Board-Level Finance Director, CFO & NED Services In Reading

Senior advisors who join your management team to sharpen strategy, strengthen your people and grow the value of the business

Secantor provides part-time and interim Finance Directors, CFOs, Non-Executive Directors, Operations Directors and Management Accountants to owner-managed businesses in Reading and the wider Thames Valley. Our advisors work alongside you, bringing board-level experience to strategy, performance, people and the decisions that shape the business, without the cost of a full-time appointment.

We support businesses across Reading, Caversham, Tilehurst and the M4 corridor, and work with owners and leadership teams in neighbouring parts of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Surrey.

Reading is often described as the commercial capital of the Thames Valley, with a significant technology presence and many of the large accountancy firms based in the town centre. Global names such as Microsoft, Cisco and Ericsson have chosen it as a UK base, and the wider Berkshire economy has a strong concentration of jobs in telecoms, IT and professional services.

For an owner-managed business that creates a particular kind of pressure. Competition for senior finance talent is intense, and growth can stall where the founder is still carrying forecasting, funding conversations and board reporting alone. Alongside the large employers sits a strong layer of owner-managed engineering, software, professional services and property businesses. They need senior financial leadership without the cost of a full-time executive, and that is where we work.

Which Secantor Advisor Is Right For A Reading Business?

Reading businesses can draw on experienced Fractional Finance Directors, CFOs, Non-Executive Directors, Operations Directors and Management Accountants through Secantor, and for many owners a single advisor brings the breadth of commercial and board-level experience the business needs.

Advisors combine a core discipline with practical experience of running and advising businesses, and for specialist questions the wider Secantor team and our network are there to help. We recommend the advisor who suits you and your people best, and you can meet more than one.

Margin and accountability: a Part-Time Finance Director brings reporting and forecasting, and an Operations Director tightens delivery and accountability.
Funding and the board: a Part-Time CFO leads funding, planning and the board's agenda, and a Non-Executive Director adds independent challenge, particularly when ownership or the board is changing.
Timely management information: a Management Accountant builds the monthly reporting the rest of the board relies on.

Fractional, Outsourced and Virtual are other names for the same ongoing service, and each has its own Reading page: Fractional Finance Director, Outsourced Finance Director and Virtual Finance Director, and Fractional CFO, Outsourced CFO and Virtual CFO.

If the finance director has left or a transaction is coming, an Interim Finance Director or Interim CFO can start quickly. Not sure which model fits? Read Fractional vs Part-Time vs Interim CFO.

We start by listening to how the business works and where it is under pressure, and then propose the advisor we think fits you and your people, or more than one if you would like to choose.

Reading is a good place to run a business and a demanding one: owner-managed companies compete for people with the large technology employers on the business parks around the town, such as Thames Valley Park and Arlington Park. We help them compete by putting the financial and operational leadership of a much larger company alongside the owner.

Alongside the advice, we can introduce the banks, lenders, law firms and accountants we work with in Reading and across the Thames Valley. Businesses elsewhere in Berkshire, outside Reading, Maidenhead and Wokingham, are covered by our Berkshire page, and Wokingham and Henley-on-Thames, close to Reading, have pages of their own. If you want an independent view first, our Strategic Business Review tests the business against the eight areas where owner-managed companies can have gaps.

How Have We Helped Reading Businesses?

A Reading engineering business that more than doubled its sales and multiplied its profit

A Reading engineering business with 50 staff was consistently busy but struggling to make money. Cash was tight, and its new bank relationship manager suggested the directors talk to Secantor.

A Secantor Finance Director joined the team for one day a month. Together they built a five year plan, restructured the profit centres around personal accountability, introduced monthly reporting and structured board meetings, and shifted the focus from sales volume to the gross margin on every sale. As the founder prepared to retire, the same support extended to mentoring the executive directors through the transfer of ownership.

Sales have grown from £3.1m to £6.75m and net profit from £50,000 to £850,000. Seventeen years on, Secantor still works with the business as Finance Director and Non-Executive Director. In the words of the chairman: “Secantor has transformed a struggling company, but full of good people, into a very, very profitable company full of very, very motivated, happy, well-rewarded people and the future looks extremely bright.” Read the full case study.

A £12m commercial property business where growth had masked a profit problem

A Reading commercial property business had grown to £12m turnover, but the push for sales had eroded project margins without anyone noticing. After a change in senior leadership, the owners found themselves back in the business just as their Finance Director resigned.

Secantor introduced a fractional Finance Director, four days a month, to provide immediate senior leadership. The first priority was understanding where the business makes money and where it does not, through a review of gross margin on every project, with project managers made accountable for delivering the margins set when work was quoted. Alongside that, the Finance Director is supporting cost reductions and a deliberate move away from low margin work, so the owners can build a smaller, more profitable business that can eventually run without them.

The assignment is under way, and the aim is a business ready for succession. It is a reminder that revenue growth and business success are not the same thing.

✅ Expert Advice You Can Rely On: You’ll work with qualified, experienced advisors who are focused on results.

✅ A Trusted Working Relationship: We select advisors who fit your culture, team and goals.

✅ Tailored Support for Your Business: No templates, just relevant, practical, hands-on input.

✅ Dependable, Consistent Delivery: We meet deadlines, keep promises and deliver lasting impact.

✅ Clear, Proactive Communication: No jargon. Just senior-level expertise, clearly delivered.

Do you work with businesses across the Thames Valley as well as Reading?

Yes. Alongside Reading we work with businesses in Caversham, Tilehurst and along the M4 corridor, and across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Surrey.

Which industries do you work with?

We work with owner-managed businesses in every industry. What matters is the stage the business has reached, not the sector.

What does a part-time Finance Director cost?

Our Finance Director and CFO support is charged at £1,200 a day plus VAT and expenses. Our guide sets out the figures.

What happens when we first meet?

We start with a conversation about the business, its objectives and where it is under pressure. You then receive an independent view and our recommendation of the right support, with no obligation.

Our Finance Director has resigned. How quickly can you help?

An interim or fractional Finance Director can usually start at short notice, taking control of reporting and cash while you decide on the longer term arrangement. See our Interim Finance Director service.

Talk To Paul About Your Business Goals

Book a Free 30-Minute Business Review

Paul Gibbins

Use the calendar to book a free 30-minute call with Paul and get clarity on your next steps

On the call, you’ll:

Identify what’s holding back your profit and growth
Gain clearer direction on your business priorities
Understand how to improve cashflow and performance
Explore practical steps to move your business forward

No obligation

30-minute call

Expert advice

Want to Boost Your Business Profits?

Profitability is the heartbeat of any successful business. Ready to take your business to the next level? Download your free guide and discover 10 powerful strategies to increase your business profits today!

Inside this guide, you'll discover how to:

✓ Create a budget that works for you

✓ Identify profit hotspots (and tackle any losses)

✓ Maximise sales while keeping costs in check

✓ Master the difference between 'Mark-up' and 'Margin'

…and so much more!

Click the button below to get instant access to your free guide and start growing your profits now!

How Secantor Helped a £30m Recruitment Business at a Critical Time

“Secantor provided the senior business & financial support my fellow director & I needed at a very critical time for our company. I cannot recommend the incredible service we received highly enough”

CEO Of A £30m Turnover Recruitment Company

The image shows a wooden surface with a row of six round, bite-sized chocolate truffles, each coated in various toppings like chocolate, nuts, and sprinkles. The background is blurred with hints of greenery.

Achieving the Dream Business Exit

The Value of an Interim Finance Director