Emma Warren

CLS Affiliate

Email:	ewarren@portfoliodirectors.com
Telephone:	+44 (0) 1460 477774
Web link:	Linked In Profile

Profile

Emma is a professional Director and has spent fifteen years working in a wide-range of industries gaining practical experience in senior management and directorial positions. This experience, combined with an MBA in Strategy and Operations Management has given her invaluable insight into the workings of businesses both large and small, with experience of managing the growth and profitable sale of an MBO company and a successful fundraiser of £5.5m in a combined debt / equity facility.

Her skills in strategic planning and in-depth knowledge of finance and management (she is a fellow of The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants) have seen her positively change the fortunes of companies and prepare them for growth through acting as a board and business member.

Deeply knowledgeable about strategy and change management, together with the ability to provide an objective viewpoint facilitates vital support to the Executive Board. Emma has the ability to create positive cultures in the workplace, enabling companies to increase both productivity and profitability. Her practical experience is backed up by an ability to transfer knowledge to the rest of the team.

Career

Having implemented three business wide systems, Emma’s commercial knowledge combined with excellent processing skills has enabled her to identify issues that need attention quickly and easily. In addition to this, her knowledge of the management of culture change and strategic business requirements have been honed to ensure her advice helps companies to grow, but it’s practical and easy to implement.

Years	Company / Organisation	Position on leaving	Industry
2007 -	Portfolio Directors Ltd	Managing Director	Management Consulting
2007 -	Yalesystems Ltd	Advisor	Precision Engineering
2006 -	House & Wine Ltd (T/A One The Green)	Non Executive Director	Retail
2006 -	Hi Ho Silver (Jewellery) Ltd	Non Executive Director	Retail
2006 - 2008	T-Shed (2006) Ltd	Non Executive Director	Marketing
2006 - 2009	Netstep Corporate Communications Ltd	Non Executive Director	Digital Internet Marketing
2005 - 2008	Qualtech Engineering Ltd	Company Secretary & Adviser	Precision Engineering
2005 - 2007	Origin Technologies Ltd	Non-Executive Director	Manufacturing
2005 - 2008	Warren & Bradley Ltd	Managing Director	Management Consulting
1998 – 2005	Cooper B-Line Ltd	Finance Director then Operations & Finance Director	Manufacturing
1997 – 1998	Selkirk Manufacturing	UK Plant Controller	Manufacturing
1995 – 1997	Elexysys International (Europe) Ltd	Manager of Finance & Admin then Finance Director	Manufacturing
1992 – 1995	Stewarts & Lloyds Plastics	Business Accountant	Manufacturing
1990 – 1991	Chivers Hartley	Asst Marketing Accountant	Manufacturing
1988 – 1990	Hassy Ltd	Assistant Accountant	Food processing

Emma has been working at Director Level in various businesses for the past 17 years, initially as Finance Director and then adding Manufacturing Director to her portfolio.

Consulting credentials

Consulting career

Emma Warren founded Portfolio Directors Ltd in 2005 (formerly called Warren & Bradley Ltd), a consultancy specialising in helping SMEs who experience the problems associated with growth. All of the Portfolio Directors’ team are experienced business managers who combine practical advice with key management tools.

• A fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants
• A professional Finance and Operations Director with 20 years’ business experience
• IOD Chartered Director with an MBA in Operations Management, with experience of managing the growth and profitable sale of an MBO company
• A successful fundraiser of £5.5m in a combined debt / equity facility
• Immensely knowledgeable about strategy and change management, having project managed four business -wide IT system implementations. This experience taught her about the importance of the role of a leader in establishing and stapling change into a business
• Extensive sector knowledge across manufacturing, retail and new media, she is currently working with a number of businesses as a Non Executive Director and / or external adviser, specialising in businesses that are being constrained by growth issues through her company, Portfolio Directors Ltd.

Main types of role with clients

Coach, facilitator, consultant, trainer, Non Executive Director to develop and nurture businesses. Emma and her team have the knowledge and expertise to provide positive and lasting solutions for any business.

Main activities + with whom

Designing and delivering development programmes with middle managers, senior managers, Directors, Board Members and Chairpersons.

Through Portfolio Directors Ltd, Emma uses her experience to develop creative strategies that will help businesses flourish in a competitive marketplace. She offers consultancy services for management and provides innovative solutions. Her fresh, exciting and stimulating methods inspire and transform businesses, which improve day-to-day operations and help create aspirational attitudes.

Her range of business services include, but are certainly not limited to:

• Introduction of processes and structure into a business
• Research and administration
• Training
• Management development programmes
• Advice on green / sustainability issues
• Non executive recruitment / support
• Business restructuring and facilitation
• Business planning
• Coaching and mentoring

Particular areas of expertise

Organisational behaviour, business restructuring, business processes, marketing, personnel, finance.

Sectors

Retail, new media, SME, manufacturing, engineering, Corporate Social Responsibility, family business, start-ups.

Tools

Level A & B accredited, FACET 5.

Geographical spread of clients

SW Region focus, and national.

Languages spoken and to what standard

Conversational French and German.

Relevant professional training / Qualifications / Memberships

• Masters Degree in Business Administration (2000) – Strategy, International Enterprise, Operations Management, Creativity, Innovation & Change
• FCMA – stages 1 to 4 (1993) Fellow of the Charted Institute of Management Accountants
• IOD Chartered Director (2006)

Personal statement

“I enjoy relating to companies as an external part of their team and I want to develop Portfolio Directors Ltd into a best practice business which helps other businesses to grow, as well as helping other directors and leaders to improve their skills. I structure and tailor the way that I work to suit the different scenarios that I am working in – I have a passion for business and people and look to ensure that the knowledge that I bring to a company is transferred to them in a way that leaves a lasting impression. But it’s far more important to give a client’s opinion than my own….

“Working with Emma has been a really interesting journey, she is one of the most professional and objective people that I have had the opportunity of working with. If you want an easy ride, then she may be the wrong person for you, but if you want to be continually, and constructively, challenged, tutored and have your ideas expanded and structured then you can’t go far wrong with Emma. Having Emma as a member of our Board has also brought a professionalism to our family business that we were lacking. We have, as a company and individuals, made huge leaps forward over the last year and a lot of this has been down to Emma’s input. I would say that she would be a tremendous asset to any company she works with.”
Andrew Ransford, Managing Director, Hi Ho Silver Jewellery Ltd, Dec ‘07