CAMBRIDGE FINANCIAL DIRECTION LIMITED

What CAMBRIDGE FINANCIAL DIRECTION LIMITED does

Cambridge Financial Direction Limited is a Cambridge, UK-based professional services firm providing fractional Finance Director services to small and medium-sized enterprises. Founded in 2013 by Nick Tiley MA FCA after 25 years in accountancy practice and industry, the firm operates on a 'fractional' model — delivering experienced FD expertise on a part-time, scalable basis to clients that cannot justify a full-time FD hire. The target market is businesses with 10-50 employees located within one hour's travel time of Cambridge, with services delivered primarily through face-to-face engagement.

The core offering is delivered by a small team consisting of the founder, a part-time Senior Associate (Laura Papworth-Saunders, FCIMA), and a consultant (Professor Ian Baxter). Service modules span financial management and reporting, strategic business planning, due diligence, M&A advisory, crisis management, succession planning, CRM-ERP systems implementation, finance team development, and recruitment support. No proprietary technology, software platforms, or AI capabilities are disclosed; the business is fundamentally a human-deliverable consulting practice.

Commercially, the firm generates revenue through bespoke, quote-based engagements structured as multi-year contracts scaled to client timescales and budgets. Go-to-market combines direct sales (24-hour website response), content marketing (monthly blog), thought-leadership positioning through ICAEW webinars and the Manufacturing Advisory Group, and community referrals. The firm has served over 20 local businesses cumulatively and pursues an extensive community sponsorship programme (rugby, football, motorsport, cricket) to maintain local brand visibility. The company is a private limited company registered in England and Wales (number 8429624) and is founder-owned with no institutional capital.

Name

CAMBRIDGE FINANCIAL DIRECTION LIMITED

Legal name

Cambridge Financial Direction Limited

Website

https://cambridgefd.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cambridge Financial Direction is a Cambridge-based fractional Finance Director services firm serving SMEs with 10-50 employees within one hour of the city, delivering part-time FD expertise in financial management, M&A, crisis management, and strategic planning on bespoke contracts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fractional Finance Director Services

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services (541611)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Finance & Capital Advisory (BPAHADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corporate Finance Advisory (Strategic Finance, Capital Structure & Recaps) (FSAEAGAE), Business Owner & Executive Financial Planning (FSAEAAAO)

Keywords

• Fractional finance director
• SME financial consulting
• Interim CFO services
• Accountancy advisory
• Business financial planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Cambridge

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Fractional Finance Director Services: Provision of experienced Finance Director skills on a scalable, part-time basis to meet client timescales and budgets. Services include financial management, planning, analysis, crisis management, due diligence, M&A support, succession planning, and interim finance cover.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Cambridge Financial Direction Limited supplies the skills of an experienced Finance Director to local businesses on a fully scalable, part-time basis. The firm delivers financial management, planning, analysis, due diligence, M&A support, succession planning, crisis management, and interim finance cover to SMEs that cannot justify a full-time FD hire. Services are tailored to each client and delivered through face-to-face engagement.

Product overview

Cambridge Financial Direction Limited offers a unified financial consultancy service centered on fractional Finance Director provision. The core offering delivers experienced Finance Director talent on a scalable, part-time basis tailored to SME needs. This is complemented by an integrated suite of service modules including financial management and reporting, due diligence, merger advisory, crisis management, strategic planning, systems implementation, finance team development, staffing support, and business performance analysis. All services are fully tailored to each client's unique requirements and delivered through face-to-face consultation rather than a software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fractional Finance Director Services Provides businesses with experienced Finance Director expertise on a scalable, part-time basis to meet their timelines and budget constraints, enabling SMEs to compete with larger organizations. Target customers are SMEs with 10-50 employees within one hour of Cambridge.

Named customers9 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Noah Thain (Essex CCC)minorOthersCambridge FD sponsors Noah Thain, a young cricketer playing for Essex CCC. Noah played for two seasons in the England U19 team and is now a regular starting player for the full county men's team. This is a community sponsorship relationship.
• John Langridge RacingminorOthersCambridge FD is one of the car sponsors for John Langridge Racing. Nick Tiley spotted John's talent when racing against him in BRSCC Ford Fiesta Championship 2012-13. John won BRSCC Mazda MX-5 Championship 2019 and MSVR Miata Trophy championship 2024.
• Cantabrigian Rugby Union Football ClubminorOthersCambridge FD sponsors Cantabrigian amateur rugby club which runs three adult teams playing in London and Eastern Counties leagues. Community sports sponsorship.
• Cambridge United Football ClubminorOthersCambridge FD supports Cambridge United FC (League Two team) and sponsors a player in the women's team. C.U.F.C. runs children's courses, football academy, and community programmes.
• The Edmund TrustminorOthersNick Tiley serves as a volunteer trustee director on the board of The Edmund Trust, which provides services to adults with learning disabilities. He is in his eighth year on the board.
• ICAEW Manufacturing Advisory GroupminorOthersNick Tiley is a member of the ICAEW Manufacturing Advisory Group and participates in their webinar programme, co-presenting on topics including 'Navigating a Manufacturing Business in Inflationary Times' (June 2022).

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• RSM UK: RSM is a mid-tier accountancy and consulting firm providing outsourcing, transaction advisory and interim finance director services to UK mid-market businesses. Comparable as a broader portfolio incumbent rather than a niche specialist.
• BDO UK: BDO is a top-10 UK accountancy and advisory network offering fractional/interim FD, transaction advisory, restructuring and outsourced finance services. It is a broad incumbent whose finance-leadership offerings overlap Cambridge FD's, but typically at larger client scale and higher price points.
• Mazars UK: Mazars is an international audit, tax and advisory firm with a UK outsourcing and transaction advisory practice that overlaps Cambridge FD's fractional FD, due diligence and succession services for SMEs.
• Pilot.com: Pilot is a US-based fractional CFO, bookkeeping and tax provider for SMEs and startups. It is comparable as a scaled, technology-enabled fractional finance provider, though operating in a different geography and with a more productised delivery model.
• Alvarez & Marsal: A&M is a global professional services firm specialising in turnaround, interim management and restructuring — directly comparable to Cambridge FD's crisis management and interim FD cover engagements, but operating at significantly larger deal and enterprise scale.

Direct peers

• FD Centre: FD Centre is the UK's largest dedicated network of fractional and part-time Finance Directors serving SMEs and mid-market businesses. It is the closest direct competitor to Cambridge FD's core fractional-FD offering, with a larger bench and broader geographic reach.
• The CFO Centre: The CFO Centre provides fractional and interim CFOs/FDs to SMEs across the UK and Ireland, with an established national network. It directly competes with Cambridge FD for SME clients needing senior finance leadership on a part-time basis.

Emerging players

• Catalyst Corporate Finance: Catalyst is a UK independent corporate finance advisory firm providing M&A, due diligence and succession advisory to owner-managed and SME businesses — overlapping Cambridge FD's M&A, due diligence and succession planning modules at the smaller end of the mid-market.

Others

• Marks Sattin: Marks Sattin is a UK financial recruitment and executive search firm placing permanent and interim finance professionals into SMEs and corporates. Comparable as an adjacent enabler for clients seeking part-time/interim finance leadership, though it operates as a recruiter rather than an FD provider.
• Robert Half UK: Robert Half is a global recruitment and interim staffing firm with a dedicated finance and accounting practice placing interim FDs and financial controllers. Comparable as a channel competitor for interim finance talent, though positioned as recruitment rather than advisory delivery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cambridge-financial-direction-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CAMBRIDGE FINANCIAL DIRECTION LIMITED