Skip to main content
Michael Ross

Michael Ross

Co-Founder & Fractional CFO · Former Global CFO, Morgan Stanley

Fractional CFO · Double Platinum Hospitality Group

Fractional CFO Leadership Built for
Multi-Unit Hospitality Scale

Wall Street precision applied to restaurant and hospitality P&Ls. As your fractional CFO, Michael Ross brings the financial rigor of a Morgan Stanley Global CFO and the hospitality-specific insight of a seasoned industry operator — giving your business investor-grade clarity without the cost of a full-time executive.

This is not outsourced accounting. This is embedded financial leadership.

Schedule a Call Financial Leadership Overview

Where financial stress really comes from

Most Multi-Unit Operators Are Running Without a Financial Co-Pilot

At one or two locations, the owner can hold the financial picture in their head. At three, five, or ten — that stops working. Margins drift, labor models break down, and the gap between what the P&L says and what's actually happening on the floor gets wider every month. The issue isn't the numbers. It's the absence of senior financial leadership to interpret and act on them.

Margins Drifting

P&L shows erosion but no one can trace it to a specific operational cause. Revenue holds, but profit shrinks.

Reactive Labor Decisions

Scheduling and staffing are managed on gut feel, not modeled against projected volume and revenue targets.

No Forward Visibility

The business always looks backwards. Decisions are made responding to results rather than anticipating and shaping them.

Reports That Don't Drive Action

Financial reports get reviewed but nobody changes behavior based on them. Data and decisions live in separate worlds.

Investor & Lender Pressure

Questions from investors, lenders, or partners feel uncomfortable because the business can't tell its financial story with confidence.

Growth Without Financial Infrastructure

Adding locations without financial systems in place multiplies risk. Every new unit increases exposure to the same unresolved problems.

Who is delivering this work

The Financial Depth Your Business Has Been Missing

Michael Ross has managed financial oversight at some of the most demanding institutions in the world. He now applies that same discipline — with direct hospitality industry experience — to the operational and financial challenges of multi-unit restaurant and hospitality groups.

"The goal is to make your numbers understandable, usable, and trusted — so financial data drives operational decisions, not just reports them."

Co-Founder & Fractional CFO
The Double Platinum Hospitality Group
Current
Founder & Principal — MKR Management Services
Fractional CFO services across hospitality and multi-unit operators
Current
Global CFO, Investment Banking Division
Morgan Stanley
Prior
Managing Director, Finance Director — Client Coverage
MSCI
Prior
Vice President
JPMorgan Chase
Prior
Full Profile →

What Fractional CFO Leadership Delivers

Across four service pillars — all tailored to hospitality operations:

Financial Management

  • Customized P&L, Balance Sheet & Cash Flow statements
  • KPI reporting & performance commentary
  • Cash flow monitoring & expense reporting

Business Strategy

  • Budget & forecasting tied to operations
  • Profitability analysis & ROI evaluation
  • Board & investor presentations

Accounting Services

  • Bank & credit card reconciliation
  • Accounts payable & receivable oversight
  • Vendor management & audit support

Finance Transformation

  • Control & risk assessment of finance systems
  • Process redesign for scale
  • New business financial system set up & testing

How fractional CFO leadership works

High Value. Low Cost. Embedded in Your Business.

You pay for a defined number of hours per month — and gain access to a seasoned financial executive who understands both the hospitality industry and the financial demands of scale. No full-time salary. No benefits overhead. No hiring risk.

1
Start with a structured engagement

The Structured Introductory Session identifies where your financial constraints are coming from and what type of leadership solves them first.

2
Build Financial Visibility

Michael establishes clear, actionable reporting — P&L clarity, unit-level performance, and forecasting tied to operational reality.

3
Connect Finance to Operations

Working alongside Mark on the operational side, Michael ensures financial decisions and operational behavior reinforce each other — not work against each other.

4
Protect and Grow Margin

Labor and cost structures aligned to sales patterns, fewer surprises, and predictability that scales with each new location.

Who this is for

Designed for Operators Who Need Financial Leadership, Not Just Reporting

Best fit

  • Multi-unit restaurant and hospitality groups
  • Investor-backed or investor-adjacent businesses
  • Operators preparing for growth, refinancing, or exit
  • Leadership teams that lack financial clarity at scale
  • Founders spending too much time on the financials themselves
  • Groups where rapid growth is straining the accounting function

Not a fit

  • Single-unit operators
  • Early-stage or concept-stage businesses
  • Businesses looking only for basic bookkeeping
  • Operators not ready to act on financial findings
The partnership advantage: Because Michael works alongside Mark — who leads operational execution — the financial insights don't sit in a report. They drive real changes to how your locations run, how your teams are staffed, and how your margins are protected.

Schedule a Call

Schedule a call to discuss your financial leadership needs and learn how Michael works with multi-unit operators.

Schedule a Call

Led by Mark Moeller & Michael Ross · Senior-led, not delegated.