Paul Bowman
Founding Director at X2C Consulting
Paul Bowman
Founding Director at X2C Consulting
Broxton, England
Overview
Work Experience
Founding Director
2023 - Current
Fractional CFO/FD for I.P. intensive technology start up and early stage ventures in the clean energy space. Helping raise finance, scale faster and increase valuation. Current assignments include Hydrogen Fuel Cells Air Source Heat Pumps and SaaS Carbon Insetting/ Offsetting
Investment Manager - Renewable Energy
2020 - 2023
Formed in 2010, Deepbridge (FCA regulated), invests in companies in their earliest stage of development and also renewable energy assets, under the SEIS/EIS/BPR government schemes, funds managed £400m. Remit covered climate tech start-ups, future energy, agritech, mobility, and circular economy. Renewable SPV entities, technologies being Wind, Hydro and AD. Mergers and acquisitions, lead on the successful £10m EIS wind exit. Bid to purchase UK£30m wind and solar portfolio, including equity and debt structure. BPR, successful £10m fundraise, information memorandum, and NPV financial model Wind turbine £2m disposal, grid connection, O&M agreement, property and planning PPA’s, structuring, tendering, negotiation, credit risk management, annual revenues improved by £500k. Investment committee, SEIS/EIS prepared and presented papers. Company revaluations, 6 monthly papers and NPV models to boards. Accounting responsibility for all renewable energy SPV’s across six companies’. Risk management, assessment, evaluation and mitigation across all SPVs. Lead on all tax planning and compliance matters with third party advisors RSM. Identify and proactively mitigate all key risks to assets including returns. BPR, financial review, benchmarking competition, successful product relaunch. Developed BPR benchmark tool to assist the marketing team with client engagement. Enhanced MI provided to Boards, MA’s, budgets, forecasts and cash flows. Client engagement, reporting on the underlying performance of their investments
Founding Director
2018 - 2020
Consulting activities delivering innovative clean energy business solutions. Assisting a Biogas company to secure £1.5m venture capital funding. Ongoing support to Dulas with a bid to build a £2m Hydropower project-using private equity and debt funding via a special purpose vehicle with private wire. Bioenergy heat solutions, undertook an analysis of the UK market, financial modelling and post implementation project reviews for a Swedish boiler manufacturer. Mentoring undergraduate students with short projects at Chester University, covering Biomass and Machine Learning to forecast the potential output of a solar farm.
Finance Director
2012 - 2018
Engineering company, renewable technologies, hydro, solar, wind and heat technologies. Key divisions, consultancy, EPC project delivery and supplying solar vaccine fridges, within a multi currency environment. Sponsored successful business transformation strategy, annual savings £750k. Secured £500k 5 -year loan to fund 50% equity in solar fridge manufacturer. Delivered enhanced financial infrastructure, £250k overdraft facility. Co-ordinated the exit from Heat as a Service business for £250k. Secured research and development tax relief, £50k annually. Developed and implemented FX strategy incorporating derivative financial solutions Structured Hydro SPV project, power purchase, opex, capex, equity and debt funding. Collaborated with managing director in the formulation and delivery of growth strategy. Conducted post-acquisition of subsidiary, recommendations implemented by Board. Completed rolling 12-month forecasts including cash flows and Z score dashboard. Implemented SAGE 200 accounting software on time and to budget. Worked to the Audit Committee and retendered the provision of company auditor Developed and implemented risk based internal auditing programme. Financial modelling for acquisitions and other development projects e.g. Battery. Internal control, developed and implemented robust accounting manual. Lead the finance, payroll/human resource, facilities and IT teams
Finance Director
2011 - 2012
SAAS provider to 1000 motor dealerships.MBI situation, private equity VCT funding and bank leveraged debt. Fixed price motor vehicle service plans. Conducted post deal review of financials, commercial, IT and legal due diligence Introduced robust working capital reporting for board packs and covenant compliance Lead finance, customer service and human resource teams
Director of Corporate Services
2004 - 2011
Initially a start-up pilot sponsored by government delivering long-term sustainable public open space from local authority remediated brownfield land. Business model funded from investment gains on endowed monies, residential service charges, consultancy and renewable energy. After successful completion of the pilot it transitioned to charitable status. Created 10-year post 2010 strategic plan endorsed by PWC. Oversaw the financial transition to charitable status, including external audit. Formulated and successfully implemented the long-term investment strategy. £100m of endowed funds investment with Barclays Private Bank. Assisted the CEO in the successful negotiation of £10m long term funding March 2010 Introduced stringent controls for £6m revenue grant for pilot period 2004 to 2010. Lead on complex negotiations with HMRC on VAT and CT saving £300k. Agreed commercial terms for development wind energy projects, (options/leases) and lead contact with development partners. Conducted business case reviews for on site commercial ventures e.g. visitors’ centres. Financially modelled NPV models for long term site management wind projects. Implemented Prince 2 to manage and control wind and land acquisition projects. Introduced monthly Board pack, flash reporting, financial statements, project spend reporting, cash flow forecasting, fund accounting, operating plans and audit. Developed and successfully implemented a balanced scorecard.
Finance and Operations Director
1999 - 2004
Technology driven service provider delivering a portfolio of motor vehicle crash related solutions to blue chip insurers and large fleets
Finance Manager
1995 - 1999
Base chemical products (oxide derivatives and polystyrene) at full integrated multi-owner production facility.
Financial Controller
1993 - 1995
High quality blow moulded plastic drums and fuel tanks employing lean manufacturing facility
Financial Controller
1989 - 1993
Fresh and frozen convenience meals produced for, Tesco, Safeway and Sainsburys. Developed finance team at new purpose built production facility.
Education
Bachelor's degree
1980 - 1984