WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY ABOUT US
“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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“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 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.
“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.
“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.
TRANSFORMATION PROGRAMMES
Business transformation programmes are comprehensive initiatives aimed at transforming and improving an organisation's operational and strategic capabilities. These programmes typically involve changes to an organisation's structure, processes, technology, and culture to achieve specific goals, such as increasing efficiency, improving customer satisfaction, or driving innovation.
Some common types of business transformation programmes include:
Sales Transformation – This programme focuses on improving the organisation's sales and marketing processes, including lead generation, customer engagement, and sales analytics;
Supply Chain Transformation – These type of transformation programmes focus on optimising and streamlining the organisation's supply chain operations, including procurement, inventory management, logistics, and distribution;
Finance Transformation – This type of programme aim to improve an organisation's financial management and reporting processes, including budgeting, forecasting, and accounting;
Digital Transformation – This type of transformation programme aims to leverage digital technologies to improve an organisation's operations, products, and services, and to enhance customer engagement and experience;
Organisational Transformation – This programme focuses on transforming the organisation's structure, culture, and processes to better align with its strategic goals and objectives;
Customer Experience Transformation– This programme aims to improve the customer experience across all touchpoints, including sales, marketing, customer service, and product delivery;
These are just a few examples of the types of business transformation programmes that organisations may undertake. The specific goals and objectives of these programs will vary depending on the organisation's needs and priorities.
If you would like to learn more about how Strategas Management Consultants can help transform your business, simply call or email us at strategas@thevcp.co.uk to submit a query and we will come back to you as soon as possible.