Chief Financial Officer
Fintech · Capital Markets · Platforms · Data & AI
Operating at the intersection of finance, technology and growth. Building high-performance finance and operating functions to scale businesses, transform models and deliver measurable value in complex, regulated markets.
About
Hugh is a results-driven Chief Financial Officer with over a decade of senior leadership across financial services, scaling regulated businesses, building high-performance finance functions, and delivering transformation that drives commercial outcomes. He has led finance across complex financial services businesses spanning lending, payments, institutional FX, treasury and capital markets across both consumer and corporate segments, with experience at Barclays and in PE-backed fintech environments.
He began his career building technology, founding an IT consultancy, engineering network APIs and security protocols, and studying Genetics and Informatics at Edinburgh. That foundation continues to shape his approach to finance, combining analytical rigour, comfort with data at scale, and the ability to translate complex technical capability into clear commercial strategy.
Delivered 35% YoY income growth as Head of Finance for CB&P and Corporate Bank at Barclays, overseeing a £8bn of income and >£250bn of assets across UK, US and Europe
Built and scaled a £50m ARR data analytics platform, monetising proprietary data through advanced analytics and creating a high-margin, recurring revenue stream
Scaled a payments platform from low double-digit to £100m+ revenue through margin optimisation, product innovation and strategic commercial partnerships
Led the strategic and operational repositioning of a PE-backed payments business, restoring profitability and establishing a scalable, technology-enabled operating model
Supported the establishment of Barclays Ventures, building a profitable venture platform supporting over 1,000 businesses across the UK
Renegotiated consumer FX liquidity and pricing agreements with Tier 1 banks, improving spreads across high-volume international transactions
Areas of Expertise
Liquidity management, FX pricing, capital and balance sheet optimisation across multi-entity, multi-jurisdictional structures. Direct experience renegotiating Tier 1 bank agreements and managing global FX exposures.
Corporate banking, wealth management, money markets and FX product strategy. Senior finance leadership across Barclays International and Wealth EMEA, including rating agency and investor communications.
Investor relations, capital allocation, covenant management and exit readiness. Experienced operating in PE-backed, fast-paced environments where financial discipline and commercial acuity are essential.
Scaling regulated payments platforms; regulatory engagement with FCA, PSR and Open Banking frameworks. Extensive experience building payments revenue and leading platform strategy in high-growth environments.
FP&A transformation, KPI framework design, performance dashboards and data-driven decision making. Built dedicated analytics capabilities at Barclays International to drive commercial insight.
Restructuring, cost optimisation and technology-enabled operating model design. Proven delivery of significant cost-income improvements through disciplined programme delivery and technology leverage.
Board reporting, rating agency communications and institutional stakeholder engagement. Led major strategic presentations at Barclays Group, including credit card partnerships, retail bank exits and Wealth integration.
Deal support, entity integration and capital structure. Experience spanning the Lehman Brothers acquisition at Barclays, ring-fenced bank restructuring, and early career M&A work at Allen & Overy.
Technology & AI
Hugh’s technology background is foundational to his approach to finance leadership. He studied Informatics at Edinburgh, began his career building APIs and security protocols, and founded an IT consultancy whose clients included a business later acquired by Google. He has consistently applied this perspective in senior finance roles, combining data, technology and commercial strategy to drive performance. This includes building a £50m ARR data platform, deploying AI-enabled terminal management within a PE-backed business, and supporting the establishment of Barclays Ventures as a platform for innovation and growth. He brings practical fluency in AI and data, translating technical capability into measurable commercial outcomes and scalable business models.
Translating AI and advanced analytics into P&L impact. Building data platforms that generate revenue and strategic advantage, not just management information. Proven experience deploying AI-enabled products in commercial environments.
Designing lean, automated finance operating models that do more with less. Eliminating manual processes through intelligent tooling, freeing finance teams to focus on insight and value creation rather than data production.
Repositioning businesses for the digital economy through disciplined, outcome-driven transformation. Aligning technology investment, operating model redesign and capital allocation to deliver measurable improvements in growth, efficiency and returns.
Built for a digital-first world. From founding a tech consultancy pre-2008 (whose clients included a business later acquired by Google), to engineering network APIs, to building £50m ARR data platforms and deploying AI in regulated financial services. Hugh brings a consistent thread of technology fluency to the CFO role. At Barclays, he led major technology and regulatory initiatives across the UK, US and Europe, combining policy insight with the commercial realities of operating at scale.
Career
Contact
Open to conversations about CFO and senior finance leadership opportunities in institutional financial services, fintech and PE-backed environments.