Interim Chief Financial Officer — Debt Restructuring

Analytical ownership

Prepare an integrated view of cash generation, maintenance investment, tax, working capital and financing obligations. Test repayment capacity under lower utilisation, slower collections and delayed efficiency improvements. Identify restrictions on cash movement and contingent obligations that could undermine an apparently adequate consolidated liquidity position.

From options to execution

Evaluate maturity changes, repayment profiles, additional funding and other capital solutions with specialist advisers. Present alternatives with their economic costs and practical conditions, including consent requirements and execution dependencies. Lead financial diligence and ensure the board receives reconciled information rather than competing versions from transaction participants.

Following agreement, embed the new requirements in treasury routines, management reporting and investment approvals. The role should leave the finance function capable of operating the restructured facilities without prolonged dependence on external support.

Compare proposed structures using an explicit maturity and liquidity profile, including seasonal peaks and minimum operating cash. Examine whether repayment sweeps, restrictions on investment or intercompany transfers would prevent management from delivering the plan used to justify the debt. The CFO should produce an implementation register covering conditions, reporting obligations and responsible individuals by role. Before handover, test that the finance team can reproduce the calculations and identify a developing breach without relying on advisers who may no longer be engaged.

Candidate capabilities

Qualified candidates will have held senior finance accountability through a debt restructuring and understand manufacturing cash cycles. They should demonstrate rigorous accounting judgement, financing negotiation skills and an ability to challenge operating forecasts constructively. Cross-functional credibility matters: a technically elegant financing proposal is insufficient if management cannot deliver the assumptions behind it.

The result to leave behind

A coherent financing plan, transparent downside triggers and clear ownership of each implementation condition are central outputs. Candidates should offer anonymised examples showing how they balanced short-term liquidity protection with investment necessary to preserve long-term operating value.