Stephen Foale

A hands-on qualified accountant, company secretary and business coach, Stephen has significant start-up, SME & public company, financial reporting, tax management, corporate governance, corporate finance and commercial management experience. His experience also includes; IPOs, acquisitions, disposals, joint-ventures, capital & debt raising, secretarial, legal, insurance, & property matters and systems implementation. As Finance Director of three listed PLC groups between 1989 -2007, Stephen gained significant experience in general business management. His particular skills are in financial management, business plan or information memorandum preparation, financial modelling, fundraising, investment readiness, corporate structuring, M&A, exit management and legal and tax aspects of investment and/or exit.

Since 2007 Stephen has been a business coach, with specific emphasis on corporate structure, investment readiness and access to government-backed finance programmes. Through these programmes Stephen provides coaching to well over 250 high growth SMEs, acts as Account Manager to some clients, and aids fellow Account Managers’ clients where specific financial management/fundraising guidance is required. He also presents at breakfast briefings and workshops and gives the Financial Management and Control session at the Henley Business School Accelerator Programmes, all run by VitalSix Ltd, a business support organisation based at Reading University.

In 2008, Stephen co-founded, and is Chairman of, Finance Heads, a collaboration of 20+ independent qualified accountants, with significant corporate management experience, each operating as part-time FDs/CFOs.