Jim Hughes, CPA, CFE, has 30 years’ financial advisory, financial forensics, and fraud investigation experience, largely serving companies ranging from $50 million to $1.5 billion. In addition to performing numerous financial due diligence/quality of earnings, financial restructuring / work out and turnaround situations, and corporate investigations, as a CPA and Certified Fraud Examiner, he is an expert in financial forensics and fraud examinations.

He has advised in multiple M&A transactions in such industries as home remodeling, real estate, engineering & construction, consumer products and services, aviation & aerospace, manufacturing, waste management, medical services, and distribution involving large private equity firms.

Jim’s experience spans multiple other industries with specialized expertise in in the following industries:

• Real Estate & financial services.
• Consumer products & services, including retail & franchising.
• Manufacturing & distribution.
• Telecommunications, media, & technology.
• Construction, engineering, & contracting.

He has performed hundreds of engagements that include:

• Financial fraud examinations including both employee and vendor/procurement fraud at a major entertainment company that identified weakness in internal controls for remediation.
• Investigations, including that related to whistleblower allegations of a technology company, involving major shareholder misappropriations of company resources and falsified financial statements.
• Financial due diligence/quality of earnings on behalf of multiple private equity firms
• Assessment of accounting and reporting systems, accounting policies and procedures, internal controls, financial reporting compliance, and managerial quality and depth, including for a $1+ billion distressed consumer products company.
• CFO/controllership services: account analyses, reconciliation and closings, financial statement preparation, analysis and review, reconciliations, and process improvement implementation for numerous companies, including the U.S. wholesale and retail operations of a Mexican-based shoe company, a solar development company, a home remodeling company, food products distributor, and a government contractor
• Development of multiple financial models to facilitate business planning and budgeting, acquisitions, financing, and strategic analysis.
• Retail company branch closure analysis and relocation of head offices, including the establishment of new finance and accounting team.
• Distressed service company, requiring financial modeling and the acquisition of new, secured financing.
• Sell-side diligence / consulting that included preparation of cash flow projections and related transaction support.

His experience includes auditing, financial forensics, fraud investigations, situation assessments and viability analysis, merger & acquisition quality of earnings/accounting due diligence, and financial modeling involving numerous companies of varying sizes.

As Controller and Finance Manager for more than ten years, Jim’s responsibilities included oversight of all financial and control functions and cash flow management and analysis, including 13-week rolling cash flow forecast modeling.

As credit analyst for a large financial institution, Jim was a key member of the team responsible for underwriting a $300 million syndicated credit facility and multiple financings.

Jim is a member of the board of directors of the Los Angeles Chapter Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.

In addition to being a California licensed CPA, specializing in financial forensics, and a Certified Fraud Examiner, he obtained his business degree in marketing from California Polytechnic State University.