Finance Director | Chief Finance Officer | Vice President of Finance
Consulting
Total years of experience :25 years, 7 Months
Helping companies with a variety of key areas including:
• Strategic financial planning & analysis
• P&L ownership & management
• Budgeting, forecasting & analysis
• Statutory & internal audit
• Transactional excellence AP, AR, Payroll
• Joint venture & major project delivery
• Commercial contracts & tenders
• Treasury & cash flow management
• Systems & transformation programs
• Talent selection, development & retention
The United Kingdom's international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities spanning 100 countries globally, the MENA regions geographically includes all 17 Middle East and North African countries.
The position is a temporary to backfill the incumbent while they are seconded to a global project.
Key responsibilities:
• Key member of the Reginal Executive Team
• Managing the MENA regions finances in all aspects of business as usual including:
o Business planning and budgeting for future years
o Management reporting
o Financial accounting, taxation and Year end close
o Driving Corporate change and benefits realisation programs
o Managing a Finance department of 60 + employees
Lamprell, a UK listed PLC with over 40 years’ experience, is a leading provider of fabrication, engineering and contracting services to the offshore and onshore oil & gas and renewable energy industries.
Key Achievements:
• Led with full responsibility the finance department of 57 employees including Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Payroll, Management Accounting, Financial Accounting, Financial Systems and Treasury.
• Instrumental in implementing Oracle across the business
• Implemented 30, 000 savings in hours across the Finance Department with a Finance transformation program
• Senior member of business performance reviews for major projects bid and execution
• Lead half and full year financial close and audit for Group and 21 Legal Entities
• Lead $1 billion Budget, FP&A process with quarterly reforecast
• Lead FP&A Group Management reporting on a monthly basis across 24 Business Units
• Delegate for CFO as required
AECOM a USA listed fortune 500 company is a global provider of professional technical and management support services to a broad range of markets, including housing, oil and gas, transportation, facilities, environmental, energy, water and government. With approximately 100, 000 employees around the world across 150 countries, AECOM is a leader in all of the key markets that it serves.
Key Achievements:
• FP&A lead for several major projects for healthy starts, re-starts, reviews and turnarounds for all Finance functions and other Shared Services (Human Resources, Talent Acquisition, Systems, Legal and Taxation) ensuring back office fully supports Operations and Project teams across the Middle East and Africa region
• Senior member of project team engaged to implement Oracle for Finance, HR and Operations for KSA and Africa
• Work with Senior Middle East & Africa Leadership team on various corporate projects including :
• Shared services review within EMEA
• Transferring a portfolio of Energy & Power projects from Canada to Africa
Habtoor Leighton Group (HLG) is one of the leading diversified international contractors in
The Middle East and North Africa managing a portfolio of companies that successfully delivers
Large scale projects in Infrastructure, Building, Rail, Oil & Gas and Mining across the region.
Key Achievements:
• Led the Month end reporting process for all business functions circa 9 Bill AED Revenue per year including full KPI reporting, Budgeting and Forecasting as part of ERP go live
• Implemented a large scale ERP system that delivered a ‘fit for purpose’ solution at a competitive price across 5 core support business functions leading over 100 employees on the project team as Project Director
• Managed progress, schedules, resources, costs, time, scope, risks, status, reporting and implementation while ensuring that all business functions and areas are included while managed fully:
• Finance, Commercial, Plant, Procurement, ICT Business Functions
• 6 Countries, 9 Legal Entities, 4 Offices
• 35 Large scale Construction and Civil Engineering Project Builds (each 100mill +)
• 500 users
Feb 10 - July 2011 SAB HOLDING - Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Group Controller
The group manages a diverse range of businesses including Media & Communications, Retail, Distribution & Logistics, Technology, Property & Construction and Investment with employees of 400 + and a current gross turnover of 150 Million.
Working with the general managers, reporting directly to the groups CEO and CFO I manage and control the commercial finance function to provide and maintain adequate information and control systems to meet group standards for 11 companies, enabling the delivery and maintenance of the strategic overview, operational support and guidance to the businesses:
• Sole project manager to implement separate accounting, banking and legal operations for 11 operating companies across the group to achieve consistant reporting:
o ERP Accounting System: scope, consultation, design and implementation of Microsoft Dynamics Navision Financial Accounting and Management information system thus providing a range of standard functions including AP/AR, Payroll, HR, P&L & Balance Sheet, Variance analysis and Employee reporting.
o Banking: Improving banking relationships, service received, moving Saudi Arabia Operations to online banking, accounts to corporate status to improve fx deals and efficiency for transactions, reducing intercompany banking and ensuring each company is self funding.
o Legal: Restructure of Group legal entities for companies in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt BVI, Hong Kong and the UK, closing, opening, and realigning companies and directors across 31 legal entities.
o Reporting: Consolidation, production and review of the monthly P&L and Balance sheet reporting including the above key areas with recommendations for individual businesses and the group as an entity.
• Direct, manage and guide the finance departments operations including Accounts Payable / Receivable, Cash Management / Forecasting, Budgeting & Forecasting and Payroll.
• Maintenance, control and development of financial / management accounting systems including internal controls, user access rights, chart of accounts, cost centres, data tables, deadlines, closure of periods, data migration and upload.
• Setting up 2 joint ventures a boutique design business and an advertising business legally and implementing a full finance function with reporting systems for offices in Jeddah, Riyadh, Cairo and Dubai.
• Business planning across group with business, financial and legal expertise provided in all functions, processes and procedures.
• Staff development and change management to re educate the finance function to work smarter and to make the transition from book keeper to commercially minded business accountants.
• Financial and Legal appraisal and recommendations for new commercial contracts, potential partnerships and investment opportunities.
• Company Secretary for companies outside of Saudi Arabia.
Sep 08 - Feb 10 METROPOLITIAN POLICE SERVICE
Senior Strategic Accountant
The MET police serve the capital London and are widely regarded as one of the world's best forces. Employees are over 57, 000 with an annual revenue budget of £3.6 billion and a capital budget of £200 million.
Working with senior department heads, police and civilian managers while managing a team of 3 accountants within Strategic Finance to deliver and maintain the strategic overview, support and guidance for the 450 staffed finance department for the following areas:
• Strategic investment projects and change programmes which covered a diverse range of Finance and Business Functions.
• Chair of a Business Drivers forum, which consists of 30 members at senior accountant level working on change, systems and process improvements across the organisation.
• Redeveloping and implementing a Financial and Governance framework including internal controls, policy and procedures for Grants and Partnerships which were in excess of 3 GBP billion annually.
• Full responsibility for European Funding applications to redesign, policy, procedures and controls.
• Creation and implementation of the departments Strategic finance plan linking this to organisation, departmental, team and individual objectives and appraisals, both business and personal.
• Full Financial, Business, Legal, Human Resources and Environmental appraisal of Business and Board reports with full recommendations.
Jan 06 - Sep 08 CROYDON COUNCIL
Finance and Resources Accountancy Services Manager
Croydon Council serves over 330, 000 residents, are London's biggest borough and the largest economic centre in the southeast not including London as a whole. Employees are over 11, 000 with an annual revenue budget of £700 million and a capital budget of £70 million.
Managing the Finance and Resources Team Accountancy Services team of 8 and leading the team through the operational aspects of the following processes:
• Bringing finance team back in house after being outsourced for over ten years and fully redesigning and implementing the finance service.
• Budget Setting, Monitoring & Forecasting, Closure of Accounts for the Finance Department with monthly reporting with KPI's.
• Implementing saving plans and maximising income in line with the Medium Term Financial Strategy.
• Managing and monitoring all financial aspects relating to the key grant areas of Collection fund, Housing Benefit and Business rates.
• Full Financial, Business, Legal, Human Resources and Environmental appraisal of Business and Board reports with full recommendations.
Jun02 - Jan 06 BRIGHTON & HOVE CITY COUNCIL
Acting Accountant / Senior Finance Officer
Brighton & Hove City Council serves a population of over 250, 000 residents including 2 universities and is the hub of the south coast. Employees are over 8, 000 with an annual revenue budget of £400 million and a capital budget of £60 million.
Staff management and co-ordination of the following areas:
• Monthly budgetary forecast and preparing monthly budgetary reports and appendices for revenue and capital budgets for the Housing Revenue Account with KPI's.
• Maintenance of the Housing Revenue Account 30 year business plan model.
• Reviewing and advising on the financial implications of committee reports and projects.
• Responsibility for collating and investigating BVPI's and KPI's.
• Projects to improve systems and processes for all functions.
Feb 02 - May 02 SANDFORD EUROPE
Financial Analyst
SANDFORD EUROPE a subdisary of a USA manufacturing company had a combined turnover in excess of $6 billion; products include Parker Pens and Papermate.
The consolidation of management information for 17 European locations including:
• Daily Sales, Excess & Obsolete stock review, Budgets, Key Customer Analysis, Product Analysis, Employee expenses
Sep 00 - Jan 02 VENTURE FINANCE PLC
Assistant Accountant
VENTURE FINANCE a subdisary of ABN AMRO, the prime business being Invoice and Asset based finance had staff of approximately 120 and a then turnover of £22 million per year.
Supervision of 3 employees and responsibility for processing and reporting on:
• A/c's Payable and Receivable, Intercompany Positions, Employee Expenses, Currency Dealing, Letters of Credit, Client Charges, Chaps & BAC's payments, Funding & Bank, AR to GL, VAT return
Apr 00 - Sep 00 ATL LIMITED
Assistant Accountant
ALLERGY THERAPEUTICS creates medical vaccines and employed staff of approximately 150 with a then annual turnover of £10 million.
Full responsibility for reconciliation, processing and reporting on:
• Accounts Receivable, Intercompany accounting, Stock Costing, AR to GL, Treasury and Bank, VAT
Mar 99 - Apr 00 RATIONAL SOFTWARE LIMITED
Assistant Accountant
RATIONAL SOFTWARE is a subdisary of its American parent company, which develops software used for the testing of IT systems with a then annual turnover of £25 million.
• Payroll, Employee Stock Options, Leased cars, Fixed Assets, Accruals & Prepayments, Cost Apportionment Allocations, Bank & Cash, Commission statements, Inter Company Accounting, VAT returns, Balance Sheet, Actual vs. Budget forecasts
Nov 97 - Mar 99 UNITED MERCHANTS PLC
Senior Sales Ledger / Credit Controller
UNITED MERCHANTS is a non-profit factoring company in the construction Industry.
I managed a portfolio of accounts with a turnover of around 3 million per month and this consisted of:
• Managing client relationships, Aged debt analysis, Commission payments, Training new and junior staff
1988 - 1997 VARIOUS OTHER NON-FINANCE POSITIONS