Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
I’m a commercially minded finance leader with broad experience across global and local markets—spanning controllership, commercial finance, business partnering, investor relations, and performance management. I thrive in environments where I can drive clarity and sharpen performance. My career has taken me from Unilever’s London HQ, working across Beauty & Personal Care and Investor Relations, to finance roles in the UK&I, and now Australia, where I’ve spent the last two years leading Commercial Finance and now serving as ANZ Financial Controller. These roles have strengthened my ability to navigate complexity, influence at senior levels, and deliver sustained business impact. I am performance‑oriented, people‑focused, and committed to building high‑trust, high‑impact teams. I have been fortunate enough to have worked with a number of senior leaders across Unilever including Global CEO, CFO, Head of Investor Relations and Market / Regional General Managers & CFOs. Competitive by nature and energised by challenge, I’m at my best when solving complex problems, shaping strategy, and stepping into stretching opportunities.
Following a rigorous selection process, I was identified as a Future CEO and selected to shadow Bernadette Kelly, Permanent Secretary at the Department for Transport. The day gave me exposure to an incredibly influential individual allowing me to recognise the realities, challenges and complexities of such a high powered role.
1 of 10 UK students recognised as a Future CFO undergraduate of the year 2019 finalist. After a challenging process, this award was aimed at identifying future leaders within the finance profession. ACCA were looking for ambitious, forward thinking, commercially minded students with a strong interest in the value finance can bring to a business.
Working with Jonathan Smith (Head of CSR at Woodford Investment) to organise a series of 'Business Meets Philanthropy' speaker events, encouraging students at Exeter to consider high-flying jobs within the charitable sector or to give back throughout their own successful career paths. The ultimate aim is to encourage a positive impact on society, shaping mindsets of the future generation to forge a different way of thinking. Our responsibilities include: • Communication to all stakeholders across Exeter University (alumni office, finance, students, professors, societies etc) and Woodford. • Marketing and distributing the series across Exeter University • Event organisation; venue, budgeting, food & drink • Public speaking and encouraging constructive feedback Guests Include: Sir Stephen Bubb, Paul Pinder, Thomas Muirhead, Steve Wickham, Sir Stuart Etherington, Roman Krznaric and Stephen Dawson OBE.
-Strong focus on customer satisfaction, ensuring the service provided is outstanding. -Achieved through a vast knowledge of Waitrose’s products, the presentation of the food counter display and my personal confidence and willingness to go one step beyond to help customers. -The role involved training of staff, controlling stock levels/ ordering of products and taking leadership of colleagues to ensure a high standard of service was maintained throughout. Manager’s comments upon leaving, “Rick has shown high level of consistency and worked to the level of very good against his Job description. Rick has the capability of working on his own, as well as part of a team to deliver all tasks set above the required expectations on a shift to shift basis. Rick has been a real credit and a partner to lead by example. Well done Rick, excellent work.”