Leaders Insight - with Steve Hammell, Experienced

From Leading Shared Services to Supporting SEND Families – Meet Samantha Ryan

When it comes to shared service management, Samantha knows her stuff.With a career built on navigating fast-paced change, leading high-performing teams, and staying two steps ahead of the next big thing in business ops, she’s seen (and solved) it all. But Sam’s talents don’t stop at spreadsheets and strategy—she’s also the author of SEND Help!, a heartfelt and practical guide for parents navigating the world of Special Educational Needs.In this Q&A, Liam O'Flaherty sat down with Samantha to chat about the reality of leadership in shared services—what it takes to thrive, what’s changing fast (spoiler alert: AI is knocking at the door), and why staying human in the digital age might just be the most powerful skill of all.Whether you're eyeing your first step into a shared services role or already deep in the trenches, Samantha’s insights are refreshingly honest, full of warmth, and packed with practical takeaways. Let's dive in.What do you think future leaders should prioritise or focus on most in order to successfully make themselves appointable as a shared service manager?I think it’s less about ticking off qualifications and more about showing you can actually lead people through mess and change. You need to be someone who stays calm under pressure, communicates clearly, and isn’t afraid to get stuck in. If you’re the kind of person who sees a knot and wants to untangle it, you’re probably halfway there already. When leading a shared services team, you need to have one eye on how your operation is running right now and the other eye on what’s coming down the pipeline - the next new technology or shared services operating strategy. Curiosity is key to ensuring you always stay abreast of emerging technology and ways of working.What are both the best and the most challenging aspects of being a shared service manager of a fast paced business?The best bit is the variety - you’re never bored. You get to fix things, improve how stuff works, and genuinely help people. I have always found great joy in my work and being of service to others, whether that’s leading a shared service team, a purchase to pay department or as a global process owner. The hardest part? There’s always something going on. Priorities change quickly, and you have to juggle a lot without dropping the ball. It can be exhausting some days, but also really rewarding when you get it rightWhat are your opinions about the relationship between a shared service manager and the CFO and CEO? What is critically important in building a successful partnership and providing the right support to the CEO/CFO?Trust is everything. They need to know you’ve got the detail covered, that you’ll flag issues early, and that you’re not sugar-coating anything. It’s also about understanding what keeps them up at night and making sure the shared service function isn’t adding to that. You’ve got to be steady, honest, and clear with no fluff.What new key skills or attributes do you think the next generation of shared service managers are going to need to develop?Flexibility and digital confidence. Things move quickly now, and you’ve got to be open to learning new systems, new ways of working, and even letting go of old ways that aren’t cutting it anymore. People skills still matter too, probably more than ever. This current generation expect a work/life balance and flexibility – neither of which are bad things. So, ensuring you understand the needs of your team and the culture of your workforce is essential.Are new technologies like Artificial Intelligence having much of an impact on your role as shared service manager yet? What impact do you think they will have over the next few years?Absolutely, AI has arrived. The key is to understand it, leverage it and not be afraid. AI can be really useful to shared service teams. Some of the repetitive stuff is getting automated, which is a win if it means teams can focus on the work that really needs a human brain. Over time, I think we’ll lean on AI more and more. It’ll still need people who understand the bigger picture and can spot when something doesn’t feel right. Shared Service leaders need to embrace AI and make it work effectively for their business.Is it possible to maintain a reasonable work life balance at shared service manager Level or do you have to accept that there will be personal sacrifices in order to progress to that level?Honestly? There are busy seasons and tough patches where balance goes out the window. But I do think it’s possible overall, you just have to be clear with yourself (and others) about what’s non-negotiable. I’ve learned not to feel guilty about switching off, because you can’t pour from an empty cup.Away from core knowledge, what personality traits have been critical to your success as a shared service manager? Are these natural or have you worked on developing them?Patience, humour, and the ability to stay calm when things get chaotic. Some of that’s just who I am, but I’ve definitely had to work on things like not taking things personally and learning to pick my battles. It’s a people-heavy role, so you need thick skin, but also empathy. What is the one single best piece of advice you were given early in your career that still holds true today?“Don’t wait to feel ready - just start” and “dress for the job you want, not the job you’ve got” (I actually think I first heard that on a Jennifer Aniston movie years ago!). I’ve learned that you grow into roles, not the other way round. Don’t wait to be asked to step forward in your role. Go that extra mile. Say yes, even if your voice trembles as you say it. Most people are winging it to some degree anyway. In ConclusionSamanthas’s approach to leadership is the kind we all wish we worked with—real, grounded, and refreshingly human. From embracing AI to keeping empathy at the centre of decision-making, she reminds us that successful leadership isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about staying curious, stepping up, and staying calm when things get chaotic.Whether you're at the start of your shared services journey or eyeing your next big promotion, there’s something in Samantha’s story for everyone. And if you’re juggling a demanding role with life outside of work (who isn’t?), her reflections on balance, boundaries and being brave even when you’re not 100% ready hit just the right note.If you want to explore more of Samantha’s world beyond shared services, check out her brilliant book SEND Help!—a thoughtful, empowering guide for parents supporting children with Special Educational Needs. Because just like in business, when we work together, support each other, and lead with heart, amazing things happen.Looking for your next career move in finance or accountancy? At Sharp Consultancy, our expertise lies in matching your potential with the perfect temporary, interim, or permanent position. With a well-established presence in Leeds and Sheffield, our seasoned team of consultants extends their services across Yorkshire and beyond. Don't wait for opportunity to knock, reach out to us TODAYand let's chart your career path together.

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The latest instalment of our “Leaders Insight” series is with Steve Hammell, experienced CFO in Industrials & Technology markets. In an insightful interview conducted by Michael Ball, Partner at The CFO Partnership, Steve shares his journey, the strategic initiatives he’s spearheading, and his vision for the future of finance.

Steve Hammell brings a wealth of experience and a unique perspective to his role at Pressure Technologies. With a career spanning over two decades in various financial leadership positions, Steve has navigated through numerous economic cycles and industry shifts. His expertise in mergers and acquisitions, financial strategy, risk management, and operational efficiency has been instrumental in driving the company’s growth and resilience.

Join us as we delve into Steve’s experiences, explore the evolving responsibilities of a CFO, and uncover what defines successful financial leadership in today’s environment.

What are both the best and the most challenging aspects of being the CFO of a fast paced, listed business?

Best aspects;

Supportive shareholders with capital to inject into the business, including the ability to provide innovative financing instruments (e.g. convertibles, quasi debt-equity instruments)
High quality Boards with NEDs who bring in-depth experience and a steady hand.
The public profile helps to attract and recruit high quality candidates and offer incentive structures not available in private companies.

Challenging aspects;

Everything plays out in the public domain, so the interplay of strategic projects and business performance need to be carefully handled.
Short-term share price movements can become a barometer of success rather than progress against strategic objectives and long-term improvements to the business.
Regulatory burdens are heavy and the costs of being listed can be prohibitive for any plc with revenue < £30m.

What are your opinions about the relationship between a CFO and CEO? What is critically important in building a successful partnership and providing the right support to the CEO?

CEO and CFO must have each other’s back and provide a united front with all stakeholders, especially the Board, shareholders and employees.
They should complement one another in terms of skills/expertise, leadership style and teamwork.
Each needs to have strong leadership characteristics and deliver on their own responsibilities aligned to common strategic objectives.
CFO needs to be the financial authority in the company and have command of the numbers, with the ability to simplify complex areas and deliver concise analysis for the CEO to use commercially.
CFO should recognise that being CEO can be a lonely place with responsibility for almost every facet of the organisation. The CFO should be a strategic sounding- board and challenge the CEO regularly as an outspoken partner.

What new key skills or attributes do you think the next generation of CFO’s are going to need to develop?

Technology;

Cyber security is becoming a core competence and leadership responsibility of the CFO; ability to develop the cyber defence strategy of the company and work with internal and external resources to provide a robust operating framework and a response capability if the business is attacked.
Ability to lead and deliver ERP and data analytics projects as Board sponsor.
Ability to harness Artificial Intelligence and automation to deliver value to the business; in manufacturing, this translates to delivering full integration of manufacturing and financial data to drive operational improvement.

Procurement;

Supply chain integrity, performance and reliability has become a significant issue post-pandemic.
CFOs need to be able to develop and lead high performance procurement functions to serve the business and manage operational and financial risk.

People;

The world of work has changed in the last 5 years with many competing pressures emerging. CFOs need to develop a core set of values to guide their recruitment decisions.
CFOs need to develop high performance cultures by harnessing a broad range of skills across the increasingly integrated functions of finance, IT and procurement to deliver first class support to the business.
CFOs should focus on big-picture priorities and determine what gets done, not how it gets done; CFOs should therefore prefer to empower their teams and encourage collaborative decision-making.

You have worked in some challenging turnaround environments in your career. What specifically are the most essential skills and personality traits that a finance leader needs to be able to steer a business through a turnaround project?

Resourcefulness – CFOs must be able to draw on a broad array of skills and a network of dedicated advisors and funders to find their way through complex situations.
Resilience and being strong-willed – CFOs must be acutely risk aware but be able to carry on regardless in a dark, uncertain and ambiguous situation where the route to success is not clear and the odds may be stacked against you; CFO’s need a plan B if things go wrong.
Change management – turnarounds involve significant change for organisations and create new priorities, pressures and working relationships; CFO is normally in the eye of this storm.

Working patterns and individual priorities have never been as much at the forefront of working life as they are for people now. Is it possible to maintain a reasonable work life balance at C-suite or do you have to accept that there will be personal sacrifices in order to succeed at that level?

C-suite responsibilities are time consuming, and you are usually dependent on the performance of others, which requires flexibility and ability to handle time pressure.
However, by organising the activities of your internal and external teams, space can be created for your personal life, albeit at certain times the job has to come first.

You come from an advisory background yourself. How important is it to put time and effort into building and maintaining a network of trusted advisors that you can go to time and again?

Developing long-term relationships of trust with CF advisors, lawyers, diligence providers, tax advisors and a range of debt and equity funders is critically important and enables a CFO to deploy the full suite of skills and expertise required.
As a CFO, the businesses I have worked for have been employing not only myself but my entire network (whether they realised it or not!)

What is the one single best piece of advice you were given early in your career that still holds true today?

Frame your career and skills in terms of the market you operate in and develop the flexibility to deploy those skills in new ways.
For myself, I have served the Yorkshire M&A market for over 25 years in diverse roles including CF advisor, corporate banker and most recently CFO and have been able to re-invent myself a number of times using a core set of skills and relationships.
Looking forward, I have ambitions to move into non-executive roles and expect the flexibility I have developed over the years to serve me well again.

Looking for your next career move in finance or accountancy? At Sharp Consultancy, our expertise lies in matching your potential with the perfect temporary, interim, or permanent position. With a well-established presence in Leeds and Sheffield, our seasoned team of consultants extends their services across Yorkshire and beyond. Don't wait for opportunity to knock, reach out to us TODAY and let's chart your career path together.

Leaders Insight - with Steve Hammell, Experienced CFO, Industrials & Technology markets

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