Gary is the Finance Director at Bott and Co and has been fortunate to have had a varied and interesting career.
He joined Ferranti Engineering PLC, at the time a FTSE 100 Company as Trainee Accountant in 1983, working at factories in Oldham, Cheadle and Wythenshawe before qualifying 5 years later.
Gary then moved into the service sector in 1989 joining The Swinton Group, where he was part of a team tasked with setting up a network of estate agents that could rival the chain of insurance outlets.
After the unfortunate significant downturn the housing market suffered in 1989/1990 Gary took a year off to travel and later resumed his career as Finance Manager at Bottling Inspection Plant Manufacturers Inex Vision Systems In Altrincham 1991-93, Underwater Connector manufacturer Hawke Cable Glands Ltd in Ashton 1993-96 and Safetywear Manufacturers James North & Sons in Hyde 1996-98 (part of former FTSE 100 Company Siebe Group).
Trading conditions for Engineering and Textiles were extremely difficult and his early career was spent working in businesses that had a variety of existential threats.
Both Ferranti and Siebe dropped out of the FTSE 100 shortly after completing mergers with other Companies, with Ferranti going on to file for bankruptcy in 1993 and Siebe being taken over by Schneider Electric in 2014.
Gary believes the pressures that drove these companies to merge and the difficulties faced thereafter have served him an important lesson. In each of these roles he gained insight and experience in and has been involved with many key initiatives within the finance departments.
His career in Law began in 1998 when he became Financial Controller at Lucas & Co Solicitors before going on to set up Bott and Co Solicitors with Paul Hinchliffe and David Bott in 2001.
Gary brings strong strategic vision to the Head of Finance role and a commitment to operational efficiency, execution and excellence.
Amongst other tasks, he is responsible for ensuring the Finance team provides an efficient and effective service to the business.
He provides financial analysis and guidance on all activities, plans, targets and business drivers as well as leadership to the Board’s Finance and Accounting strategy, in order to optimise the company’s financial performance and strategic position.
“Everything the business does is reflected in its financial information and working in an ever changing legal sector, for me what remains key is to ensure the firm’s financial systems are robust, compliant and support activities and ongoing growth, “said Gary.
He is a well organised financial leader with strong results orientation and adopts a ‘can do’ approach to business challenges.
Gary lives in Wilmslow and is married with 3 children.