Paul Wray BA ACMA CGMA

De La Rue is the world’s largest commercial banknote printer and passport manufacturer. As a trusted partner of governments, central banks and commercial organisations globally, De La Rue has been involved in the production of over 150 national currencies, and passports or identity systems for over 65 countries. The Gateshead manufacturing site produces Banknotes, Passports and various other Security documents including authenticity certificates for a world leading software supplier. The site generates revenues of c. £150m+ pa. My responsibilities as Head of Finance on site, included leading the finance team in delivering all forecasting, budgeting, reporting, variance control, project financial control, site financial control environment and audit standards, bid support, investment appraisal, strategic direction and financial planning. I was also a senior member of the site leadership team that had responsibility for day to day running of the site involving all aspects of production, quality, HS&E, HR and Union negotiations. I was also involved in numerous client/investor visits (worldwide national banks or governments) as well as strategic planning and implementation for the future direction of the business.

Gateshead NHS Trust was the community and mental health trust responsible for all community based health service provision to the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. Funding/Turnover of £30m pa. My responsibilities included: Oracle Financials systems implementation. Design and implementation of management accounting systems. Monthly reporting. Variance management. Budgeting. Forecasting. Costing for contracting within the NHS. Team and personnel management

BT Syntegra was the newly formed business unit with £200m + turnover pa. It was a systems integrator specialising in long term government and civil contracts for secure/encrypted communications projects. My responsibilities were financial management of a portfolio of customer projects. cash-flow planning, budgeting, forecasting variance and monthly reporting, costing, bid management and pricing, project financial risk management.

The BT division was responsible for large government and civilian communications projects that involve multiple systems integrations. Turnover for the division in excess of £200m pa. My responsibilities were divisional consolidation and reporting to group head office for various manufacturing units. This involved budgets, forecasts, monthly reporting and variances and bid construction. I also had varied exposure and training in all general ledger functions.