Cliff Cartwright – Principal, West Midlands

Cliff is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants having qualified with Grant Thornton in 1988.

Over the last 20 years Cliff has held senior financial positions in a variety of businesses. For 7 years at privately owned CH Jones, the fuelcard and computer services group, Cliff was group finance director. As part of a small board including the majority shareholder, he helped agree a growth strategy and co-managed acquisitions quadrupling the business.  He gained extensive experience in dealing with banks, corporate advisers and credit insurers to facilitate acquisitions. This role culminated in a sale of the group to private equity backed US firm Fleetcor Technologies Inc.

Working as financial director and financial controller at subsidiaries of Lonrho Plc, Hunting Plc and Thames Water Plc in the Steel Processing, Engineering, Aviation and Local Authority Contracting sectors, Cliff has managed tender approval, contract negotiation, cost reduction programmes and new financial systems implementation. He was GM of £1.75m turnover London based grounds maintenance contracts for Thames Water restoring them to profitability.