About
The CFO who learned to code
I spent 15 years as a finance director, watching businesses struggle with the gap between what they needed from technology and what they actually got. Strategy decks that never became working systems. Software implementations that missed the point. IT teams that couldn't speak finance, and finance teams that couldn't speak tech.
So I bridged the gap myself. I learned to build the tools I always wished existed. Now I help other businesses do the same — with AI and automation that works inside real operations, built by someone who understands both the boardroom and the codebase.
Neil Austin
AI & Automation Consultant
UK-based, remote-first
The journey
Now
Independent AI & Automation Consultant
Helping mid-market businesses adopt AI and automate operations. Building the systems I always wished I had as a CFO.
15+ years
CFO / Finance Director
Finance leadership across hospitality, retail, and multi-site operations. Board-level reporting, forecasting, ERP implementation, and team management.
The bridge
Finance Leader Who Codes
Started automating my own finance processes. Discovered that the gap between what business needs and what technology delivers is where the real value lives.
Toolkit
Technologies I work with
AI & ML
- Claude / Anthropic API
- OpenAI
- Natural Language Processing
- Prompt Engineering
Languages & Frameworks
- Python
- TypeScript
- React
- Next.js
- Flask
- FastAPI
Enterprise Systems
- SAP Business One
- SAP HANA
- SSAS Tabular
- Power BI
Cloud & Integration
- Microsoft 365 / Graph API
- Azure AD
- SharePoint
- REST APIs
Data & Databases
- SQL Server
- HANA
- PostgreSQL
- Data Warehousing
- ETL Pipelines
What drives me
I believe mid-market businesses — the ones that employ thousands of people across the UK — deserve the same quality of AI and automation that enterprise firms have access to. Not watered down. Not overpriced. Not delivered by junior consultants following a playbook.
I also believe that the best technology projects are led by people who understand the business problem first and reach for technology second. That's what fifteen years in finance taught me, and it's the principle I bring to every engagement.