WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY ABOUT US
“Ashif joined Pattonair a few weeks prior to the completion of the transaction to support the transition of the finance function to private equity ownership. His initial focus was to create a new reporting pack for the Group but subsequently he took on a wider role within the finance team which included working on the ABL debt facility and the company’s COGNOS system.Ashif integrated himself well within the wider finance team and very quickly gained a strong understanding of the business. The CFO pack which he created was a significant improvement on the Board reporting which was in place when he started. This is the second assignment on which I have worked with Ashif, the first time when I was working with 3i. I would recommend him highly to prospective employers and would not hesitate to work with him again.”
James Gunton - Exponent Private Equity.
“Ashif joined Pattonair in preparation for the acquisition by Exponent and management, and worked with me through the pre-acquisition stage. He was pivotal in the implementation and set up of the Group reporting and head office functions of the newly established Groups including management reporting to the Board, and onerous complex covenant reporting to the UK banking Group. Ashif’s financial modelling, data manipulation skills and Microsoft skills were excellent, such that he became the fountain of knowledge within the business. I certainly would not hesitate in recommending Ashif to prospective employers and hope that we work together on another project in the future.”
Mark Whatling, Group Financial Controller at Pattonair Group - Part of Exponent Private Equity.
“Ashif joined Pattonair to assist in the Management and Private Equity buy out from Umeco Plc. During his time with the group Ashif played an integral role in the transformation of the reporting processes and formats required as a result of the ownership change. He demonstrated excellent financial modelling and data management skills, and allied these to a strong understanding of systems infrastructures to develop a very effective and flexible set of management information for local Business Units, Group and External reporting. He was consistently professional, and also very enjoyable to work with. I would have no hesitation in recommending him to future employers.”
Jonathan Moritz, Operations Financial Director, Pattonair– Part of Exponent Private Equity.
“Ash arrived at very short notice, assisting to set up and lead through its first phase of development, for our strategic review and associated value creation plan. Later leading the finance work-stream, Ash was a team player and great guy. I'd recommend him for similar roles.”
Guy Bruce, Chief Executive Officer – Arco: Experts in Safety.
“I had the pleasure of engaging Ashif to improve the board reporting at Jungle Creations. It was immediately clear from our initial discussions that he 'got it'. Ash understands that working smarter rather than harder is the key for every business and he also understands how to cut through the noise. That is exactly what he delivered for Jungle's board reporting which has helped us as a board engage in more meaningful conversations. I would absolutely recommend Ashif to anyone looking to implement board reporting changes and know that he would also be able to add significant value anywhere within the Finance function”
James Evans, Chief Operating & Financial Officer – Jungle Creations.
“Ash did a great job at our portfolio company Jungle Creations. We asked him to help streamline the financial reporting process at board level. He quickly built rapport with the team and delivered the programme of work on time and in budget. As a result we were left with a much more efficient and insightful reporting pack that we will form the centre of board discussions moving forwards. I won't hesitate to work with him again.”
Vernan Richards, Investor – Livingbridge Private Equity.
“Ashif acted as Programme FD on a large and complex capital replacement programme with a total investment value of £400m. He was responsible for managing long range forecasts and stakeholder communication as well as day-to-day control activities. Ashif was a positive and energetic member of the team who I would be pleased to work with again.”
Steve Hammell, Chief Financial Officer – Sheffield Forgemasters.
“Ashif is a very able and professional finance director who can operate well in high pressure environments at a very senior level. His domain knowledge and approach is first rate and he’s a great guy to work alongside.”
Sion Hughes, Commercial and Supply Chain Consultant – Sheffield Forgemasters.
“Ashif was brought in to assist on a potential private equity backed investment that I worked on. Initially tasked with getting the business through the FDD process, Ashif's role very quickly expanded, and he became a pivotal part of the deal team. Unfortunately, the transaction never completed but I would have no hesitation in using Ashif again in either an interim or a permanent capacity."
Ian Finlay, Chairman – Confidential.
“Ashif is dedicated, enthusiastic, forward thinking and creates a "can do" attitude around him and with those with whom he is working. In my experience of working with Ashif, he was prepared to undertake the hard yards and roll his sleeves up, recognising the need to understand information from the ground up. With that in mind, he worked diligently to gain greater clarity through improving the quality of the source information and then pulling this into a format with the eventual audience in mind. Throughout, Ashif made sure that any issues were highlighted along with his thoughts on potential solutions. He is a great asset for those who get the chance to benefit from his input.”
Paul Hawkes, Consultant – Confidential.
“As the Headteacher of Manor High School, I am delighted to recommend and endorse Ashif on the basis of several years of successful leadership, collaboration and school improvement. Through Ashif's support, guidance and leadership, the school was able to transform from a 10-14 age group to an 11-16 one which became top in County and City for progress, in the top 1% of schools for progress and with an average of almost a grade per pupil in all subjects. Ashif led the governing body through the school's full Ofsted inspection and did all he could to ensure a successful outcome. Among Ashif's greatest contributions were thoroughness, scrutiny, diligence, engagement, commitment and determination. With such huge and significant change in such a short period of time, such attributes were vital. Ashif played a key role first, in the recruitment of governors and later, trustees and members of the multi-academies trust he helped to set up. He recruited based upon a skills matrix he devised. He chaired the governing board and also, the chairs' trust board. Ashif was instrumental to the creation of the Oak Multi-Academies Trust. On a personal level, Ashif and I worked closely and collaboratively in the interests of every child and stakeholder in the Manor High community. This was a pleasure and a journey of many triumphs and successes. I wish Ashif, his future collaborative partners and projects, the very best and I look forward, with great interest, to reading and hearing all about them.”
Liam Powell, Headteacher – Manor High School.
“Ashif did a great job improving our reporting systems and processes in the run up to our IPO and afterwards. Consistently excellent work over a long period. Ashif is a very committed and capable operator and I would wholeheartedly recommend him.”
David Wilton, Chief Financial Officer – Sumo Group plc.
“What sets Ashif apart as a consultant is his willingness to integrate himself into the heart of the organisation by building deep relationships across the business. Ashif truly cares, not just about the success of the project he’s working on, but about the whole organisation, its people and building for long term success. He always goes that extra mile, is willing to step in to help out beyond his remit and is an absolute pleasure to work with. In terms of specifics, Ashif joined us at Sumo during a period of significant transition and played a pivotal role in a number of transformational projects and was a great help during our IPO process. The most substantial changes have come through the implementation of Planning Analytics (TM1) and Cognos Controller by IBM and redesigning our financial board pack. Ashif also helped us with a number of bolt-on interfacing systems, such as a new HR and CRM system, PAW (online dashboards) and Virtual Board Room, to provide true end to end solutions for our business needs. But Ashif’s contribution goes much further than the specific tools he’s helped us with and he will truly be missed here at Sumo.”
Andrew Stewart, Group Director of Finance – Sumo Group plc.
“I worked closely with Ashif throughout his time at Sumo Group plc. He rapidly got to grips with the dynamics of the business and with the culture of the organisation, which made him very effective very quickly. As well as leading on a number of projects that will have a huge impact, he was always willing and able to add value in many other areas. He combines a determination to get things done with an engaging personality that makes him a pleasure to work with.”
Steven Webb, General Counsel and Company Secretary – Sumo Group plc.
“At Eye to Eye Puzzles we needed an elegant board pack solution to enable us to communicate our performance and plans to our partners. Ashif was recommended to us by a mutual business colleague as he had the necessary experienced in this area. It has been a pleasure to work with Ashif on our new board pack. The delivery of a very clever and user friendly pack was on time and on budget. I am also pleased to say that our partners were very impressed with the look and feel of the pack. I have no hesitation in recommending Ashif for his professionalism, creativity and efficiency.”
Owen Arnot, Publishing Director – Eye To Eye Puzzles Ltd.
“Ashif joined us initially on an Interim basis for 6 months as Chief Operating Officer to oversee operational efficiencies within our business and business process improvements with a focus on cost management and margin improvement. He completed these with rigour and attention to detail and has created processes that we hope to use for several years to come. He was also responsible for creating a 3 Year Plan for the business and continues to monitor its progress as a non-executive director and a valuable member of our senior management team. I am sure he will be an asset to any business and would not hesitate in recommending him for similar roles.”
Naeem Sattar, Chief Executive Officer – Hispek Limited.
“Since June, Ashif has been acting as Chairman as well as Interim Chief Financial Officer and we have seen an immediate positive impact on the business. Ashif has supported us by analyzing, streamlining and improving our processes and systems, including business planning, bookkeeping, financial statements and detailed cash flow projections. Together we have identified numerous cost saving areas, and are currently in the process of setting targets for the new accounting year. We are pleased to have the opportunity to work with a professional strategist with this level of experience, and anticipate an exciting new phase of growth in the business as a result of working together.”
Jonathan Drury, Chief Executive Officer – Savvy Foods Limited.
“Ashif consulted with Oasis for a couple of months to build a new bank covenant model to incorporate balance sheet and cashflow forecasting. Ashif quickly ensured that he had a strong understanding of our business and requirements to ensure the model was fit for purpose. He approaches all his work professionally and with excellent integrity, and worked extremely well with all levels of team members.”
Paula Bradshaw, Director of Finance & IT, Oasis – Part of Duke Street Capital.
“Ashif Manjothi worked with Ultralase for around 6 months in 2009, and was tasked with improving the financial reporting of the company including Cashflow forecasting, FTE and Payroll reports and our internal Management Reports as well as External Board Packs. These were completed with rigorous attention to detail, dedication and were always delivered in a timely fashion. Ashif’s input was first class and really provided what was required at an important time.”
Tony Veverka, CEO, Ultralase – Part of 3i.
“I initially recruited Ashif when I was Interim Finance Director of Rentokil Initial’s UK Washroom Business. Ashif did an excellent job in improving the quality of financial reporting and excelled at putting together business cases for major capital investments. I subsequently used Ashif’s skills again when I was Interim CFO at NCP Services Limited and in my current role to develop a high quality cash and financial reporting system. As the fact that I have contracted Ashif three times testifies, I have no hesitation in recommending Ashif for a financial planning and analysis role as his work is of the highest quality.”
Iain Chisholm, Interim CFO, Ultralase – Part of 3i.
“I worked with Ashif for a couple of years when I was FD of the Initial Washrooms Solutions business in the UK. The business was undergoing a significant amount of change, and as Head of Financial Planning and Control, Ashif was an indispensable support during a very challenging period. He is an excellent manipulator of data, able to think creatively and work independently to produce work of excellent quality. He is very reliable and conscientious. I would not hesitate in offering Ashif another contract at a future point in time."
Mark O’Connor Former FD, Initial Washrooms Solutions, UK – Part of Rentokil-Initial.
“MPSGI is the parent company of a number of recruitment companies worldwide including Badenoch & Clark and Modis International in the UK. Ashif was recruited to work in the IT department, to assist in the roll-out of the data warehousing solution which brings together payroll, accounting and CRM databases into one Data warehouse which is then rolled out to the business via Business Objects Web Intelligence, an internet web-based application. Ashif was specifically in charge of the management of the UAT (user acceptance testing) process of the Client Reporting phase of the project.Ashif is a very impressive individual, and was productive from the very start of the contract. He performed diligently and with enthusiasm, and contributed significantly to the success of the Client Reporting phase."
Tony Scorey, Data Warehouse Team Leader MPS Group International.
“Given the role of the team, the outputs are always high profile and always with tight deadlines, for example the monthly flash results, the Executive team briefing pack and presentations for the CFO. Ashif played a significant role in delivering timely, reliable and accurate outputs in all circumstances, using a combination of the accounting and consolidation system, Excel and PowerPoint to deliver high quality outputs and control the integrity of the reported financials. On a personal level, Ashif has a very professional approach, is easy to work with and demonstrated a high level of commitment throughout the time he was at Orange. As such I have no hesitation in recommending Ashif to prospective employers."
Jeremy Williams, Head of Orange Group Planning & Analysis, – Part of France Telecom.
“Projects have included e-business services, change management and strategy advice and implementation. In the above projects Mr Manjothi has performed for us and advised us on we have found him very professional in his approach and the handling of said projects. The projects were implemented and completed exactly to our specifications and Mr Manjothi led his team handsomely in this regard, from his project management to his web designers and database programmers. We find him to be an exceptional business manager and will have no hesitation in conducting business with he and his company in the near future when such a need arises."
Akash Soni, MD, Yash Golfwear, UK – Part of Yash International.
OPERATIONAL REVIEWS
We at Strategas Management Consultants believe we offer a unique service. We like to think of it as a “try before you buy” service where we offer a commitment and cost free operational review of your business. We do this by spending some time with you and your staff and:-
a) looking at areas you feel require attention and;
b) focussing on areas we feel may need to be addressed based on decades of experience working for many different businesses in different sectors.
Some of the areas we like to cover in our reviews, include but not limited to the following:-
Cost Reduction Opportunities – may include changing products or using economies of scale and purchasing power to achieve better prices from suppliers, cutting waste in the company, changing working behaviours, imposing stricter travel and expense policies, looking at delegation of authorities;
Working Capital Optimisation – can we assist you to improve your working capital and have it working better for you and thereby incurring less interest with your banks, say by improving Debtor Days, Creditor Days, Inventory Levels, JIT processing etc. This ultimately leads to detailed daily cashflow forecasting for up to a rolling 3 month period, with multi-currency, multi-divisional breakdowns and enhanced utilisation of central treasury facilities;
Customer/Contract Profitability – are your contracts/customers as profitable as you believe them to be and which ones should be renegotiated or simply not renewed;
Strategic Reviews – is it a good time to expand your product range or services, export overseas, cross-sell to existing customers, make acquisitions, JV or a strategic alliance;
Reporting Reviews – let us see if we can improve your internal (flash reports, KPI reporting, cashflow forecasts, management accounts, etc) as well as external reporting (covenant reporting, board packs, etc);
MIS Reviews – could a different ERP or accounting system help you to run your business more efficiently;
Recruitment Solutions – are you achieving the best from your existing human capital costs.
If you would like to learn more about how Strategas Management Consultants can help your organisation flourish, become more efficient and ultimately more profitable in the 21st century please call or email us at strategas@thevcp.co.uk to submit a query and we will come back to you as soon as possible.