How to Change Finance Systems*
(*Without getting fired!)

Jamie Allen | Founder & CEO, 4PointZero

Jamie worked for a top 100 accountancy firm before founding 4PointZero, a team of independent finance professionals and technology experts. The business partners with trusted software providers to eliminate inefficiencies, streamline finance processes, and deliver ongoing training and support. With no ties to any single supplier, 4PointZero offers truly impartial solutions – and has helped over 1,000 clients improve their financial operations. 

Keith Collins | Principal Consultant, Adapta Consulting

Keith has worked with nonprofit organisations of every conceivable type in a number of countries since 1992. He specialises in helping organisations identify, select, adopt and use technology to improve their relationships with all key stakeholders. This can involve choosing tech to support a new strategy or making better use of the tools they have. 

Russell Frayne | Director of Transformation, Gravita

Russell has more than 20 years of accountancy experience and nearly a decade in private equity-backed practices. At Gravita, he delivers value to businesses of all sizes through innovation and automation in their finance functions. He specialises in digital adoption, process optimisation and scalable systems to power growth, bridging traditional accountancy with innovation.  

Frances Kay | Partner, TC Group and Director, App Advisory Plus 

Frances has been a key part of TC Farnell Clarke since 2013, becoming a Principal Director and shareholder in 2015 and co-founder of App Advisory Plus. An ACCA-qualified professional, Frances specialises in finance system transformation, leading projects that modernise and optimise financial processes for both clients and internal operations.  

She’s passionate about harnessing cutting-edge technology to streamline workflows, enhance efficiency, and develop scalable, repeatable solutions. She’s also committed to continuous improvement, refining client experience, delivery processes and team development. 

Lauren McCluskey | Head of Virtual Finance function, AAB 

Lauren is AAB’s Virtual Finance Function partner, heading the practice’s work for companies that have a limited or no internal finance function. Based in Aberdeen, she works with large corporates, international groups and AIM-listed companies. She advises on issues from process and transaction to support, attending board meetings, setting and reporting on KPIs and management information.   

Mark Preston | Head of Business and Finance, Blackpool Grand Theatre 

Mark heads finance for both the Blackpool Grand Theatre (Arts & Entertainments) Ltd, which as well as its diverse Theatre program also has a multi award winning Creative Learning Department, and the Blackpool Grand Theatre Trust Ltd, which owns the magnificent Grade II listed building. He has been with the Grand since 2015, during which time he has brought payroll and pension provision in-house, implemented two finance systems and presided over a digital transformation in the finance department, for which he was recognised as a highly commended finalist in the 2023 Accountancy Excellence Finance Director of the Year award. 

Paul Sypko | Partner, Adapta Consulting 

Paul is a highly experienced technology management consultant, with a senior-level CIO/CTO background. 

Prior to Adapta, Paul held senior roles at not-for-profit specialists Sayer Vincent, Crowe UK, and BlueSpark Consulting. Clients at Adapta have included ActionAid UK, Tate Britain, the Institution of Civil Engineers, British Gymnastics, the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Lymphoma Action and the Woodland Trust. 

Richard Woolgar | Head of Outsourcing, Armstrong Watson 

Based in Armstrong Watson’s head office in Carlisle, Richard heads up the national outsourcing team, working with clients to build virtual finance solutions through standardisation and automation. 

Richard has focused on management information and systems, conducting systems reviews for organisations of all sizes and advising on integrated finance systems, for more than a decade.  

Louise Zandstra | Director of Finance, National Youth Theatre 

Louise has led systems changes and improvements in a succession of arts and cultural organisations. She has been in charge of finance at the National Youth Theatre since 2023.  

Her previous experience includes The Charleston Trust, the Lyric Hammersmith, Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse, Brighton Dome and Festival, Save the Children and Hackney Empire Theatre.