Ailing businesses are Winetroube's M.O.

by Catherine Woods - Friday, 22nd August 2008 -

A tendency to get rid of the finance director when a company is struggling has helped Metrodome FD Steve Winetroube forge a career in turnarounds.

“When you’re looking for a job, people say: ‘Well I’ve just had to get rid of this FD because he’s lost the plot and you know what it’s like to work in a business that’s struggling.’ Therefore I kept getting the job because I had the experience,” he says.

“I can honestly say it was never a master plan. In fact, my wife told me not to work again in an ailing business because I used to bring it home with me a bit; it’s a huge responsibility.”

Winetroube has worked as FD for companies such as Kingfisher Group, Comet, Faith Shoes and Kingdom of Leather.

He joined Metrodome, a film distribution company, towards the end of 2006 and has helped get the company back towards profitability.

Winetroube says while the business is quite interesting, what attracted him most to the role was the fact it was within an AIM-listed business. “You all of a sudden start to meet different people like financial PRs and Nomads,” he says.

“I was used to having one shareholder but in an AIM business, you have a responsibility to many shareholders, some of whom you don’t know. Plus there are different rules and regulations to comply with.”

Picture source

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