Cluster Director of Finance
Hilton Worlwide
Total years of experience :26 years, 9 Months
My current role focuses on leading the finance shared services function providing a complete package of accounting and purchasing services to 3 hotels
The focus of my work was to lead the internal audit function of the MEA region providing the internal audit and risk management service to 60 plus hotels
Key responsibilities include: Assisting the regional management to embed and maintain the risk framework, and monitoring of remediation actions to be undertaken by risk owners, and facilitate risk assessments at both the hotel and regional level. Ensure that the audit plan as agreed with the Audit Committee is completed on a timely basis. Risk ratings are correctly assigned and audit reports are timely issued to the regional management for review and action. Develop new audit programs for new areas as and when required. Key achievements to date: • A risk based audit program for Revenue and sales Management; and • Risk training and workshops for hotel staff completed successfully
Nearly $2B turnover - world-wide presence and a world known brand within networking and telecommunication world. 3Com is a number 2 vendor and manufacturer of networking products on a world-wide basis.
The role is to lead the Internal Audit function at the EMEA level and report into audit management based in USA. Key responsibilities include: preparation of annual risk assessments; assistance in the preparation of annual audit plan for EMEA; manage audits to a budget & monitor department KPIs; staff management & development; preparation of EMEA updates, oversight over revenue recognition practices across all regions, quarterly US Audit Committee materials, & presentations as necessary, including to the EMEA Management; lead investigations and fraud related issues from time to time,
Over £15m turnover (client fees) Professional Services Business - 120 employees
Client base - large and complex public sector organisations.
Key components of the role were: To represent ParkHill at the client audit committees and board level meetings of 10 ParkHill clients with an accumulative turnover of in excess of £1.5B, deliver high level presentations, including tender presentations to win new business, develop and manage a team of 12 auditors, including two managers, deliver the internal audit service at the highest level so that the business could be retained for ParkHill, develop internal audit plans and carryout risk based internal audit needs assessment for each client organizations, review teams work and carryout high profile reviews such as due diligence, board assurance framework and strategy reviews, etc.
Professional Services Firm - Number 5 - Over 500 employees
Client base consisted of a large and complex private and public sector organisations, including large real estate organisations, property developers, housing associations, media organizations and auction companies, etc.
Key responsibilities included: carryout internal audit assignment of varying types such as financial, operational, risk assessments, and value for money audits, etc. Ensuring audit budget is maintained, and a value added service is provided to client organizations. The client base was a mixture of private sector and public sector organizations, including some big names such as Sothebys, Body Shop and others.
Client base - large public sector and commercial organisations (includes an 8 months secondment at Moodys Investors Service as European Financial Controller)
Key responsibilities included: carryout internal audit assignment of varying types such as financial, operational, risk assessments, and value for money audits, etc. Ensuring audit budget is maintained, and a value added service is provided to client organizations. During 8 months at Moody’s I worked on financial and management accounts of 3 subsidiaries of Moodys, and provided support on improving the financial control environment.
During ACCA there was a strong focus on professional values, ethics, and governance and financial discipline. These skills were essential for me to fully understand and appreciate the strengthened codes of conduct, regulation, and legislation. In order to qualify as an ACCA member, I had to complete: •14 exams (including financial, auditing and accounting areas) •relevant practical experience, with a minimum of three years •a Professional Ethics module.
This was MA in Business Management. The masters degree complimented my Bachelors degree which was in business and commerce. The MA was more focussed on practical aspects of the business and finance. In my final dissertation which was on the merger between the HSBC Bank and Midlands Bank (UK), I got a distinction.
