Klarius FD scoops top award
DAVID Cheetham, finance director of fast-growing vehicle parts manufacturer Klarius Group, has been named as the North West finance director of the year.
He picked up the award last night at the North West Financial Director of the Year Awards which were set up by financial recruitment specialists Sharp Consultancy, with support from Barclays Corporate, Grant Thornton and DWF.
Mr Cheetham, pictured below right, worked on Klarius’ acquisition of Leicester-based Quinton
Hazell from US-based Affinia last year.
The deal has helped Chorley-based Klarius, which is owned by Tarporley-based businessman Tony Wilson, grow sales to £350m. More acquisitions are planned at the firm which supplies exhaust systems, filters and catalytic converters.
Mark Schweiger, pictured, of Cheadle-based licensed bedding and home furnishings business Character World, was named as young FD of the year.
Judges highlighted Mr Schweiger’s role in securing funding from the Royal Bank of Scotland and negotiating Character World’s 2008 management buyout which valued the company at £20m. The deal provided an exit for Mr Schweiger’s father Tommy who founded the business in 1998 and gave private equity house RJD Partners a stake.
The other winners were:
Ingrid Smillie of Widnes healthcare provider CIC group – not for profit award
Mark Merrick of Fleetwood-based AM seafoods – SME businesses (£6m-£30m turnover)
Simon Brayshaw from Blackburn-based General All Purpose Plastics – medium enterprise businesses (£30m-£90m turnover)
Jens Penny from Stella Travel Services – large enterprise businesses (£91m-375m turnover)Robin Gregson of car dealership Lookers – PLC award
Simon Greenhalgh from Oldham-based Document Express – The Graeme Whittaker award
