The trusted specialist network behind Leask Advisory Solutions.

Leask Advisory Solutions is led by Julia Leask FCMA, CGMA but clients are not limited to one person’s expertise.

Over the years, Julia has built trusted relationships with specialists across finance, bookkeeping, tax, technology, risk, cost management and business support.

That means clients get senior strategic finance guidance from Julia, with access to the right specialist support when their situation calls for it.

Julia does not try to be everything to everyone.

She focuses on what she does best: helping business owners, directors and leadership teams understand the financial picture, make better decisions and build stronger, more valuable businesses.

When another expert is needed, she knows who to bring into the conversation.

Why the Network Matters

Strong businesses need the right expertise around the table.

Business decisions rarely sit in one neat box.

A growing business may need better finance systems, stronger reporting, clearer cashflow and bookkeeping support.
An owner preparing for exit may need finance, tax, legal and value advice.
An international business entering the UK may need finance, payroll, tax, compliance, banking and local operational support.
A company improving resilience may need cyber, risk, systems, cost management or specialist advisory input.

Leask gives clients a senior finance lead in Julia, supported by a wider network of trusted specialists where needed.

This keeps the advice practical, joined up and focused on the client’s real situation.

The benefit is simple:

You do not have to find every expert yourself.

You have Julia helping you understand what support is needed, when it is needed and how it fits into the bigger business picture.

Julia’s Role
Julia Leask, founder of Leask Advisory Solutions

Julia Leask FCMA, CGMA

Founder, Fractional CFO and Strategic Finance Adviser

Julia is the founder of Leask Advisory Solutions and the senior finance adviser at the centre of the client relationship.

She works with owner-managed, growth and international businesses that need more than bookkeeping, accounting or compliance alone.

Her role is to help clients understand their numbers, improve cashflow, strengthen reporting, prepare for investment or exit, and make better commercial decisions.

Julia’s work often includes:

Fractional CFO support

Senior finance leadership without hiring a full-time Finance Director.

Cashflow and profitability

Helping owners understand what is driving pressure, margin and working capital.

Business value

Identifying what may be strengthening or weakening the value of the business.

Investment readiness

Preparing forecasts, reporting and financial information for investor scrutiny.

Exit and succession readiness

Helping owners reduce dependence, improve visibility and prepare for future options.

International finance support

Supporting overseas-owned businesses operating in the UK.

Governance and reporting

Creating clearer information for boards, management teams, parent companies and investors.

Finance systems and controls

Helping businesses improve routines, visibility and decision-ready reporting.

Julia leads the strategic finance work. The wider network supports where specialist input is required.
Core Leask Team and Specialist Support

Meet the people and specialists connected to Leask.

Julia Leask, founder of Leask Advisory Solutions

Julia Leask

Fractional CFO / Finance Director

Julia leads Leask Advisory Solutions and works directly with businesses that need senior strategic finance support. She helps owners understand their financial position, make better decisions, improve cashflow, strengthen reporting and prepare for investment, growth or exit. Her role is to bring greater clarity, control and commercial insight to the financial side of the business.

David Leask

David Leask

Technologist, Leader, Inspirer

David brings technology, leadership and digital transformation experience into the Leask network. He works with clients where technology, systems or digital change have become part of the wider business challenge, helping them think through IT strategy, operational improvement, resilience and transformation. His experience spans IT outsourcing, business development and organisational change, with a focus on ensuring technology supports business performance and future growth.

Sam / Cloud Bookkeeping Warwick

Payroll and Bookkeeping

Sam provides trusted bookkeeping and payroll support through Cloud Bookkeeping Warwick, giving Leask clients access to practical day-to-day finance support where needed. Her team helps businesses keep financial records accurate and up to date, manage payroll and maintain reliable cloud accounting processes, including systems such as Xero. This allows Julia to remain focused on the senior finance, reporting and decision-making layer.

Nimesh / Affinity

Virtual Accountant

Nimesh provides flexible virtual accounting support through Affinity, helping businesses keep their financial information accurate, organised and up to date. His input is particularly useful where clients need additional accounting capacity, management information or reporting support alongside the strategic finance work led by Julia. By strengthening the underlying accounting function, Nimesh helps ensure business owners have reliable information on which to base better decisions.

Gavin / Succession

Wealth Planning

Gavin supports clients and advisers with clear, practical financial planning that brings long-term personal and financial goals to life. As a Chartered Financial Planner, he helps identify strengths and gaps in existing arrangements, protect business partners and loved ones, and make effective use of available tax-planning opportunities. His work helps connect personal wealth planning with the wider ambitions and decisions of the business owner.

David / TAG

Taxation

David provides specialist taxation expertise through TAG, supporting businesses and their owners where commercial decisions create more complex tax considerations. His input covers areas such as business structure, transactions, investment, ownership changes, exit planning and international activity. Bringing specialist tax knowledge into the wider advisory team helps ensure important business decisions are considered alongside their tax consequences and available planning opportunities.

Specialist Partner Network

Trusted specialists Julia can connect or collaborate with where needed.

Leask Advisory Solutions works best when clients have the right support around them.

That does not mean every specialist is needed on every project.

It means Julia can help identify where extra expertise may strengthen the client’s position and connect the right people at the right time.

Cloud Bookkeeping Warwick

Bookkeeping, payroll and cloud finance support

Cloud Bookkeeping Warwick provides practical bookkeeping and payroll support for businesses that need reliable day-to-day finance processes. This can include cloud bookkeeping, payroll support and finance administration that helps keep the financial foundations running properly.

Where this helps clients:

Bookkeeping support: Regular, reliable bookkeeping processes.

Payroll support: Practical payroll administration.

Cloud accounting: Support with systems such as Xero and other finance tools.

Finance foundations: Helping ensure day-to-day records are kept up to date.

Auditel

Cost management and profit improvement

Auditel brings specialist cost management expertise. This can support clients that want to understand where costs are going, reduce waste, improve purchasing decisions and strengthen profitability.

Where this helps clients:

Cost review: Identify areas where costs may be reduced or managed more effectively.

Supplier spend: Review purchasing and supplier arrangements.

Profit improvement: Help businesses improve margin by managing costs more intelligently.

Sustainability of savings: Support evidence-based cost decisions rather than short-term cuts.

Risk Evolves

Cyber, risk and resilience

Risk Evolves supports businesses with cyber security, risk management and resilience. This can be valuable when a client needs to understand threats, improve preparedness, protect systems or build a more resilient operating model.

Where this helps clients:

Cyber risk: Identify and reduce cyber exposure.

Business resilience: Help prepare for unexpected events.

Risk management: Build a clearer view of internal and external threats.

Continuity: Support stronger processes and resilience planning.

TAG Tax

Specialist tax advice

TAG Tax provides specialist tax consultancy support. This can help clients where business decisions involve more complex tax considerations, including owner decisions, corporate tax, capital gains tax, inheritance tax, transactions, succession or international structures.

Where this helps clients:

Complex tax questions: Specialist tax input beyond routine compliance.

Business owner planning: Tax advice around owner decisions and future planning.

Exit or succession: Support where tax affects sale, handover or restructuring.

International or structural issues: Advice where business arrangements create tax complexity.

TAG R&D Tax Credits

R&D tax credit support

TAG R&D Tax Credits supports companies with the preparation of R&D tax credit claims. This can be valuable for innovation-led businesses that need specialist expertise to assess eligibility, document qualifying activity and prepare claims properly.

Where this helps clients:

R&D eligibility: Assess whether activity may qualify.

Claim preparation: Support the preparation of robust claims.

Technical documentation: Help document complex R&D activity clearly.

Innovation-led businesses: Support companies in science, technology, engineering, software and related sectors.

Elect Capital Allowances

Capital allowances support

Elect Capital Allowances provides specialist capital allowances expertise. This can support businesses, accountants and advisers where property, fit-out, plant, machinery or qualifying expenditure may create capital allowances opportunities or risks.

Where this helps clients:

Capital allowances review: Identify potential claims and risks.

Property-related expenditure: Review qualifying spend connected to property or improvements.

Tax relief opportunities: Support claims for overpaid tax where appropriate.

Adviser support: Work with accountancy and legal professionals on capital allowances matters.

How Julia Decides Who to Bring In

The right specialist, at the right time, for the right reason.

The network only adds value when it is used properly.

Julia does not introduce specialists for the sake of it.

She brings people in when they can strengthen the client’s position, solve a specific problem or add expertise that sits outside Leask’s core strategic finance role.

Does the client need specialist expertise beyond strategic finance?

Keeps support focused and relevant.

Is this the right point to involve another adviser?

Avoids overwhelming the client too early.

Will this strengthen the client’s decision-making?

Keeps the focus on commercial outcomes.

Are the roles clear?

Prevents confusion and duplication.

Can the specialist work well alongside existing advisers?

Protects trust and keeps support joined up.

Will this help the client move forward?

Ensures advice turns into action.

What This Means for Clients

You get Julia’s senior finance judgement — plus access to trusted specialists when needed.

The network gives clients a stronger advisory base without making support feel complicated.

You do not have to find every expert yourself

Julia can help identify where specialist support may be needed.

You get joined-up thinking

Finance, tax, bookkeeping, risk, systems and cost decisions can be considered together.

You avoid one person trying to do everything

Julia stays focused on senior finance and brings in specialists where appropriate.

You get practical support around implementation

The network can help move from advice to action.

You keep clear accountability

Julia remains your strategic finance lead where Leask is engaged in that role.

You build stronger foundations

The right specialists can improve the systems, controls, compliance and support around the business.

When the Network Is Most Useful

Specialist support often matters most when the business is changing.

You are growing quickly

Finance, systems, bookkeeping, reporting and controls may need to mature together.

You are entering or operating in the UK

International businesses may need UK finance, payroll, tax, banking, employment, compliance and operational support.

You are preparing for investment

Forecasts, reporting, tax, legal, R&D and financial evidence may all matter.

You are preparing for exit or succession

Value, tax, governance, owner-dependence, risk and structure may need joined-up thinking.

Your finance systems are not giving you visibility

Technology, bookkeeping, reporting and controls may need to be improved together.

You are managing risk or resilience

Cyber, operational risk, finance controls and continuity may need specialist input.

Costs are rising and margins are under pressure

Cost management, cashflow and profitability need to be understood together.

Partner Proof

Trusted by partners and clients who value specialist expertise.

“Stick to what you know best… use the experts and don’t wing it.”

Samantha_heynes_headshot-160.jpg

Samantha Heynes

Director, Cloud Bookkeeping Warwick

Why specialist collaboration matters

“Julia comes along and makes sense of the numbers for the management board.”

Jane Capel, Managing Director Think Smart Accounts

Jane Capel

Managing Director, Think Smart Accounts

Julia’s role in making financial information useful

“Her strength was really in advising the owners, the C-suite and the board on what are the next steps.”

Rachel Fuller, Head of Diversified and International, Escalon Services
Escalon Services Logo

Rachel Fuller

Head of Diversified and International, Escalon Services

Julia’s strategic finance value around wider advisory support

How This Fits With Leask Services

The network supports the wider picture. Julia leads the finance strategy.

Need senior finance leadership without a full-time FD

Fractional CFO & Strategic Finance Partner

Want to understand what is strengthening or weakening business value

Business Value Review

Profitable but cash feels tight

Cashflow & Profitability Improvement

Preparing for funding or investor scrutiny

Investment Readiness

Planning sale, succession or owner step-back

Exit & Succession Readiness

Overseas-owned business needs UK financial visibility

International Finance Support

Need UK governance or company secretarial support

UK Director & Company Secretary Support

Board or management reporting needs to mature

Governance, Reporting & Board Support

Finance systems, routines or controls need improving

Finance Systems, Reporting & Controls

FAQs

Frequently asked questions

Is this Julia’s team or a partner network?

Both. Julia leads Leask Advisory Solutions, and the wider network gives clients access to trusted specialists where their situation needs additional expertise.

No. Many clients work directly with Julia. Specialists are brought in only where their expertise adds value.

That depends on the situation and the engagement. In some cases, Julia may coordinate with other advisers. In others, she may simply introduce a trusted specialist and remain focused on strategic finance support.

Yes. Leask often works alongside existing advisers. The aim is to strengthen the client’s support, not disrupt relationships that already work well.

Yes. Julia’s core role remains senior strategic finance support, Fractional CFO work, cashflow, profitability, investment readiness, business value, exit readiness, reporting and UK finance leadership.

Where appropriate, yes. Julia can help identify where specialist support may be useful and connect clients with trusted people in her network.

Want senior finance support with the right specialists around you?

Leask Advisory Solutions gives you Julia’s senior finance judgement at the centre, with access to trusted specialists where your business needs additional support.

You get clarity from Julia.
You get specialist input where needed.
And you get a more joined-up way to make better business decisions.

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