Mark W.

Working with the executive team to build the Commercial Finance function and drive commerciality across the board acting as a strategic business partner. The most important part of this role is around leadership both of the commercial finance team plus partnering the CEO and leading long term, strategic decision making conversations. Areas include: Working with the Purchasing, Sales & Marketing teams to build accurate and robust forecasts within the structure of the recently created sales and operating planning process. Take control of issues around stock and all aspects of inventory management from sales forecasts, to understanding lead times and impact on availability and stock levels. Working alongside the Sales & Marketing Directors to build accurate and robust forecasts for new products, pricing analysis and position in the market, alongside evaluation of marketing spend levels and effectiveness of promotions including set pieces like the Group's National Sale. Working alongside the Business Development Director on how we can grow the business both domestically and internationally. Overall responsibility for KPIs and dashboarding working with the analysts to drive insight and action orientated analysis where necessary. Leading the annual UK budget, forecasting and cash flow process. Leading business partnering within the business, providing commercial support and analysis working closely with sales, marketing, operations and IT. Careful cost management across the group, driving performance management whilst improving product margins Implementing process and system improvements. Close interaction with international operations in US, Asia and Europe Deputising the Group CFO

Business Partnering at a Partnership Change & IT functional level (a cash budget of c£300m), including Business Planning/ Strategy, monthly Financial Reporting/ board packs, KPI setting, Budgeting & Analysis and Financial Control Supervision of expenditure governance, process improvement and support on commercial contract negotiation, working closely with our Procurement Team Lead financial input on material outsourcing (change) programme(s) and supporting business cases thereon (financial modelling and benefits realisation) Managing and coaching a team of 4 direct reports (experienced qualified accountants) as well as guiding and supporting them through a material finance dept. change programme

Chaired the Partnership investment committee sub-group (a senior decision making forum in its own right) on significant capital expenditure decisions Oversaw numerous portfolio resets driven by tough retail landscape and Covid-19 - embedded process improvements to make the approval framework and process more efficient Closely collaborated with the Partnership Strategy team on the latest Partnership Strategic Plan (2020) in terms of our capacity and capability issues facing the Partnership investment programme holistically

Business Partnering at a John Lewis Property and Investment Committee divisional level Significant role in understanding our 'shop of the future' and associated financial modelling (excel/ google sheets) around the profitability of our JL store estate (and consequent reduced store estate) Developed a prioritisation matrix that provided essential information to decision makers around JL investments whilst seeking to optimally use cash & people resources whilst protecting Partnership liquidity Managing and coaching a team of 7 qualified accountants with 3 experienced direct reports; providing mentoring supporting for the analysts in the team

Business Partnering at a JL Divisional level (turnover of c£5bn) to the MD and FD, including Business Planning & Financial Strategy, monthly Financial Reporting/ board packs, KPI setting, Budgeting & Analysis and Financial Control as well as being lead Business Partner to the JL Divisional Risk Committee Representing and preparing all materials to JL Management Board and JL Risk Committee Key focus on insightful divisional financial performance (quantitative and qualitative), Planning & Budgeting and cash flow analysis Working with external auditors on understanding our year end commercial performance and understand our material provisions and revenue recognition Managed and coached a team of 4 experience qualified accountants

Business Partnering Group FD combined with entity level "Partnership" Business Planning and Budgeting and Financial Control for Partnership investment expenditure (e.g. rewriting the Partnership Contract and Spending Rules governing both capital and operating expenses which remains in use today) Preparing all associated materials for the Partnership Board. Partnership cash flow financial modelling (excel/ google sheets) for liquidity and viability statement purposes for external audit purposes Working closely with Group Treasury to ensure our debt metrics and financial covenant strength was fully understood internally and externally

Analysing the commercial, financial and capital investment dynamics of large corporate clients and underwriting credit applications

RBS Invoice Financing Division

Studied and passed ACA exams whilst undertaking my graduate trainee job with Deloitte