.8 million UK companies visit our website at https://www.reportingaccounts.com

In today's podcast Adrian Lawrence our resident financial experts talks about Deliveroo and their plan for an £8billion IPO on the London stock market. Deliveroo are only 8 years old but in that time have already grown to capture around 1/3 of the home food delivery market. Their IPO timing is also shrewd coming shortly after the pandemic lockdowns means their trading will have benefited. It is also a great endorsement of London and the London Stock market as a fund raising centre. To learn more about Deliveroo and how Reporting Accounts holds information and insights into more than 4.8 million UK companies visit our website at https://www.reportingaccounts.com

In today's episode Adrian Lawrence our resident financial professional is talking about Part Time Finance Directors or Portfolio FD's as they are known, these are experienced accountants who work for more than one company at the same time, it's an arrangement that was more or less unheard of 10 years ago, but is now popular in the UK. Companies gain the experience of finance professional but only pay a fraction of the cost. The professionals themselves earn a good day rate and have the variety of work as an added benefit. It's also an arrangement that works well if there is a need for more of a work life balance. To learn more about Recruiting a Part Time Finance Director or becoming one yourself then visit our partners website at FDCapital. Reporting Accounts holds insights and information on more than 4.8 million UK companies please visit our website to learn more.

n today's episode Adrian Lawrence our in-house financial experts talks about Trustpilot. They are planning an IPO on the London Stock Market that would raise around $50 and value their business at around £1billion. The company based in Copenhagen would become the first major EU company to list following Brexit and will re-inforce London's position and reputation as the natural choice for technology IPO's. The LSE is reviewing its listing rules to see how it can make itself more attractive for technology businesses and the changes potentially include listing fewer shares. Trustpilot has been in the news in 2020 as users had sued each other over negative reviews. To learn more about Reporting Accounts and how we hold information and insights into more than 4.8 million UK companies visit our website at https://www.reportingaccounts.com

In today's episode Adrian Lawrence our resident in-house financial professional talks about Pets at Home. The retail chain which operates 451 shops across the UK, has reported full years profits of £85m ahead of their last forecast of £77m. It's the fourth time since September that the company has updated its profit forecast and that reflects that it continues to benefit from being classed as an essential retailer and has therefore kept its stores open. It is good to hear of a positive news story in these troubled times and Pets for home has a great reputation for service. To what extent the lockdown has encouraged pet ownership is unclear once the UK returns to normal any long term improvement will become apparent, meanwhile it is a positive story. To learn more about Pets at home and any of the 4.8 million UK companies we hold information and insight into, please visit our website at https://www.reportingaccounts.com

In today's podcast Adrian Lawrence the CEO of Reporting Accounts talks about a newly added feature to the Reporting Accounts site, which allows users to performed advanced database searches. Advanced Reporting Accounts search can be find here: https://www.reportingaccounts.com/advanced-search Using this new feature it is possible for example to query our 4.8 million UK company database by location and by sic code and then review all results that match your criteria. If you are looking for free marketing information or to find new suppliers this is a great way to use our database. There are many other uses for this business intelligence data and we are working on adding a user area where these search results can be saved and downloaded in excel format. We now have a sister site dedicated just to podcasts check out castovers. To learn more about Reporting Accounts and our exciting range of free and pay as you go features visit our website today.

In today's episode Adrian Lawrence our resident financial expert talks about Heathrow airport which has been in news todays as it is struggling under the burden of its £20billion of debts. Passenger numbers are down to 22million in 2020 from 80million 2019, levels not seen since the 1970's. Heathrow is calling on the chancellor to grant them business rates relief in next week's budget and to extend the furlough scheme, it remains to be seen if the chancellor will be supportive of their rates request, though it appears certain furlough will be extended for longer in some form at least. The airport group is also threathening the Civil Aviation Authority with legal action if it doesn't agree to it's request to increase landing fees something that will be strongly resisted by airlines. To learn more about Reporting Accounts and how we hold information and insights covering more than 4.8 million UK companies visit our website at https://www.reportingaccounts.com