ديفيد linklater

Partner & Director of CFO and Tax Services Rethink - Dubai
Re/think is a boutique accounting, regulatory and compliance, VAT advisory, audit, HR consultancy, recruitment and business advisory firm. Specialising in assisting SME clients with cost-effective, high-quality services and solutions. Creating value by investing in highly qualified and motivated people and working closely with leading industry partners to provide our clients a one-stop-shop for all of their business support. Offices in Dubai & Bahrain and clients throughout the Middle East Region

Key Achievements
• Managing a team of 40 tax lawyers and accountants capitalised on the growth created with the introduction of VAT within the region to achieve double-digit growth
• Implemented the virtual-CFO initiative through public speaking, events and direct client engagement
• Acquisition and successful implementation of 2 complementary targets into the group and tasked with doubling revenues through targeted business development initiatives as well as identifying up-sell opportunities.
• Working with single and multi-family offices throughout the region with a remit to:
 Implementing risk mitigation packages using foundations and SPV’s in the ADGM & DIFC
 Investment and performance reporting across a range of asset classes
 Business process re-engineering, ensuring the family offices are as efficient as they possibly can be
 Establishing and obtaining approval for the governance and succession planning
• Developing the systems implementation offering with mid-sized clients looking to effectively link their ERP, POS, CRM, logistics planning and Inventory systems to the financials of the company. This offering has seen double-digit growth and the need to employ 4 additional staff members
• Advising client firms on the requirements on the latest legislations for Economic Substance Regulations (ESR) and Beneficial Owners Register (BOR) legislation effective throughout the UAE
• Appointed Finance Officer for 3 Regulated CAT 3C & CAT 4 Investment companies in the DIFC and ADGM
• Introduced a new business revenue stream by offering advice to clients on raising funds, business plan creation, debt/ equity structuring, teaser presentations and training entrepreneurs how to behave in front of investors
• Responsible for the companies HR function and the 100 employees between Rethink and the sister company MHQ

Destinations of the World is a large venture capital-backed e-commerce (B2B/ B2C) wholesaler/ Retailer based in Dubai, turning over $600 million in sales. Hotel rooms are sold through the companies’ web portal to online travel agents. Acquisitions have seen triple-digit growth in North America and Japan

Employed as the Group Chief Financial Officer with responsibility to develop a highly effective reporting shared service centre with 110 finance staff as well as to business partner the CEO driving sustainable growth into the business through strategic acquisitions and organic growth. Extensive travel throughout the Middle East ensuring client, supplier and operations were balanced and leadership effective.

Key Achievements
• Managing cash flows on a Global basis using a combination of payment portals and hedging tools. Facilitated through developing strong relationships with external stakeholders.
• Successfully recruited and built a large high-performance shared service centre based in Manila, Philippines with forecasted annual savings of $1 million
• Developing strong commercial business partnering relationships with contracting teams through the provision of accurate reporting, budgeting and detailed analytical interpretation. Professionalising the approach to business engagement and group reporting
• Prepared the company for sale, reducing head office overheads by $200k per annum
• Collated all the necessary data room documentation for prospective buyers
• Integrating two newly acquired companies with combined turnovers of $120 million into the group as well as performing due diligence on target acquisitions.
• Securing additional funding for planned expansion growth as well as target acquisitions.
• Engaged in establishing several JV arrangements throughout Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia, ensuring the responsibilities of each party were clearly understood, establishing the matrix of deliverables and devising the financial reporting for both parties and corporate head office

Regional Group Finance Director MEAPAC Hotelbeds - TUI Group (Singapore)
HotelBeds is a subsidiary of the TUI group selling B2B/ B2C through e-commerce online portals with a turnover of €600 million. Contracting with 50, 000 hotels in 147 countries selling 14 million room nights per annum and achieving double-digit growth over the past 10 years.

Engaged as the Regional Group Finance Director with responsibility of ensuring that the company is prepared for the current annual 60% year on year growth rate by making sure we have the right teams, processes and commercial support throughout Asia. Responsible for Finance Directors of multi-site companies based in Singapore, Bali, Penang, Bangkok, Shanghai, Dubai and HK.
Key Achievements
• Stabilised the finance team during a period of rapid change by ensuring the company had the right people in the right roles delivering the highest standards of compliant financial management possible resulting in timely, accurate and relevant FP&A.
• Prepared the Singapore hub for implementation and delivery of a shared service centre (SSC) through reconciliation of master data, open items and establishing standardisation of processes. Estimated savings, 25% of the total 109 finance staff costs.
• Devised strategies ensuring that the back office functions (Finance, HR, IT, Legal, Procurement and Operations) were capable of supporting the 60% growth rates by ensuring we employed quality people, utilised the automation technology available to us and developing an ethos of strong collaborative team work throughout the region.
• By utilising a more controllable way of making payments by credit card cost savings of €400k per year were achieved.
• Devise strategies to deliver efficient fund flow solutions for complex tax, legal and treasury inter-country requirements.
• Secured additional funding and restructured debt to ensure the continued investment (M&A) for the targeted growth strategy.
• Working as a business partner to the MD, regional directors and corporate stakeholders we were able to develop deeper analytics, identify project opportunities, mitigate risk and support the entrepreneurial mindset to deliver targeted growth rates.

AG Thames is a £350 million privately family-owned food supply chain/ logistics business with seven international subsidiaries, including an independent B2B haulage firm, and two Joint Venture companies importing, distributing and growing fruit for supply to all the major retailers throughout the UK. The company has grown organically and through acquisition.

Engaged to business partner the Managing Director with the remit to prepare the company for its next growth phase with particular emphasis on IT, reporting, people, processes and cost control.
Key Achievements:
• Placed an underperforming Joint Venture company into administration and devised a strategy to procure the trade, assets and tax losses of the company saving around £4 million, whilst managing all the legal and HR processes.
• Working with subsidiary general management implemented the strategy, controls and people to turnaround a trading company losing £5.6 million to generating profits of £750k per annum.
• Established a detailed treasury function to forecast future cash needs and minimise currency exposures.
• Enhancing the efficiency of the logistics/ transportation of goods home and abroad, ensuring all INCO terms were understood, insurances were effective and passing of title reflected correctly in the accounts.
• Using Kaizen techniques, improved the handling and management of perishable inventories
• Establish the continuous improvement teams responsible for identifying and delivering cost savings of $500k.
• Improve the reporting structure and KPI’s of the business ensuring accountability key stakeholders.

Refresco is the leading European manufacturer of private label soft drink and fruit juices with 26 sites and a turnover of €2 billion.

Employed in this €70 million distressed company as a business partner to the Managing Director with a broad remit of improving the processes, quality of financial reporting, cash preservation and ensuring factory cost savings are delivered in line with the Groups expectations.
Key Achievements:
• Stabilised the Finance Department by employing competent, qualified and motivated individuals.
• Improved the financial processes and procedures ensuring that the previous surprise loss of €7 million would never occur again. Verified through two rigorous independent audits by both KPMG and PWC.
• Tasked with establishing a Kaizen team to critically examine the material flow through the factory and in doing so identified and delivered a further €1.3 million of material and labour savings through a mass balance approach.
• Stabilised cash flow and improved collections DSO, negotiating extended terms with suppliers, liquidating slow moving and obsolete stocks and selling machinery no longer used by the company. Improved cash flow by €800k

One of Britain’s oldest FMCG food manufacturers established in 1829 has a turnover of £400 million, employs over 3, 000 people and is backed by Duke Street Capital. The company manufactures Wagon Wheels, Jammie Dodgers and Cadbury fingers.

Business partnering CEO with full accountability for all financial segments of the company with 10 direct reports and 45 staff. Tasked with establishing a comprehensive reporting system, hedging against commodity and currency fluctuations, leveraging any identified savings as soon as possible and work closely with the companies venture capitalists and banks to secure further funding.
Key Achievements:
• Identified a significant VAT input error amounting to £12 million in overpaid taxes.
• Introduced a comprehensive management reporting tool which injected a level of confidence with the financial backers and allowed the senior management team to implement better operating controls.
• Coordinated subcontracted operational cost saving and capital projects expected to save £20 million.
• Lead the disaggregation of a £20 million manufacturing subsidiary, whilst controlling tight cash constraints.

A provider of support and maintenance/ engineering services to surface war ships and refuelling functions to nuclear submarines for the MoD with a £500 million turnover. Commercial provisions included the design, manufacture and delivery of £200m+ Super-Yachts.

Appointed as Finance and Project Director tasked with identifying and achieving £60 million in cost savings to “right-size” the business overheads. Leading a transition team comprising of 8 direct reports (5 at director level) and a 55 member Finance Department
Key Achievements:

• Established 5 separate business units and instituted a comprehensive financial reporting and budgeting system that allowed top executives to track and monitor revenue and cost activity with the appropriate ERP implementation.
• Developed the methodology to reduce costs across the overhead departments using “Zero Based Budgeting”. Initiated target plans to reduce operational costs by £60 million per annum using ZBB methodology, lean manufacturing, improved supply chain, category management and site/ business occupancy rationalisation. (Rationalisation of the procurement strategy)
• The plans incorporated the reduction in the number of personnel throughout the site, which required adherence to employment law as well as the sensitivities towards individual redundancy ensuring effective operational service without interruption.

Finance and Commercial Director (MD Designate) Neville Johnson Offices Ltd 2001 - 2005
A designer and manufacturer of high-quality bespoke branded capital goods for commercial and residential clients with £17 million in annual turnover and multi site retail stores throughout the UK. A high-growth entrepreneurial organisation
Reporting to the Chairman with responsibility for the financial management of the business as well as HR, IT and all commercial sales operations; including manufacture of high value branded products, designed to customer requirement and tailored fitting to the highest standards. Worked closely with the key stake holders securing additional funding.
Key achievements:
• Investigated and outsourced all fitting and electrical operations whilst retaining work and quality standards. Saved £600K pa.
• Devised and implemented a full costing system incorporating material, labour and overhead to giving full profitability at POS.
• Developed full period financial forecasting system based on pre orders and profitability model.
• Used forecast model to plan production programme and saved 60% in manufacturing routing time (Lean Manufacturing).
• Created electronic price book for field sales teams controlling discount. Improved sales revenue in excess of £1M.
• Responsible for identifying and successfully integrating several remote retail sites into the organisation
• Integrated credit control and field management using KPI’s reducing outstanding debtors by £825K.
• Through product development and appropriate marketing, increased the depth and volume of product sales.

Operating across 5 continents, employing 90000 staff, aspiring to be the premier transatlantic aerospace and defence company through unrivalled breadth of expertise, world class performance and consistent delivery.

Reporting to the Contract Director with the remit to consolidate and report on financial performance, establish key business indicators and assist in efficiency improvements during the manufacture of two MoD ships (Wave Knight and Wave Ruler) with a contract value of over £300 million.
Key achievements:
• Assessed the final forecast to completion plan for materials, and costed the fitting out process to ensure margins were maintained and no contracts ran at a loss.
• Lead the procurement team in negotiating fixed contracts with suppliers, which spread the risk of completion within the shipbuilding section.
• Created a business plan for BAE systems use of the private jet. Generated additional revenue of £1.5M per year.

Reporting to the Group CEO with responsibility for turning this aviation company around from losing $1 million per month to break-even through the control of the sales team and lean manufacturing techniques. Relocated to the USA for two years.