Stephen Halstead
Board and Finance Advisor @Ezekia
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WORK HISTORY
Board and Finance Advisor @Ezekia
Advising the CEO, Board and Finance Team on a variety of matters related to the rapid scaling of the business.
EDUCATION
University of Cambridge
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Engineering
University of Cambridge
Master's Degree, Engineering
SKILLS
ABOUT STEPHEN HALSTEAD
I am an experienced Chief Financial Officer with 15+ years in private equity-backed, high-growth businesses across Europe and North America. My career spans technology consulting, SaaS, telecoms, web hosting, and financial services, where I have consistently delivered scale, profitability, and strong investor outcomes.I combine strategic vision, operational discipline, and transaction expertise. I thrive in fast-paced, founder-led and PE-backed environments where value creation depends on building robust finance functions, raising and deploying capital, and delivering growth through organic expansion and M&A.Key strengths and achievements:Private Equity Partnering: Worked with leading investors (Perwyn, Abry, Cabot Square, Francisco Partners, Sequoia, LDC). Skilled in due diligence, equity raises, debt refinancings, and exits.Fundraising & Exits: Led major financings including a €300m debt raise at Miss Group and the LDC exit to Abry Partners (EV > £150m).Value Creation: Delivered strong returns through growth, efficiency, and systems. At Miss Group, repricing and synergies achieved €13m+ annualised benefits. At Toucan, scaled to customers and £50m revenue in 4 years, exiting to Pipex.High-Performing Teams: Recruited, mentored, and developed finance professionals to build resilient teams supporting rapid scaling.Cost & Cash Management: Expertise in optimising cost structures, strengthening forecasting, and enforcing liquidity discipline to deliver savings while funding growth.Forecasting & Modelling: Built sophisticated models and forecasts to guide strategy, support fundraising, and provide investor-ready insights at Aker, Miss Group, and Host Europe.International M&A: Led cross-border acquisitions, integrations, and refinancings in the UK, Europe, and US.IPO Readiness: Prepared Metaswitch for a potential NASDAQ IPO and served as CFO of AIM-listed Host Europe.Scalable Infrastructure: Implemented Dynamics and Oracle systems, improving KPI reporting, cash flow control, and decision-making.Commercial Leadership: CFO/COO remit covering finance, HR, IT, legal, credit, and sales, ensuring growth strategies rest on strong governance.Global Experience: Built finance functions across Europe and North America; fluent in Italian.I am a trusted partner to CEOs, boards, and investors, combining rigorous financial stewardship with a pragmatic, hands-on approach. I am motivated by working with ambitious teams to build businesses, unlock value, and deliver outstanding investor outcomes in tech-enabled, PE-backed growth environments.
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