Finance Director, CFO & NED Services in Reading

Looking for strategic leadership without the full-time cost? Secantor provides handpicked, accredited Finance Directors (FDs), Chief Financial Officers (CFOs), Non-Executive Directors (NEDs), Operations Directors, and Management Accountants to ambitious SMEs across Reading, Berkshire, and the Thames Valley.

We don’t act like consultants — we become part of your management team. Our experts bring boardroom experience, commercial insight, and a hands-on approach that helps unlock growth, improve control, and build long-term value.

Trusted By SME Leadership Teams In Reading

We work with SME businesses across Reading, Berkshire and the wider Thames Valley, including Caversham, Tilehurst and the M4 corridor. Our support also extends to neighbouring counties such as Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Hertfordshire and Surrey, helping owner-managed businesses access senior-level financial and operational expertise locally.

Every Secantor professional is personally accredited by our directors for their technical expertise, commercial experience and leadership impact. We support founders, managing directors and leadership teams with clear, practical financial and operational insight, tailored to each stage of growth — from scale-up and performance improvement through to succession planning and exit.

Commercially focused – Every expert has real-world board experience in both SMEs and blue-chip corporates.
Scalable support – Choose part-time, interim, or project-based roles based on your needs.
Proven impact – Trusted by over 1,000 UK SMEs to improve profitability, reduce risk, and deliver results.
Flexible engagement – No rigid frameworks. Just pragmatic, tailored support that fits your business.
Ongoing director oversight – You’re supported not just by your lead expert, but by a senior Secantor director.

Our Services at a Glance

Finance Director (FD) – Strategic board-level finance to support planning, cash flow, and profitability.
Chief Financial Officer (CFO) – High-level financial leadership, governance, and investor confidence.
Non-Executive Director (NED) – Independent insight, board challenge, and strategic oversight.
Operations Director – Systemise operations, improve delivery, and drive growth efficiency.
Management Accountant – Timely, accurate reporting to support decision-making and control.

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

✅ A Trusted Working Relationship: We select someone who fits 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.

Talk To Paul About Your Business Goals

Book A Call With Paul Today!

Free Business Review

No two businesses are the same. This is why we offer a free business review. We can arrange an initial chat with one of our experts to get things started. Then a couple of our team members will visit you to listen to the story of your business. From this meeting, we’ll be able to provide you with some interesting insights into your business from our independent experience. This will allow you to see how we work and help us to select the right expert for your business. Contact us to book a free consultation.

Why not read one of our short case studies to learn about Secantor's impact.

“We will never forget your huge contribution to Montezuma’s and your constant support, encouragement and all the board room laughs. Thank you for everything!” - Helen Pattinson, MD & Co-founder of Montezuma’s Chocolates

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!

Ways Secantor Will Help You

Develop & Implement A Successful Plan

Optimise Your Finances

Develop A Strong Accountable Team

Build Value In Your Business

Improve Operational Efficiency

Exit Your Business Successfully

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 image shows the edge of an underground station platform with the words

The Value of an Interim Finance Director

Resolving Boardroom Conflict

What Does It Take to Build a Successful SME?

For over 20 years, Secantor has worked with hundreds of SME businesses, helping them overcome challenges and achieve growth. This guide outlines the practical strategies and essential practices that every owner should implement to drive their business forward.

Learn what works and start making meaningful progress today.

Simply confirm your details on the form provided to get instant access to your free copy!

Read Our Latest Blog Posts

View Our Blog Posts

Finance Director

Pricing for Profit: How SMEs Improve Gross Margin & Profit

For many SMEs, improving profitability doesn’t require more customers — it requires better pricing. Yet pricing is often one of the least structured parts of a small business. Many owner-managed businesses rely on historic rates, gut feel, or “what we’ve …

Dec 19, 2025 10:00:00 AM

Leadership

How SMEs Can Improve Sales Performance: Six Steps to Build a Proactive, High-Performing Sales Team

How SMEs Can Transform a Reactive Sales Team into a High-Performing Commercial Engine For many UK SMEs, improving sales performance is one of the most important routes to increasing growth, profit and business value. Yet across Secantor’s work with owner-…

Dec 17, 2025 9:15:00 AM

Non-Executive Director

Has Your Business Growth Stagnated? Here's How to Recover.

Most businesses experience peaks and troughs — but when your business hits a plateau and growth stalls for months or even years, you’re suffering from business stagnation. For many SME owners and managing directors, this can be both frustrating and concer…

May 25, 2025 9:15:00 AM

Our Services

We help you make strategic decisions

Secantor provides expert financial and management support to SME owners and directors. Our commercially experienced team covers the following roles.

Non-Executive Director

Strategic support and experience to guide you as you make decisions and build value in your business. A NED acts as a sounding board for your ideas, improves business performance, holds you and your team to account and helps you achieve a successful exit.

✓ Strategic business planning

✓ Support strategic decision-making

✓ Set business goals and objectives

✓ Rejuvenate struggling businesses

✓ Manage growth effectively

✓ Implement best practice

✓ Sounding board for your ideas

✓ Set and communicate vision

✓ Hold you & your team to account

✓ Build an effective management team

Learn More

Finance Director

Expert financial leadership from a commercially experienced, qualified accountant. An FD will create financial plans, report your monthly performance against budget and interpret the figures to help you make sound decisions & improve profitability.

✓ Expert financial advice

✓ Interpret financial results a support decisions

✓ Develop & oversee your finance team

✓ Improve profitability & control costs

✓ Prepare management accounts

✓ Create 3-5 year financial plan

✓ Budget setting

✓ Source appropriate funding

✓ Cashflow forecasting & management

✓ Prepare reports & commentaries for your bank

Learn More

Operations Director

Strategic operational leadership to transform your people and business processes to improve efficiency and profitability. An Operations Director helps you build a strong management team, delegate operational actions and improve business performance.

✓ Develop strength in your management team

✓ Establish key performance indicators (KPIs)

✓ Hold people accountable to achieve results

✓ Process and quality improvement

✓ Help you delegate effectively

✓ Create clear job descriptions

✓ Identify and recruit talent

✓ Implement robust operational systems

✓ Establish clear goals and expectations

✓ Enable your team to achieve excellence

Learn More

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

Unlock Strategic Leadership for Your SME — Without the Full-Time Overhead

Partner with Secantor for Experienced, Commercially Focused Expertise

Board-Level Expertise for Growing Reading Businesses

Trusted By SME Leadership Teams In Reading

Why Secantor?

Our Services at a Glance

Our 5-Point Commitment to You

Book a Free Consultation

Talk To Paul About Your Business Goals

Paul Gibbins

“Secantor has made a world of difference - we are now in control. It's a very cost effective way for us to have high level management and strategic help”

Free Business Review

Want to Boost Your Business Profits?

Ways Secantor Will Help You

Develop & Implement A Successful Plan

Optimise Your Finances

Develop A Strong Accountable Team

Build Value In Your Business

Improve Operational Efficiency

Exit Your Business Successfully

“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”

Read Our Latest Case Studies

Achieving the Dream Business Exit

The Value of an Interim Finance Director

Resolving Boardroom Conflict

What Does It Take to Build a Successful SME?

Read Our Latest Blog Posts

Pricing for Profit: How SMEs Improve Gross Margin & Profit

How SMEs Can Improve Sales Performance: Six Steps to Build a Proactive, High-Performing Sales Team

Has Your Business Growth Stagnated? Here's How to Recover.

Our Services

We help you make strategic decisions

Non-Executive Director

Finance Director

Operations Director

Free Business Review