How Julia Leask helped Neurofenix build the finance foundations behind US expansion, investor scrutiny and a £5.5m Series A.
Neurofenix is a healthtech business helping people recover after neurological injury through technology-led rehabilitation.
As the business grew, its finance needs changed quickly.
Bookkeeping, payroll and year-end compliance were no longer enough. Neurofenix needed senior finance leadership that could support investor scrutiny, international growth, board reporting, cashflow planning and a finance function capable of keeping pace with the business.
Julia Leask stepped in before a permanent Finance Director was viable.
She helped build and lead the UK, US and group finance function, supported Series A due diligence, strengthened board and investor reporting, and helped Neurofenix secure a successful £5.5m investment.
Neurofenix case study at a glance.
Client
Neurofenix
Sector
Healthtech / innovation-led rehabilitation technology
Business stage
Growth, investment preparation, US expansion and finance function maturity
Leask role
Acting CFO / Fractional CFO / strategic finance partner
Core challenge
The business had outgrown basic finance support and needed investor-ready reporting, forecasts, cashflow planning and group finance visibility
Key support
UK, US and group finance leadership, Series A due diligence support, board reporting, investor-facing financial information, cashflow planning and finance function development
Headline outcome
Supported a successful £5.5m Series A investment and helped build finance foundations that could later be handed over to a permanent Finance Director
Relevant services
Fractional CFO & Strategic Finance Partner, Investment Readiness, Governance, Reporting & Board Support, International Finance Support, Finance Systems, Reporting & Controls
The finance function that gets a business started is not always the finance function that gets it funded.
In the earlier stages, Neurofenix had the right support for the basics.
Bookkeeping was handled. Payroll was covered. Year-end compliance was in place.
But the business was no longer operating in the basics.
Neurofenix was preparing for investment, expanding into the US, reporting across more than one entity and facing questions from boards, investors and advisers that needed more than historic accounts.
The business needed to look forward.
It needed to understand cashflow, runway, risk, assumptions, reporting, growth costs and the financial story behind the opportunity.
That was the point where Julia came in.
Not as another accountant.
As the senior finance layer the business needed before it was ready for a full-time FD.
This was not a bookkeeping problem. It was a confidence problem.
Neurofenix needed financial information that could support real scrutiny.
Not just numbers that were technically correct.
Numbers that could be explained, questioned, tested and trusted.
Series A preparation
The business needed forecasts, reporting and financial evidence strong enough for investor conversations and due diligence.
US expansion
Growth across borders created more complexity around reporting, cashflow, coordination and group visibility.
Board and C-suite reporting
Leadership needed clearer financial information to support decisions, not just record what had already happened.
Cashflow and runway visibility
Investment, hiring, growth and expansion required a forward-looking view of cash and funding needs.
Finance function maturity
The business needed a more structured finance function, but was not yet ready to hire a permanent FD.
Lean leadership capacity
The team needed trusted support that could handle both strategic finance and practical detail when needed.
Neurofenix needed someone who could operate at CFO level and still make the work practical.
Julia brought the combination Neurofenix needed at that stage: senior finance judgement, board-level reporting experience, practical delivery and the ability to work alongside existing finance providers without creating friction.
She could support the leadership team strategically while also building the finance routines, reporting and cashflow visibility needed behind the scenes.
That mattered because Neurofenix did not simply need someone to produce numbers.
It needed someone to help the business understand the numbers, defend them, use them and improve the finance function as the company grew.
Julia’s role sat above day-to-day finance delivery.
She connected the financial detail to the commercial decisions.
Julia helped build the finance structure behind the next stage of growth.
UK, US and group finance leadership
Helped develop and manage the finance function across the UK, US and group level.
Gave Neurofenix clearer visibility across the whole business, not just isolated local accounts.
Series A due diligence
Supported the leadership team through due diligence exercises, including the Series A investment round.
Helped the business respond to investor scrutiny with stronger financial information and confidence.
Board and investor reporting
Built and supported reporting for leadership, board and investor-facing conversations.
Helped turn finance into useful decision support at the highest level.
Cashflow planning
Supported forward-looking cashflow visibility, runway planning and funding-related financial preparation.
Helped leadership understand the financial impact of growth and investment decisions.
International coordination
Supported finance across UK and US activity, including group reporting requirements and practical cross-border needs.
Reduced complexity as the business expanded internationally.
Finance function development
Strengthened finance routines, reporting structure and operating rhythm.
Helped the business mature towards the point where a permanent Finance Director became viable.
Practical support beyond narrow finance
Helped with specialist advisers, supplier coordination, FX exposure, US visa-related data and other practical business needs where required.
Gave a lean growth-stage team trusted support during a demanding period.
Finance moved from keeping records to supporting scale.
Before Julia’s involvement, the finance function could handle the basics.
After Julia stepped in, finance became part of how Neurofenix prepared for investment, managed international growth and communicated with leadership, investors and advisers.
The business had clearer reporting.
A stronger view of cashflow.
Better support through scrutiny.
A more mature finance function.
And a senior finance partner who could bridge the gap before a permanent FD was the right move.
This is the point many growth businesses reach.
The business does not yet need a full-time Finance Director, but it has absolutely outgrown finance support that only looks backwards.
Neurofenix needed finance leadership that could look forward.
That is what Julia provided.
£5.5m Series A supported.
Julia’s work helped Neurofenix build the finance foundations needed for investor scrutiny, international growth and the next stage of business maturity.
Successful £5.5m investment supported
Julia supported the financial preparation, reporting and due diligence work behind the Series A round.
Stronger board and investor confidence
Financial information became clearer, more structured and better suited to high-level scrutiny.
Better UK, US and group visibility
The leadership team had a more joined-up view of finance across the business.
Improved cashflow and runway planning
Growth decisions could be supported by a clearer view of cash, timing and funding needs.
More mature finance function
Julia helped build the structure to the point where a permanent Finance Director became viable.
Stronger foundations for future transition
The finance function became easier to hand over as the business matured.
Building a finance function that could grow with the business.
“She is an expert at building out a smoothly operating finance function that can be easily handed over to an in-house finance hire when the time comes.”
Neurofenix Leadership Team
Neurofenix
The senior finance layer above the day-to-day books.
Rachel Fuller’s team supported the US books while Julia held the wider strategic finance view.
That distinction matters.
Leask does not need to replace existing finance providers. Julia can work alongside them, coordinate the bigger picture and give leadership the board-level interpretation they need.
“Julia was acting CFO for the company… she handled the reporting to the board and to the C-suite for the entire company.”
Rachel Fuller
Head of Diversified and International, Escalon Services
Neurofenix is a clear example of what happens when finance catches up with ambition.
Many growth businesses reach a stage where the opportunity is bigger than the finance structure supporting it.
The founder or leadership team is moving quickly. Investors are asking better questions. International activity is creating more complexity. Cashflow and runway matter more. Board reporting needs to mature. The business needs CFO-level thinking, but hiring permanently may still be too early.
That is exactly where Fractional CFO support can change the trajectory.
Investor scrutiny
Forecasts, assumptions and reporting need to be credible before due diligence begins.
International expansion
UK, US and group finance need to connect clearly.
Board reporting pressure
Leadership needs insight, not just accounts.
Cashflow and runway questions
Growth decisions need forward-looking financial visibility.
Finance function growing pains
The business may need CFO-level leadership before it needs a permanent FD.
Future handover or sale preparation
Stronger finance foundations make the business easier to scale, scrutinise and transition.
Relevant Leask services.
Fractional CFO & Strategic Finance Partner
Senior finance leadership before a permanent FD was viable.
Investment Readiness
Forecasts, reporting, cashflow planning and due diligence support for investor scrutiny.
Governance, Reporting & Board Support
Board, C-suite and investor-facing financial information.
International Finance Support
UK, US and group finance visibility.
Finance Systems, Reporting & Controls
Stronger finance routines, structure and handover readiness.
Useful next steps if you are preparing for funding or growth.
7 Steps to Raising Capital
Prepare the financial story, forecasts and evidence needed for investment conversations.
Investment Readiness Checklist
Review whether your numbers, reporting and finance function are ready for investor scrutiny.
Board Reporting Checklist
Improve the financial information used by leadership, boards and investors.
Cashflow Improvement Tool
Understand whether runway, timing or working capital could weaken confidence.
Preparing for investment, growth or serious scrutiny?
Neurofenix shows what becomes possible when finance moves from back-office support to strategic leadership.
If your business needs investor-ready reporting, clearer cashflow, stronger board information or CFO-level support before hiring permanently, Leask can help you build the finance foundations for the next stage.