CFO Profiles
Azure Group’s team of professional virtual CFOs come from a range of backgrounds and have worked within the large corporate arena for many years and are now bringing these skills to the Small-Medium corporate to allow them to compete in a challenging and diverse market.
Michael Derin
| VIRTUAL CFO & AZURE GROUP CEO mderin@azuregroup.com.au PH: 02 9238 1188 |
Michael has nearly 20 years experience as a qualified chartered accountant within the business and commercial sectors. Michael has worked with companies such as PWC, Compaq Financial Services and Oxley Corporate Group within a Financial Controller / Chief Financial Officer capacity across the Asia-Pacific region, leading multi-million dollar projects to success.
In 2002 Michael founded chartered accounting firm Azure Group where he currently resides as the Managing Director. Michael is currently a Director and Company Secretary for several listed and unlisted public companies including foreign subsidiaries of large Asian and UK companies. He acts as Virtual CFO for a number of clients strategically assisting with mergers & acquisitions, sales, IPOs and numerous other corporate advisory and strategic initiatives.
Michael’s continued vision is to see the SME market compete and succeed in today’s competitive business environment.
Wayne Wanders
| VIRTUAL CFO – SYDNEY wwanders@azuregroup.com.au PH: 02 9238 1188 |
Wayne is a qualified Chartered Accountant with over 25 years finance, consulting and management experience. Wayne has been the Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary for a number of ASX listed and unlisted organisations and has worked with companies such as KPMG, Optus, Bearing Point and People Telecom.
Wayne brings a unique blend of ASX experience and performance analysis skills to the Azure Group to add value to the businesses he works with.
Anthony Harris
| VIRTUAL CFO – SYDNEY aharris@azuregroup.com.au Ph: 02 9238 1188 |
Anthony Harris has 25 years experience in accounting and finance. He is an Associate of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia and an Associate of the Financial Services Institute of Australia (formerly the Securities Institute of Australia).
Anthony has extensive experience generated from his diverse roles including a partnership role in public practice, having co-founded a boutique investment bank with a focus to SME corporate finance advisory services, and more recently a combination of CEO, COO and CFO roles with a range of SMEs.
While Anthony’s technical and training expertise relates to finance and accounting, his experience at senior levels across all business functions in organisations provides a well rounded expertise.
Specific areas of expertise Anthony delivers as part of Azure Group’s Virtual CFO service include valuations, budgeting, financial reporting, financial modelling and compliance reporting, including tax and company secretarial functions.
Anthony has a significant depth of experience in all aspects of the corporate finance function, including advising on the structuring and funding (debt and equity) of mergers & acquisitions, public offerings, private equity and angel investment offering as well as the overall treasury management functions of SMEs.
Through years of experience Anthony understands the challenges of running entrepreneurial and fast-paced SMEs, having been involved in numerous businesses from start-up through to IPO and trade sale exits.
In what little spare time Anthony has, he loves to spend time with his family and friends. He has a passion for American sports, especially baseball and he continues a playing career he just won’t give up, despite his body often telling him to.
Rachael White
| VIRTUAL CFO – SYDNEY rwhite@azuregroup.com.au PH: 02 9238 1188 |
Rachel has over 20 years commercial finance and accounting experience with a strong background in the information technology sector. Having worked with both private and public companies across Australia, United Kingdom and USA, Rachel has worked for numerous well known companies, like ASX-listed Goodman Group, as well as emerging and innovative companies like Hotel Club.
Rachel’s career spans several industries including property, tourism and IT infrastructure. Her expertise includes process change management as well as an in-depth understanding of IT systems and their application to commercial enterprises, in addition to her technical financial management and accounting knowledge.
Rachel believes for any SME looking to achieve serious growth a virtual CFO is necessary to provide the vital strategic and financial framework required to create a successful and sustainable business. She believes by working with a dedicated and experienced CFO, an entrepreneurial business has a greater chance at realising their objectives.
Having worked closely with businesses of varying sizes, Rachel is eager to bring her drive and commercial acumen to the SME market. She considers working with passionate entrepreneurs provides an exciting opportunity for a CFO to apply creativity and strategic thinking, while also implementing the financial foundation necessary to create a strong and robust business.
Steve Smith
| VIRTUAL CFO & MANAGING PARTNER (QLD) ssmith@azuregroup.com.au PH: 07 5668 9322 |
Steve has been involved with accounting and consulting to small businesses in several countries for the last 26 years. Over the last 14 years he has run his own accounting practice focusing on assisting small business owners to control and grow their businesses.
In regular meetings he finds the value is more in the quality of questions asked, creating a shared vision and then beginning to bring it into reality.
Experience has taught him that the greatest asset in any business is the business owner. He has learned that while it is important to measure and see if you are on or off track, it is the business owner that determines what that the track is. The essence of growth for him is continuous improvement – making regular small adjustments in the chosen direction and checking that the results are what you really want.
Steve is based in the Gold Coast and is focused on supporting the small business owner in Queensland to build and develop their business by providing a tailored and unique virtual CFO service
Kelly Morgan
| AZURE GROUP PARTNER & VIRTUAL CFO kmorgan@azuregroup.com.au PH: 02 9238 1188 |
Kelly Morgan aspires to work with passionate SME owners. By working closely with her clients, Kelly helps them to maximise the opportunities in their business and assist them to achieve their goals.
One of Kelly’s core strengths is her ability to bring objectivity to a business’ operations, combined with high-level financial knowledge and experience. This allows her to understand a business’ financial position, what its potential opportunities are and what needs to be done to achieve its objectives.
To achieve this Kelly has developed a proven 4-step process of identification, planning & strategy, operational optimisation and implementation. Through this process Kelly has helped many SMEs to increase their profits as well as the value of their business.
Kelly has 23 years experience as a chartered accountant. She specialises in providing SMEs with corporate advisory, management consulting, business finance and virtual CFO expertise. Kelly has successfully lead many corporate advisory roles, delivering complex projects such as business sales, exit plans and commercialisation, including capital raising.
In her career she has held high level positions with a number of specialised firms and worked with various clients across a multitude of industries.
Raymond Taylor
| VIRTUAL CFO rtaylor@azuregroup.com.au PH: 07 5668 9322 |
Ray has over 25 years experience in the accounting and finance industries, including running his own accounting practice helping Gold Coast SMEs to grow their businesses. Ray has also been an advisor to numerous fast growing companies, acting as financial controller and company secretary, carrying out specific projects with successful outcomes.
Throughout his career Ray has helped many different businesses, including private and public companies, sole traders and contractors in industries spanning across mining & resources, property, IT, professional services, publishing, banking & finance and many more.
Ray’s expertise includes capital raising, pricing models, financial analysis, management accounting, budgeting, structuring sales and acquisitions.
As a virtual CFO Ray seeks to create strong partnerships with his clients, giving them the financial discipline and strategic advice they need to help them achieve their objectives and build thriving businesses.
Ray is a member of the following professional associations: Australian Society of Certified Practicing Accountants (CPA), Institute of Public Accountants and the Institute of Chartered Secretaries. He holds a Bachelor of Economics and a Master of Commerce.
