About Catherine Birkett

Experienced CFO of a multi-national businesses, working with PE board and shareholders and credit investors and part of executive team which built a successful B2B IT and Telecoms business before its sale to a US buyer.

Currently CFO of Gocardless, leading the finance team as Gocardless continues its global expansion, rapid growth and changing the way businesses get paid.

Part of the management team which built Interoute from a turnover of zero and losses of €100m to €700m of revenue, €170m of EBITDA and generating free-cash flows of €80m pre financing costs. Successfully raised debt on the capital markets as an inaugral credit, followed by two rounds of re-financing reducing interest rates by nearly 4%.
Completed 12 acquisitions and integrations, over achieving on synergy forecasts.
Integral in the process which lead to an agreement to sell Interoute to GTT for $2.3bn.

I began my career at Interoute as FP&A Manager, responsible for business plan to launch the Interoute fibre optic network. Key member of the team to restructure the business in 2002 and then member of the management team which relaunched business in 2003 (promoted to CFO in 2004). Oversaw the significant growth (both organic and inorganic) to a business with a turnover of more than €400m to a profitable and cash generative position. Oversaw the raising of equity in 2005 and then debt in 2015 to fund inorganic growth. Completed 12 aqusitions since 2005. Manage a team of 200 finance professionals in 12 countries.