CFO Advisory · Finance Consulting · AI

Senior finance leadership, without the full‑time hire

I help SMEs and international businesses with CFO advisory, finance transformation, cross-border expansion and AI automation. 20+ years as a finance director across Portugal, Poland, Romania, Brazil, Hungary and Angola.

  • Fractional CFO: P&L, forecasting, cash flow and board reporting
  • Finance transformation: ERP, process automation and Power BI dashboards
  • International expansion: entity setup, compliance and local teams
  • Performance turnaround: costs, margins and working capital
  • AI solutions: automated workflows and executive command centers
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No obligation · 30 minutes · quick assessment

Gonçalo Silva, founder of GSilva Consulting

20+

Years Delivering Finance Results

€70M+

P&L Managed

6

Countries, Cross-Border Operations

300+

FTEs Led Across Sectors

What I can do for you

Senior finance expertise, delivered with the flexibility your business needs. No full-time hire. No overhead. Just results.

CFO-level financial leadership without the full-time commitment. Ideal for SMEs and scale-ups that need strategic finance at the table.

  • P&L ownership & performance management
  • Forecasting, budgeting & board reporting
  • Cash flow & working capital management
  • Tax planning & compliance oversight
  • Finance team leadership & development
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Restructure your finance function for scale, speed, and visibility. From manual processes to automated, data-driven operations.

  • Process reengineering & automation
  • ERP selection & implementation (SAP, PHC, Oracle)
  • P2P, O2C, RTR process design
  • Power BI dashboards & KPI architecture
  • Real-time reporting automation
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Enter new markets with the financial structure and compliance framework in place from day one. Built on real experience across six countries.

  • Entity setup & financial structure
  • Cross-border compliance & local GAAP alignment
  • Finance team recruitment & onboarding
  • Transfer pricing & intercompany frameworks
  • Market entry financial modelling
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Practical AI and automation for finance and operations: custom tools, decision dashboards and automated workflows for financial controls, invoice processing and payment approvals.

  • Building and integrating dedicated tools and apps for operations and finance
  • Executive Command Centers built for decision-making
  • Workflow automation with AI models (Claude, ChatGPT, proprietary automations)
  • Data-driven platforms and landing pages built to convert
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When margins are under pressure and visibility is low. Rapid diagnosis, clear priorities, and disciplined execution to restore profitability.

  • Cost structure analysis & transparency
  • Working capital & cash flow optimisation
  • EBITDA recovery planning
  • Purchasing renegotiation (10%+ savings)
  • Payroll & operational cost reduction
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Not sure which engagement fits your situation? Describe your challenge, I'll suggest the right approach.

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When to act

  2. How I help: Fractional CFO

  5. How I help: Fractional CFO

How I work

Four steps, from the first call to a finance function that runs on its own.

  1. Day 1-2

    Free consultation

    No obligation. You describe the situation, I give you a quick first assessment.

  2. Week 1-2

    Diagnosis and plan

    I review the numbers, processes and team. We agree priorities, scope and timeline.

  3. Months 1-3

    Hands-on delivery

    Working on the agreed goals: cash, costs, reporting, systems and automation, with regular updates to management.

  4. Completion

    Handover

    Processes documented, team trained and dashboards in place, so the results last.

Industries

  • Metal ManufacturingCortizo Sp. z o.o., Poland
  • Construction & DevelopmentFCM Construções S.A., Romania, Angola, Brazil
  • Automotive ManufacturingAdler Pelzer Group, Poland
  • Real EstateMAEXPA, EQT Real Estate, Poland
  • Food & BeverageOs Grelhados dos Reis, Portugal
  • FMCGPhilip Morris (PMI), Portugal, Poland and Hungary
Gonçalo Silva

About me

Gonçalo Silva, finance director and CFO advisor

I am Gonçalo Silva, a finance transformation and business performance leader with 20+ years across six countries: Portugal, Poland, Romania, Brazil, Hungary and Angola. For nearly ten years I ran finance and administration, and in practice the whole plant, at Cortizo in Poland: 300+ people, €70M+ revenue and 15-20% EBITDA margins sustained for 9+ years.

I have launched companies from zero in two countries, managed through a pandemic without a liquidity crisis, and built finance teams that actually talk to the business. Today I work independently with SMEs and international companies, bringing the hands-on experience of a finance director and a modern toolkit: Power BI, automation and AI.

  • 15-20% EBITDA margins, consistently over 9 years
  • €10M+ secured in CIT tax exemptions
  • -22 days in the cash conversion cycle
  • 10%+ purchasing savings on €20M+ annual spend
  • -15% close cycle time, with a new closing checklist and accountability matrix
  • 1 to 3 sites in under 12 months and €1M+ revenue (Os Grelhados dos Reis)
Location
Warsaw, Poland. Available globally
Languages
PT (C2), EN (C2), ES (C2), PL (B1)
Markets
PT, PL, RO, HU, AO, BR
Availability
Open to consulting engagements. Responds within 24h

If your business needs senior financial leadership for a growth phase, a restructuring, or an international expansion, let's talk.

Book a free call

Recommendations

He is a consummate professional with a remarkable ability to navigate complex financial landscapes while simultaneously managing administrative functions seamlessly.

Joao TeixeiraCountry Director, CCL Global MozambiqueManaged Gonçalo directly

If I had to summarise or highlight his strongest points, I would say they are his ability to find solutions and his global vision of the business.

Miguel CalvoExecutive Director, Finance, Operations & Corporate ServicesManaged Gonçalo directly. Translated from Spanish

A leader and an upright, honest and goal-oriented person who with his knowledge, enormous experience and work capacity, has known how, together with his team, to start up, develop and successfully manage, year after year, a factory in not a simple environment.

Julio Pazos CorreaProduction Director, REGENASAWorked with Gonçalo on the same team

Goncalo's analytical skills, attention to detail, and proactive problem-solving were instrumental in maintaining efficiency under tight deadlines.

Rui SantosManager Financial Controlling, Philip Morris InternationalWorked with Gonçalo on the same team

He managed an international company, sometimes in difficult conditions, e.g. a pandemic, but he never gave up and always had everything under control.

Anna BednarekReported to Gonçalo directly

He is a consistent person, always striving to achieve the set goal, who respects his subordinates and is always willing to help.

Roman WoltynskiSales Representative, CortizoReported to Gonçalo directly

20+ years of measurable finance leadership

  1. Sep 2024 - Present

    Finance Transformation Consultant, FP&A & Business Performance

    GSilva Consulting Warsaw, Poland (Remote)

    • Partner with SME owners and management teams on business performance, finance transformation and data-driven decisions.
    • Design integrated 3-statement financial models, budgeting processes, scenario planning and 13-week cash flow forecasting.
    • Develop KPI frameworks, performance management systems, executive dashboards and business intelligence reporting.
    • Build AI-enabled finance workflows for SME clients: invoice processing, payment approvals and financial controls.
    • Interim controlling, automotive manufacturing: budgeting, multi-year planning, variance analysis and product profitability reporting for a plant on SAP, with Tagetik for consolidation.
    • Interim engagement, PE-backed real estate fund: month-end close and property accounting in a fully remote shared service centre on MRI Software.
    • Scaled Os Grelhados dos Reis, a 17-year-old single-site family food business, to 3 sites in under 12 months and €1M+ annual revenue: 3-statement model and budget, 13-week cash forecasting, same-day POS reporting in place of month-old manual reports, inventory automation and standard operating procedures for every site.
    • Finance Transformation
    • FP&A
    • KPI Dashboards
    • Process Automation
    • MRI Software
    • Food & Beverage

  2. Jan 2014 - Sep 2023

    Director of Finance & Administration (de facto Plant General Manager)

    Cortizo Sp. z o.o. Radomsko, Poland

    • Led 300+ multicultural team members across Finance, HR, Sales, Procurement, Production, H&S and ESG at a €70M+ revenue metal manufacturing plant.
    • Delivered consistent 15-20% EBITDA margins for 9+ years through cost control and working capital discipline.
    • Secured €10M+ in CIT tax exemptions for €25M+ of investment, negotiated with regional authorities.
    • Cut the cash conversion cycle by 22 days, and close cycle time by 15% with a local GAAP / IFRS closing checklist and accountability matrix.
    • Held sole approval over €20M+ annual purchasing spend and supplier contract terms, delivering 10%+ purchasing savings; reduced payroll costs by 10%+.
    • Represented the company in 15+ labour cases with external counsel, all resolved favourably.
    • Led ISO 9001 implementation, health and safety governance, and environmental permit compliance for the plant.
    • Metal Manufacturing
    • P&L
    • EBITDA
    • Local GAAP / IFRS
    • ISO 9001
    • Oracle
    • Tax Planning
    • 300+ FTEs

  3. Jan 2009 - Dec 2013

    Director of Finance & Administration

    FCM Construções S.A. Romania, Angola, Brazil

    • Romania: opened the business in the market (€2M+ annual turnover), implemented the group's PHC ERP and a cost control process, and negotiated working-capital financing.
    • Angola: supported the CEO of a €12M+ operation and coached the local accounting, administration and HR team.
    • Brazil: co-led the market entry (€5M+ annual turnover), led a team of 6 and recruited 300+ blue-collar workers across 4 locations in record time.
    • Kept 100% tax and GAAP compliance across all three operations, with 3-statement reporting, controlling, forecasting and cash flow analysis.
    • Construction
    • Multi-Country
    • PHC ERP
    • Startup
    • GAAP Compliance

  4. Jul 2007 - Jun 2008

    Finance Director

    MAEXPA Sp. z o.o. Warsaw, Poland

    • Led a team of 4 across Finance, Cost Control, Accounting, Administration and HR.
    • Secured bank financing for residential real estate projects worth €50M+.
    • Invested surplus liquidity in short-term bank placements and designed the company's P2P process.
    • Real Estate
    • Bank Financing
    • €50M+

  5. Feb 2006 - Jun 2007

    A/P Accountant, then Senior A/P Accountant

    PMI Service Center Europe Lisbon, Portugal and Budapest, Hungary

    • Lisbon (2006): migrated P2P processes from Tabaqueira to PMI's Kraków shared service centre and ran P2P in SAP.
    • Budapest (2007): led the migration of P2P, intercompany and travel & expense processes from PMI Hungary to the same centre.
    • Coached and supervised a team of 5 accountants.
    • The foundation for designing P2P and O2C processes from scratch in every role since.
    • FMCG
    • P2P
    • SAP
    • Shared Services
    • Philip Morris

What you get: finance expertise across the full business cycle

Financial Leadership

  • Full P&L Ownership & Performance Management
  • Forecasting, Budgeting & Controlling
  • Cash Flow & Working Capital Management
  • Tax Planning & Compliance (Local GAAP / IFRS)
  • Business Analysis & Strategic Finance

Operational Transformation

  • Process Reengineering & Automation
  • ERP Implementation (SAP, PHC, Oracle)
  • P2P, O2C, RTR Process Design
  • Purchasing & Contract Negotiation (10%+ savings)
  • ISO 9001 Quality System Implementation

Digital & AI Finance

  • Financial Modelling in Excel (3-Statement)
  • Power BI Dashboards & KPI Reporting
  • AI Tools in Finance (ChatGPT, Claude)
  • 13-Week Cash Flow Forecasting
  • Real-Time Reporting Automation

Cross-Functional Leadership

  • Team Leadership (300+ multicultural FTEs)
  • Cross-Border Operations (6 countries)
  • HR, Payroll & Organisational Development
  • Stakeholder & Board-Level Communication
  • Crisis Management & Turnaround Execution
  • SAP
  • Oracle
  • PHC
  • MRI Software
  • Tagetik
  • Excel
  • Power BI
  • ChatGPT
  • Claude
  • Copilot
  • Lovable
  • NotebookLM

Education & professional certifications

MSc in Business Management

ISCTE, University Institute of Lisbon. Graduated 2007

Specialisation in Finance, focused on financial strategy, performance management, and operational efficiency.

Professional Certifications & Training

31 courses completed since 2024 (LinkedIn Learning, Udemy and others).

Financial modelling & FP&A

  • 3-Statement Operating Model
  • 13-Week Cash Flow
  • Forecasting Financial Statements
  • Advanced Excel for FP&A
  • Business Budgets
  • Financial Modelling with Dynamic Arrays

Power BI & data

  • Power BI, Basic to Advanced
  • Power BI Dashboards
  • Power Query Dashboards
  • Data Storytelling
  • Excel Macros & VBA

AI & automation

  • Claude Code in Action (Anthropic)
  • Claude Code & Cowork Masterclass
  • Claude for Finance & Excel
  • Automated Financial Reporting with AI
  • Copilot in Excel for FP&A
  • ChatGPT for Business Analysis
  • AI Workflows in Google Workspace
  • AI Apps with Lovable & n8n
  • Vibe Coding
  • GPT Business

Process & language

  • Six Sigma Green Belt
  • TOEFL

Languages

  • Portuguese, Native (C2)
  • English, Fluent (C2)
  • Spanish, Fluent (C2)
  • Polish, Professional (B1)

Finance insights & strategic perspectives

Strategic thinking on finance, operations, and leadership.

Leadership

From Executive to Entrepreneur

After many years as a Finance Director, I decided to open a business. Entrepreneurship changes your perspective. Numbers are only meaningful when they reflect operational reality.

See all on LinkedIn

Financial Reporting

Financial Reporting in Decision-Making

Financial reporting is not about compliance. It is about decision-making. If the board needs 40 slides to understand performance, something is wrong.

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Pricing Strategy

The Hidden Power of Pricing

A 1% price increase can generate more profit than a 10% cost reduction. Most companies focus on cost. The best ones master price.

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Cash Flow

EBITDA vs Cash Flow Reality

EBITDA can be misleading. Cash flow rarely is. I have seen companies with strong EBITDA and severe liquidity pressure. Margins matter. But survival is cash.

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Revenue & Value

Revenue Growth vs Value Creation

Revenue growth is not the same as value creation. Sustainable value is built on operational margin, capital efficiency, and consistent execution.

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Cost Management

Cost Structure Transparency

You cannot improve what you do not understand. Many businesses do not have a profitability problem. They have a visibility problem.

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FAQ

What is a fractional CFO?

A senior finance director who works with your business part-time: the same leadership on P&L, cash, reporting and banks, without the cost of a full-time hire.

What kind of companies do you work with?

SMEs and international businesses, from owner-managed companies to subsidiaries of larger groups. My experience covers manufacturing, construction, real estate, automotive, food & beverage and FMCG.

Do you work remotely or on-site?

Both. I'm based in Warsaw and work remotely with clients across Europe and beyond, with on-site visits when the work needs them.

How does an engagement work, and what does it cost?

There are no fixed packages. Scope, time commitment and fees are agreed after the free consultation, once I understand your situation.

What happens in the free consultation?

A 30-minute call with no obligation. You describe the situation, I give you a quick first assessment and tell you whether and how I can help.

Hire a fractional CFO. Let's discuss your project

Available for consulting engagements across Europe and internationally. Typically responsive within 24 hours.

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