My story

I've spent over 20 years working inside finance teams — not advising from the outside, but actually doing the work. Processing invoices. Chasing approvals. Untangling supplier queries. Living with the daily friction that comes when purchase-to-pay processes aren't quite right.

In every organisation I worked in, I found the same thing: the purchase-to-pay process was the part of the business that everyone relied on but nobody had ever properly looked at. Invoices sat waiting for approval. Supplier records were out of date. Payment runs were more stressful than they needed to be. And the people managing it all were doing their best with processes that had simply grown organically — without anyone stepping back and asking: is this actually working?

That question is what I've built Featherstone Optima around.

For a long time, I could see exactly what needed fixing. But in-house, those ideas often stay as ideas. There's always a reason to keep things as they are. That changed when I decided to stop waiting for someone else to act on them.

Who I work with

I've deliberately built Featherstone Optima to serve a specific kind of client:

  • Small and growing UK businesses — typically 5 to 50 people

  • Specialist finance and AP teams within larger organisations, where a lean team sits alongside a central finance function

This is where the need is greatest and the least well served. Most P2P consultants focus on PLCs and global shared services. The businesses and teams I work with don't have the luxury of a transformation programme or a dedicated process improvement function. They need practical help — with the people and systems already in place.

What I do differently

  1. I'm not a management consultant who hands you a 50-page report and disappears. I've been the person chasing approvals, reconciling supplier statements, fixing supplier data, and explaining payment terms to an unhappy supplier on a Friday afternoon. I understand what the day-to-day actually looks like — and what “small improvements” really take in the real world.

  2. I focus on clarity first: what’s happening now, what’s going wrong, and what needs to change (in plain English). You’ll always know what I’m doing, why it matters, and what “good” looks like for your business.

  3. I’m practical and proportionate. I won’t suggest a £100,000 ERP system when a better process, clearer controls, and a small tool change will get you 80% of the way there. And if a tool is the right answer, I’ll help you choose something your team will actually use — and set it up so it sticks.

  4. Most importantly: I don’t just diagnose problems. I help you implement the fix — with documentation, simple workflows, and handover so the process works even when you’re busy, short-staffed, or at month-end.

  • Clarity before complexity. If I can't explain it simply, it's not ready.

  • Process before technology. A new system won't fix a broken process — it'll just automate the problem.

  • Proportionate solutions only. What works for a 500-person AP team isn't what a 10-person business needs.

  • Honest conversations. If I'm not the right fit for what you need, I'll tell you.

What I believe

How I work

Every engagement begins with listening — not presenting. In the first conversation, I'm trying to understand your business, not sell you a service.

If we proceed with a P2P Health Check™, here's what to expect:

  • Week 1: I review your current process end to end — documents, systems, and a structured conversation with the people who do the work daily

  • Week 2: I pull together a clear, prioritised action plan in plain English — what to fix, in what order, and why

  • Debrief call: We walk through the findings together, and you leave with a path forward you can act on immediately

I communicate clearly, I keep to agreed timescales, and I won't recommend anything I wouldn't stand behind.

Background & credentials

  • 20+ years in finance operations across commercial and institutional organisations, including the University of Oxford

  • Currently studying for the CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting

  • Founder, Featherstone Optima Limited — incorporated March 2026

What I enjoy most: Getting into the detail of a process that nobody has looked at properly in years, and finding that the fix is simpler than anyone expected.

get in touch

The easiest first step is a free 30-minute discovery call — no obligation, no hard sell. Just a straightforward conversation about where you are and whether I can help. Fill in the form below and I'll come back to you within one working day.

Book a discovery call

Other ways to find me

Prefer to drop me a line? Fill in the form below and I’ll come back to you within one working day

What happens next

  • You’ll receive a calendar confirmation immediately with a video call link

  • On our call, I’ll ask a few questions about your business and listen to what’s on your mind

  • I’ll give you my honest view of where I think I can help — and if I don’t think I’m the right fit, I’ll tell you that too

  • If there’s a good fit, I’ll follow up within 24 hours with a suggested next step