Meet the Team
GET TO KNOW US
Dan Wells
Founder and CEO, GrowCFO
Ex-KPMG and Deloitte partner Dan Wells has significant experience in delivering senior finance function roles. He has provided audit and advisory services to businesses across the globe. He’s dedicated to helping finance leaders by creating world-class community-led CFO training programs and networks.
Shelly Adams
Finance Team Training Director
With extensive experience as a senior finance business partner in FMCG, Shelly has worked in commercial, operational, and strategic roles for household brands. She ensures smooth operations and tailors programs to meet specific client needs by researching each project thoroughly.
Kevin Appleby
COO & Podcast Host
Kevin is a chartered accountant who has worked as a CFO and management consultant. More recently, Kevin is involved in learning and development, teaching skills linked to business and financial transformation projects. Kevin's passion is to pass on his knowledge to as many people as possible and Kevin sees GrowCFO as a great place to do this.
Catherine Marks
Finance Team Training Director & Course Facilitator
Catherine brings 20 years of experience in finance and M&A. A Fellow of the ICAEW and former Chartered Accountant at Deloitte, she has worked across various industries. She has held key roles, including VP of Finance at Depop and FP&A leader at O2 during its merger with Virgin Media, specializing in finance transformation and exit advisories.
Damian Smith
Course Facilitator
With 25 years in corporate roles within oil & gas, retail, and telecommunications, Damian has experience in commercial finance, HR, and legal. He has fulfilled a lifelong ambition to transition into sales and marketing.
Danielle Stein Fairhurst
Course Facilitator
Danielle Stein Fairhurst, a renowned financial modelling consultant and speaker, founded the Financial Modellers’ Meetup groups and authored pivotal books on Excel modelling. With an MBA and a role on the Financial Modeling Institute's Advisory Board, she crafts impactful business cases and pricing models, sharing her expertise globally through training and seminars.
Oliver Deacon
Course Facilitator
Oliver, a former Microsoft Finance Director and qualified PCC Executive Coach, offers a modern, inspiring perspective on finance. He helps teams manage change by integrating next-generation finance skills.
Catherine Clark
Mentor & Course Facilitator
Catherine Clark, an Executive Mentor with 25+ years as a CFO and Director, has empowered over 1,100 finance leaders worldwide. Her mentoring elevates confidence and leadership, drawing from her extensive experience. As a Chartered Accountant and thought leader, she engages with CFOs and C-Suite Directors, inspiring personal and professional growth.
Christian Wattig
Course Facilitator
Christian is a seasoned FP&A leader with 12+ years of experience at multinational consumer goods giants and fast-growing tech startups. As the Founder and Managing Director of FP&A Prep, he dedicated himself to educating finance business leaders in essential FP&A skills.
Melanie Coeshott
Course Facilitator
Melanie, a former Mastercard UK Financial Controller and qualified PCC Executive Coach, empowers finance professionals to manage their careers confidently. She focuses on helping them achieve fulfillment and results in their work.
Adam Shilton
Course Facilitator
Adam navigates the tech landscape, where poor decisions lead to financial and time losses. With nearly a decade of experience, he understands the challenge of finding effective AI solutions among many subpar options. Adam’s mission is to simplify tech decision-making, helping individuals make informed choices.
Paula Kensington
Course Facilitator
Paula established the CFO Conversations platform, advocating for performance that benefits all stakeholders, including the environment. She emphasizes a holistic approach to business outcomes.
Richard Nero
Course Facilitator
Unlock transformative efficiency with an expert in data, systems, and automation. With hands-on experience at FTSE giants like Royal Mail and M&S, and credentials in computer science and an executive MBA, Richard excels in Excel, VBA, PowerAutomate, SQL, and Python, maximizing accuracy and minimizing risk.
Susana Serrano-Davey
Course Facilitator & Mentor
Susana Serrano-Davey (FCA) has a lengthy international career. She is a natural entrepreneur, a great communicator and leader of people with a collaborative and approachable style. As a professional mentor she spends her time sharing her experience to accompany professionals and entrepreneurs to find their own strategies and solutions.
Dan Stockdale
Course Facilitator
Dan, a former management consultant at PwC’s Strategy&, specialized in strategic and financial modeling. With a background as a commercial analyst and modeller, he has worked with senior management for top brands in London and Sydney. Dan is a CIMA member since 2010, holding a BSc in Money, Banking & Finance and an MSc in Marketing from the University of Birmingham.
Iain Dewson
Course Facilitator
Iain has led global finance teams and managed a finance academy for 2,000 people across 28 countries. His firsthand experience with FBP’s positive impact led him to join as a course facilitator for GrowCFO.
Peter McKenzie
CFO | Executive Coach and Mentor
As a CFO Executive Coach and Mentor, I aim to help clients unlock their full potential, achieve their career aspirations and attain long-term sustainable success while flourishing in their personal lives.
Ashley Vukovits
CFO | Executive Mentor
As an Executive Mentor based in the US state Indiana, Ashley enjoys getting to know aspiring CFOs that have the desire and drive to grow professionally while maintaining their personal goals as well.
Wassia Kamon
CFO | Professional Mentor
Wassia is based in Atlanta, Georgia, and arrived in the USA at 17 from Ivory Coast where English wasn’t her first language. She adjusted to a totally new way of life, joined PwC, qualified as an accountant, and is now performing a finance leadership role.
Helene Brichet Herbinet
CFO I Strategic & Change Leader I Executive Coach & Mentor
As an Executive Mentor, Helene’s mission is to help the next generation of finance leaders reach their full potential whilst maintaining a personal balance.
Rishi Sapra
Course Facilitator | Microsoft MVP
A Microsoft MVP and commercial technologist with deep expertise in Power BI and Microsoft Fabric. A Chartered Accountant with an Executive MBA (Hons), he brings over 20 years of experience from the Big 4, Financial Services, and Avanade.
Brandon Leigh
Chair | NED | Mentor
Having qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Deloitte, Brandon enjoyed a 21-year career with FTSE 250 international consumer goods business PZ Cussons Plc (PZC), the last 13 years as Chief Financial Officer.
Julian O’Neill
CFO at Ardent Hire Solutions
A CFO, but with experience in a range of different industries (and roles). I’ve been in FTSE 100 businesses and the small side of SME’s; corporate leviathans and agile PE backed organisations.
Fay Wingrove
CFO | Professional Mentor
Her experience spans 28 years as a successful business owner, ten years in finance with multi-billion-dollar public and private companies, and experience with a regional public accounting firm.
Ian Simpkin
Fractional CFO | Portfolio FD | Mentor
He has over 25 years of finance director experience and was European CFO of a Nasdaq 100 multinational during a period of rapid growth from $20 to $450m revenue.
Patrick Butcher
CFO | NED
For more than 25 years as a CFO, I have been privileged to be in a position to support people on their career and life journeys. My passion is to unlock potential through a holistic approach.
Tony Shafar
CFO | Director | Executive Coach & Mentor
Tony is a qualified Chartered Accountant, who has over 20 years experience in Senior Finance positions in large multinationals, SMEs and technology start-ups.
Paul McKoen
Experienced CFO | Finance Director | Advisor | Coach & Mentor
Paul is a highly experienced CFO across various different sectors. He has worked in small start-ups as well as large mature businesses, and is comfortable in different cultural environments.
Hugh Watchorn
Part-time CFO | Mentor
Passionate about music, food, wine, cricket and meeting people. Hugh also had a 35+ year career in business, working almost exclusively in the SME space – and is still very much not retired…
Our Expert Facilitators:
Former FDs & CFOs from Leading Companies
Meet GrowCFO Founder
Dan Wells
With over two decades of experience collaborating with finance leaders, Dan finds fulfillment in guiding talented individuals up the career ladder. Recognizing the formidable challenge of ascending to the CFO role, his career ambition revolves around crafting world-class community-driven CFO training programs and support networks. These initiatives are designed to ensure individuals never experience isolation or lack support in their roles.
Engaging with numerous finance leaders weekly, Dan assists in overcoming their most pressing challenges. His expertise spans a broad spectrum of topics, including soft skills, leadership, imposter syndrome, communication, relationship building, gravitas, influencing, personal brand development, resilience, value enhancement, and impact. He actively participates in public speaking engagements, chairing webinars, facilitating workshops, and serves as a leading commentator within the CFO profession.
Ready to transform your finance team?
Book your free consultation with GrowCFO today and empower your finance team to confidently navigate today’s financial landscape.
Catherine Marks
Finance Team Training Director
Shelly Adams
Finance Team Training Director