Profiles For the four years prior to starting FirstInterim, Ray Davies and Paul Johnson successfully operated as independent Interim Management service providers and developed a large client and interim manager network. Ray Davies Ray Davies has a strong board level HR background in the Defence industry, ending his permanent career as a Group HR Director in GEC Marconi. Having both hired interim managers and operated as an interim manager himself, Ray has a clear understanding of the issues and benefits from both the client’s and the manager’s perspective. Paul Johnson As an Engineer by profession, Paul held Technical, Commercial, Sales & Marketing and General Management Directorships in the industrial manufacturing sector before spending ten years as an Interim Manager helping a broad range of companies start, grow or develop their business overseas.