Tim Kowalski.

Executive profile

Tim
Kowalski.

CFO & COO · Permanent & interim leadership
Twice a FTSE 250 CFO.
Turnarounds. Transactions. Financial recovery.

Explore my career
NCC Group plcFormer Global CFO · FTSE 250
Airedale Catering EquipmentAppointed COO, subsequently also CFO · 2025

01 / About

A career in
finance leadership.

Tim Kowalski has held CFO roles at two FTSE 250 groups, NCC Group plc and N Brown Group plc. His career spans permanent and interim executive appointments, three LSE Class 1 transactions, four operational turnarounds and two financial recoveries of severely distressed businesses.

His experience spans listed, private equity backed and family-owned businesses across technology, retail and hospitality. His work combines commercial finance, cash management, governance and the development of finance teams across international groups.

Qualifications

BSc Economics, London School of Economics.
ACA qualified with KPMG, London.
FCA, Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants.

02 / Career & Achievements

Experience. With impact.

2FTSE 250 CFO appointments
3LSE Class 1 transactions
4Operational turnarounds
2Financial recoveries
March–October 2025

Airedale Catering Equipment

Chief Operating Officer, subsequently also Chief Financial Officer

  • Appointed Chief Operating Officer by private equity owners Rubicon Partners; took on Chief Financial Officer responsibilities as well approximately two months after joining, holding both roles concurrently.
July–November 2024

Naked Wines

Interim Chief Financial Officer

July 2018–July 2023

NCC Group plc

Global CFO & Company Secretary

  • Led NCC Group’s largest-ever acquisition, the $172m purchase of Iron Mountain’s escrow division, IPM, during COVID-19; completed the Class 1 transaction on time and delivered the expected synergies.
  • Reduced 78 systems to 12 global systems and moved accounting onto a single global Workday system.
  • Achieved annual cash conversion above 100% and undertook two refinancings of more than £100m.
  • Created a group procurement team and rationalised the property portfolio, generating approximately £3m in annual savings.
May 2017–June 2018

Danesmoor Consulting Ltd

Principal Consultant

  • Managed an FRC/EU compliant audit tender for a FTSE 250 company.
  • Advised on financial projects in hospitality and retail, participated in a private equity bid team and mentored younger finance directors.
August 2010–April 2017

Findel plc

Group Finance Director

  • Delivered an £80m rescue rights issue and £350m five-year refinancing alongside a £105m securitisation.
  • Strengthened financial control and reporting across the group and held primary responsibility for investor relations.
  • Completed disposals of NRS Healthcare, Kleeneze and Kitbag.com.
January 2007–April 2010

HomeForm Group Ltd

Chief Financial Officer

  • Led £9m of cost savings across the private equity backed HomeForm Group and was jointly responsible for returning the group from loss to profit.
  • Switched a £50m finance facility from GE Capital to Hitachi Capital, saving more than £0.9m with cash flow benefits.
March 2004–January 2007

Homestyle Group plc

Group Finance Director / Acting CEO

  • Led a £100m rescue refinancing alongside the part-time Chairman, saving 3,500 jobs.
  • Completed the £111m public-to-private sale to Steinhoff International and repaid £75m of bank lending in full.
  • Led £7.5m of cost-saving proposals at Harvey’s.
January 1999–January 2003

N Brown Group plc

Group Finance Director

  • Delivered record results for three years, with turnover growing from £324m to £458m and profit before tax from £43m to £58.5m.
  • Completed a £200m securitisation of the home shopping debtor book, reducing annual interest costs by £0.8m.

Earlier career

Greenall’s Group plc — Finance Director.
Grand Metropolitan plc, Clifton Inns — Financial Planning Director.
Arcadia Group plc — Corporate Finance Analyst / Financial Controller.

Recognition

Qualifications recognised.
Contribution celebrated.

  • 2018 · Lifetime Achievement Award, Finance Awards Northwest.
  • 2011 · NatWest FD of the Year — Strategic Impact.
  • 2009 · Northwest FD of the Year, large companies.
  • 2001 & 2003 · PwC best North-West PLC reporting awards.

03 / Expertise

Commercial insight.
Financial discipline.

Finance and operational leadership across technology, retail and hospitality. Permanent and interim experience in PLC, private equity and family-owned groups, including four operational turnarounds and two financial recoveries of severely distressed businesses.

01

Financial strategy & cash

Treasury, refinancing, securitisation and cash conversion across listed and private businesses.

02

Transactions & restructuring

Three LSE Class 1 transactions, alongside acquisitions, divisional disposals, rescue refinancing and public-to-private transactions.

03

Finance transformation

Global systems implementation, financial planning and analysis, and finance team development.

04

Governance & risk

Company secretarial responsibilities, enterprise risk management, internal audit and financial control.

04 / Contact

Start a conversation.

Connect with Tim through LinkedIn.

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