G4S names Michael Leahey chief financial officer

LONDON — G4S has announced the appointment of Michael Leahey to the position of chief financial officer.

Leahey joins G4S from parent company Allied Universal, where he served as vice president of corporate finance.  Leahey will report to Tim Brandt, Allied Universal’s global chief financial officer, and Ashley Almanza, executive chairman of G4S/Allied Universal International.

Allied Universal acquired G4S in 2021 and operates using the G4S name outside of North America.

“Working with Mike over the past four years, I’ve been impressed by his strong work ethic, financial acumen and strategic thinking,” Brandt said. “He has been able to build excellent working relationships across the various organizational functions and is an impactful leader who develops, mentors and coaches staff to drive performance. I have no doubt he’s going to make an outstanding CFO and play a pivotal role in advancing G4S’s long-term financial and operational objectives.”

In his most recent position with Allied Universal, Leahey was responsible for global financial planning and analysis where his role focused on: developing annual and long-term financial plans; facilitating strategic decisions backed by optimal investment plans; setting capital markets philosophy; and designing frameworks that facilitate critical decision support.

His professional past includes positions of increasing responsibility in investment banking with Wells Fargo Securities, as well as with private equity firm Parallax Capital Partners and several other private equity controlled private and public companies. Leahey graduated from the University of San Diego with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in finance.

Almanza commented, “We’re excited to welcome Mike to G4S and our international headquarters in London.  Having overseen the global financial planning and analysis activities at our parent company, he brings to bear a unique understanding of G4S and the financial and operational complexities associated with managing a global security business. I am confident that Mike will hit the ground running and be instrumental in helping deliver value to our stakeholders.”

He continued, “I would also like to thank Chris Simpson for assuming the CFO role on an interim basis over the past several months as we conducted our search.” Simpson will return to his role as international group controller.