Andre Francois

Senior Commercial Finance Professional who produces insightful financial analysis used to make key strategic decisions, specialising in Investment Appraisal, Business Case Analysis, and business partnering with Senior non-finance stakeholders, to drive forward and help grow businesses. 

I am currently working on my own technology startup and looking for fractional/part-time FP&A opportunities.

AB Dating Services Limited (January ’25 – Present)

Startup

Founder & CEO

Key achievements / responsibilities:

• Currently establishing an in-person and online dating service provider trading as A-ledD.
• Designed an online application to be developed with the associated outputs consisting of a functional design document, user journey flowcharts, and wireframes.
• Setting up internal governance procedures, such as setting up a financial accounting system (Quickfile).
• Establishing a working operating model for post-launch of the online dating platform.
• Discussions and commercial negotiations with multiple suppliers to provide the online dating platform, which includes age verification, AI moderation, billing, cloud hosting and storage, online platform, online notifications, Google Maps integration, and an OTP SMS service for new user sign-ups.
• Experimented with in-person ‘Super Speed Dating’ events service in London, and online speed dating events. 
• Concluded commercial negotiations with an Indian based software development partner, to produce a full online dating platform which will launch as a Progressive Web Application (PWA) and Android native application on the Google Play Store in Q1 2026.

UnderwriteMe (June ’23 – May ‘24)

Total Revenue:  $20.8m, 142 employees (2022)

Senior Financial Analyst

Key achievements / responsibilities:

• Provided extensive support for the annual budget cycle, 5YP, and Year-end.
• Created a new MS Excel based contract data repository which is used for ongoing MI analysis and contract tracking.
• Built a new MS Excel based Management Information reporting suite used for ongoing quarterly reporting purposes.
• Responsible for producing extensive scenario analysis used for budget sensitivity analysis and Going Concern assessments.
• Overseen the month end process including production of the monthly and quarterly Finance and Business MI presentations.
• Provided ad-hoc analysis where required by the business.

People’s Partnership (November 2021 – May ‘23)

Net Revenue:  £79.9m, 726 employees (2023)

Senior Interim Finance Business Partner

Key achievements / responsibilities:

• Managed multiple business areas’ budgets and acted as a key focal point for the business to address forecast / budget issues and queries.
• Overseen and managed the FP&A month end close process and month end Board Pack.  The FP&A month end close process was reduced from Working Day 10 to Working Day 4.
• Provided insight and analysis to ongoing quarterly and annual budget process, with the budget being produced a month earlier for FY23 compared to FY22.
• Provided advice to other team members, and overseeing other team members’ output.
• Aided rollout of Board International Planning tool by working closely with external consultancy to drive implementation.
• Provide ad-hoc analysis where required by the business.

Sporting Group (November 2017 – July 2021): 

Turnover:  £27.5m, 266 employees (2022)

Head of Financial Planning & Analysis

Key achievements / responsibilities:

• Built a new Excel based financial model (P&L, Cashflow, Balance Sheet) for the 1 year and 3 year budgets.
• Heavily involved in building financial models and producing analysis which were used for the Francaise Des Jeux (FDJ) acquisition due diligence process.
• Managed the integration of the FP&A function with FDJ’s FP&A function, developed internal FP&A reporting templates and addressed FDJ Group FP&A and general finance queries.
• Produced the 1 year and 3 year budgets used to make key decisions regarding the business, e.g., headcount growth, business case investment, cashflow forecasting.
• Responsible for producing output for the monthly and bi-monthly Board reports.
• Produced ad hoc analysis for the B2C and B2B parts of the business, for example built a financial model for the Fixed Odds website business case which was eventually approved by FDJ.

Canonical (October 2016 – May 2017): 

Turnover:  $205m, 858 employees (2022)

Financial Planning & Analysis Manager

Key achievement:

• Produced the Devices division FY18 Budget and 3YP, which was also used for Due Diligence Private Equity investment purposes.

Key responsibilities:

• Responsible for the entire Financial Planning & Analysis remit for the Devices division.
• Business Partner with Senior Management to produce a FY18 Budget / 3YP.
• Responsible for presenting Sales Targets and Sales Bookings to the CEO and Senior Management.
• Improved existing internal management reporting.
• Performed financial deal analysis on all new Devices Sales opportunities.
• Partnered with Transaction team to ensure month end reporting is accurate, timely, and insightful.

Metapack (November 2015 – June 2016): 

Financial Consultant

Key achievement:

• Contributed to bringing the budget in from a (£1.0m) EBITDA to target break-even position for FY2017, driven by my recommendations that were approved by the Executive Board.

Key responsibilities:

• Responsible for the 1 year Budget and 3 Year Plan of the company.  Reported into the Finance Director and worked closely with the CEO.
• Cost analysis, review, and challenge; Worked with multiple Heads of Departments in the business (IT, Marketing, Sales Teams, Support) to ensure that costs are being accurately forecasted and ensured that maximum cost savings could be achieved in the Budget, for example the execution of the £0.5m UK to Poland migration saving plan.

Supponor (June 2014 – October 2015): 

Forecasted Turnover 2014-15:  c.€5m, c.40 employees (2015)

Financial Planning & Analysis Manager

Key achievements: 

• Structured the new 2 year La Liga Supponor virtual advertising deal in which previously it achieved c.20% Gross Profit vs. Current c.45% Gross Profit.
• Proposed a Supponor virtual advertising revenue deal structure which was presented to the English Premier League (EPL) and formed the basis for ongoing discussions with various clubs, with the original aim to commence in the 2016/17 season.
• Implemented an entirely new MS Excel based Budget model, month end reporting analysis and templates that were used at both Board and Internal Management level to assess the key monthly financial data including Actuals v Budget / Reforecast analysis.
• Directly responsible for all the financial modelling that contributed to the Company raising new equity (over €10.0m) and debt with existing investors at Supponor between June 2014 and October 2015.  My financial modelling work was also scrutinised by Oppenheimer, a boutique investment bank, and I worked very closely with their team in both the U.S. and London when Supponor was looking to bring on additional investor(s) in February / March 2015. 

Key responsibilities:

• Responsible for the entire Financial Planning & Analysis of the company including the new budget and forecast process.      Reported into the CFO.
• Performed financial deal analysis and provided key recommendations on the following sports properties:  EPL, La Liga, National Hockey League (NHL), Serie A.
• Worked with other organisations, mainly Investment Banks and Private Equity firms, when the company was going through Due Diligence phases with new debt and equity raising rounds.

Red Bee Media (April 2012 – June 2014): 

Turnover:  £78.2m, 723 employees (2022)

Commercial Manager, Sales & Operations

Key achievements:

• Solely responsible for producing key financial analysis on some major deals that Red Bee won in a competitive bid process (total deal values won equated to c.5% - 8% of total annual revenue).     
• Most notable deal was the BT Sport playout deal in which I produced all the financial analysis and the pricing used in the main contract and the open book CR pricing structure.
• Built and rolled out a new financial model across the entire company that was used for new business investment analysis and appraisal.

Key responsibilities:

• Cost analysis, review, and challenge; Worked with multiple key stakeholders in the business (Operations, Procurement, and Technical) to ensure Red Bee achieves “value for money” on all new proposals and challenge all cost proposals.
• Pricing analysis and recommendation by working with the Business Development Directors on how products and services should be priced.
• Produced multiple scenarios on individual deals and providing recommendations to Board level with analysis on the relevant Investment Metrics (e.g., Return on Investment, (ROI), Payback, NPV, IRR etc).
• Presented financial analysis on all new deals to Board level weekly and making recommendations to the Investment Board based on the analysis produced.

Sky (March 2009 – January 2012): 

Turnover:  £14.5 billion, c.32,000 employees (2022)

Finance Analyst: Strategic Projects Technology Finance

Capex analyst involved in numerous key Technology projects which included; ‘E’-Initiatives, Formula 1, HD & Broadcast Technology, Sky Anytime+, Sky Cloud Wireless Internet, STAR. 

Key achievements:

• Finance Analyst responsible for looking after the New Voice Networks capex finances, one of the largest telephony projects undertaken at the time in the UK.  Contributed to the project coming in on budget and on time.
• Contributed towards the successful launch of Formula 1 HD, Sky Atlantic, Sky Cloud Wireless Internet, Sky Anytime+ and the Customer Marketing Group ‘e’ initiative.
• Produced numerous presentations / reporting templates that were used as “Winning Insight” analysis for Finance, and the templates which were rolled out across Sky.
• Launched the online deal memo process in collaboration with the Finance Systems Department (all deals in Technology that are over £100k were approved electronically in the Ariba system rather than via email or on paper).

Key responsibilities:

• Owned the Project accounting (includes month end, management reporting, budgeting, forecasting).
• Produced regular capex funding request presentations for Senior Management and the Executive Board, simultaneously gaining Senior Management exposure. 
• Produced business case analysis on new projects, interrogating and analysing financial models (this formed the basis of any funding requests). 
• Business Partnering with Project Managers to discuss ongoing risks and opportunities and escalated appropriately to Senior Management with recommendations.
• Presented to Senior stakeholders including the CFO on financial project status, e.g., month end status reports.

Sky (August 2008 – January 2009): 

Turnover:  £14.5 billion, c.32,000 employees (2022)

Forecasting Manager: Customer Marketing Group

Key achievement:

• The churn forecast E2E process was mapped for the first time ever within Customer Group, Retention.

Key responsibility:

• Produced process documentation for the “As Is” and “To Be” phases, displaying the current business and forecasting processes for Natural Reinstates, Syscan, Turnaround & Winback customer groups. 

Morgan Stanley (December 2006 – April 2008):  

Net revenue:  $54.1 billion, 80,006 employees (2023) 

Financial Controller – London FX Spot / Forward Desk

Key achievements:

• Data integrity side of the P&L moved over to Singapore one month ahead of schedule, and this being mentioned by Senior Management.
• Reduced daily P&L reporting times by one hour daily, reporting @ 13.00, rather than 14.00 to the Trading desk.

Key responsibilities:

• Produced daily P&L, P&L reconciliation packs between the Front Office and Middle Office systems, daily commentaries and daily metric reports for Senior Management.
• Business Partnering with numerous internal stakeholders to ensure all FX related queries are resolved in a timely manner.
• Involved in ad hoc project work such as the offshore deployment of the production of the P&L and implementation of a new reporting system.
• Heavily involved with training my Senior Manager and other staff within the FX finance function.

Mazars LLP September 2003 – November 2006: 

Turnover:  €2.8 billion, 33,470 employees (2023)

Auditor

Key achievements:

• Received a personal mention in one of the firm’s internal news releases by a Partner for my excellent contribution to a specific Forensic accounting project.
• Repaired client - auditor relationships at St Paul Travelers Syndicate Management Ltd, which the previous year had been noted that the client – auditor relationship had been poor.

Key responsibilities:

• External Audit:  Worked as an audit senior on large corporate companies, managing audit teams.  Major clients included Allied Domecq, Hachette Filippachi, Publicis, Thomson Multimedia & St Paul Travelers Syndicate Management Ltd.   
• Application of IFRS & UK GAAP to client specific scenarios.
• Corporate Finance:  Conduct research on companies for clients and prospective clients (e.g., researching potential acquisition targets on behalf of clients). 
• Forensic accounting:  Worked on a high profile tribunal involving a heavy manufacturing multinational company, analysing the stock provision claim being made against the claimant.

University of Nottingham (September 1999 – June 2002)

BA Hons Geography, Business & Environment 2:1

Eastbourne College (September 1994 – July 1999)

A Levels:  French (B), Geography (A), Music (A), A.S. Maths (B)

12 GCSE’s