Finance · Strategy · Corporate Finance

Brandon Hughes

Chartered Accountant (SA) & Finance Business Partner

Finance professional combining financial rigour with legal and commercial judgement. Experienced across strategic finance, M&A integration, and business partnering in startup, SME, and private equity–backed environments across London and beyond.

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4+Years Experience
3Global Regions
CAQualified (SA)
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01

Profile

Finance professional with a track record spanning strategic finance, business partnering, and corporate finance across startup, SME, and private equity–backed global environments. Proven ability to work with C-suite and senior leadership, translating complex financial and legal realities into clear strategic decisions.

As a Chartered Accountant (SA) and Law Graduate from Stellenbosch University, I bring an unusual dual lens to every engagement — financial rigour grounded in legal insight — allowing me to operate confidently in high-stakes, complex environments.

Based in London, currently serving as Finance Business Partner & Corporate Finance (AVP) at Apex Group Ltd, a private equity–backed global financial services group.

CA(SA) — Chartered Accountant South African Institute of Chartered Accountants · First attempt passes
BAccLLB — Accounting & Law Stellenbosch University · Double Degree, 5 years
PGDA — Post Graduate Diploma in Accounting Stellenbosch University · Master's Degree Equivalent

Strategic Finance

Financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and capital allocation across multi-regional organisations.

M&A & Integration

Post-acquisition integration, synergy modelling, value-creation programmes, and execution support.

Business Partnering

C-suite advisory, performance reporting, trading updates, and decision-support for PE stakeholders.

Operating Model Design

Workforce restructuring, offshoring efficiency, process automation, and cost optimisation initiatives.

Financial Modelling

Scenario analyses, investment trade-off models, and data-driven decision-making frameworks.

Legal & Commercial

Law background informing commercial contracts, risk assessment, and complex deal structuring.

02

Experience

Jan 2025 — PresentCurrent

Apex Group Ltd

Finance Business Partner & Corporate Finance (AVP) · London

  • Business partner within a private equity–backed global financial services group, supporting strategic finance, planning, and value-creation across multiple regions.
  • Led a core workstream in the global budgeting and forecasting cycle, advising senior leadership on investment trade-offs, cost initiatives, and structural decisions.
  • Delivered consolidated planning outputs across the Americas, Europe, APAC, and Africa, aligning regional strategies with group objectives.
  • Supported strategic workforce restructuring, operating model changes, and cost optimisation linked to consolidation and growth priorities.
  • Contributed to post-acquisition integration and value-creation programmes, including synergy modelling, tracking, and execution support.
  • Built financial models and scenario analyses to inform capital allocation and strategic decision-making.
  • Co-led and mentored an offshore finance team, embedding analytical standards and effective stakeholder engagement.
Nov 2023 — Jan 2025

WTax

Finance Business Analyst · London

  • Partnered with the Managing Director on strategic growth initiatives for pension, hedge fund, and asset management clients.
  • Designed and implemented financial analyses and dashboards that improved performance tracking for sales and service teams.
  • Contributed to restructuring of the North American client team, developed KPIs, and implemented process improvements enhancing client outcomes.
Mar 2023 — Nov 2023

VAT IT

Strategy Analyst — Central Operations & Client Strategy · London

  • Supported creation of a centralised global client operations department, aligning best practices across regions.
  • Led the rollout of a new global online client platform, coordinating roadmap planning, system testing, training, and stakeholder reporting.
Jan 2022 — Mar 2023

VAT IT

Financial Strategy & Treasury Analyst · London

  • Consolidated global bank accounts and co-led the establishment of a new treasury entity.
  • Developed automation of month-end processes, significantly reducing cycle times and operational bottlenecks.
  • Partnered with external vendors to implement innovative financial solutions.
Jan 2022 — Jan 2025

VAT IT — CA TOPP Programme

CA(SA) Article Clerk · London

  • Completed the three-year SAICA-accredited CA(SA) articles under the CA TOPP Entrepreneurship Programme.
  • Rotated across finance, accounting, and business strategy divisions, developing expertise in financial reporting, treasury, strategic analysis, and client solutions.
03

Education

2024

APC & ITC — Chartered Accountant (SA)

South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA)

✦ First attempt passes on both exams

2021

Post Graduate Diploma in Accounting (PGDA)

Stellenbosch University

✦ Master's Degree Equivalent

2020

Bachelor of Accounting and Law (BAccLLB)

Stellenbosch University

✦ Double degree completed over 5 years

2015

National Senior Certificate (IEB)

Kearsney College, South Africa

✦ 6 Distinctions

04

Skills

Core Competencies

Strategic Finance
Financial Modelling
Business Partnering
M&A Integration
Operating Model Design
Treasury & Reporting

Technical Proficiency

MS Excel Power BI Adaptive Planning PowerPoint Workday Sage X3 Salesforce MS Office Suite Financial Reporting Scenario Analysis Budgeting & Forecasting Process Automation Stakeholder Reporting Dashboard Design

Open to opportunities

Let's work together

Based in London. Open to finance leadership, corporate finance, and strategic roles in ambitious organisations.

hughesbm15@gmail.com LinkedIn Profile +44 7857 201862