Ahsan Iqbal, Financial Controller

Ahsan Iqbal

Financial Controller

Samena Capital Investments Limited

Location
United Arab Emirates - Dubai
Education
Master's degree, Financial Reporting, Cost and Management Accounting, Internal/External Auditing, Corporate Law
Experience
19 years, 3 Months

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Work Experience

Total years of experience :19 years, 3 Months

Financial Controller at Samena Capital Investments Limited
  • United Arab Emirates - Dubai
  • My current job since July 2021

Managing all accounting operations including Billing, A/R, A/P, GL and Counsel, Cost Accounting, and Revenue Recognition
Coordinate and direct the preparation of the budget and financial forecasts and report variances
Prepare and publish monthly financial statements standalone and group consolidated report
Coordinate and preparation of regulatory reporting on a quarterly basis
Research technical accounting issues for compliance
Support month-end and year-end close process
Ensure quality control over financial transactions and financial reporting
Manage and comply with local, state, and federal government reporting requirements and UAE VAT tax filings
Develop and document business processes and accounting policies to maintain and strengthen internal controls
Additional controller duties as necessary required

Finance Manager at Frontera Capital Group Limited
  • United Arab Emirates - Abu Dhabi
  • December 2017 to June 2021

As a Finance Manager, I am responsible for the followings:
 To oversee the Finance department to ensure proper maintenance of all accounting systems and function.
 Ensure maintenance of appropriate internal controls and financial procedures.
 Ensure timeliness, accuracy, and usefulness of financial and management reporting for federal and state funders, foundations, and company nonprofit’s board of directors; oversee the preparation and communication of monthly and annual financial statements.
 Work with the COO and General Counsel with the Compliance Officer in the communication and development of work plan with regulators. Head of Accounting and Officer Manager will be the primary support for Compliance Officer and will communicate these efforts regularly to SMT.
 Support FCGL’s Portfolio Management in the accounting of these transactions including the booking of profit and loss as well as balance sheet / general ledger entries.
 Assist with managing and reporting on operating advances provided to FCGL staff.
 Create accounting system for FCGL and push system into all Frontera Capital entities.
 Work with Office Manager and SMT to establish process around payroll and expense processing system.
 Work with Portfolio Management to create a swap transaction list and scheduled MtM process to ensure on time payments and reporting.
 Prepare and submit, monthly, quarterly and annual reports to the appropriate authorities and coordinate or provide response to any request received from the local accountant services providers and local regulatory authorities;
 Enhance and implement financial and accounting systems, processes, tools and control systems.
 Prepare all the supporting accounting documentation for all of the FCGL entities.
 Serve as a key point of contact for external auditors; Manage preparation and support of all external audits.
 Oversee the management and coordination of all fiscal reporting activities for the organization including: organizational revenue/expense and balance sheet reports, reports to funding agencies, development and monitoring of organizational and budgets.
 Perform cash management, cash payments and reporting;
 Assist COO in the development, monitoring and managing of FCGL’s budget.
 Engage the board finance, audit, and investment committees around issues, trends, and changes in the operating model(s) and operational delivery.
 Assist in performing all tasks necessary to achieve the organization's mission and help execute staff succession and growth plans.
 Assist in development of financial planning and analysis exercises/reports.

Senior Finance Manager at IBTIKAR Real Estate Investments LLC
  • United Arab Emirates - Sharjah
  • June 2015 to December 2017

As a Senior Finance Manager, I am responsible for the followings:
 To oversee the Finance department to ensure proper maintenance of all accounting systems and function.
 Ensure maintenance of appropriate internal controls and financial procedures.
 Ensure timeliness, accuracy, and usefulness of financial and management reporting for federal and state funders, foundations, and company nonprofit’s board of directors; oversee the preparation and communication of monthly and annual financial statements.
 Preparation of computerized accounting reports using Visual Basic Accounting Software and carry out approved transactions.
 Enhance and implement financial and accounting systems, processes, tools and control systems.
 Serve as final point of escalation for Accounts Receivable/Accounts Payable issues.
 Develop and manage accounting staff.
 Serve as a key point of contact for external auditors; Manage preparation and support of all external audits.
 Oversee the management and coordination of all fiscal reporting activities for the organization including: organizational revenue/expense and balance sheet reports, reports to funding agencies, development and monitoring of organizational and budgets.
 Monitor banking activities of the organization.
 Develop tools and systems to provide critical financial and operational information to the CEO and make actionable recommendations on both strategy and operations.
 Engage the board finance, audit, and investment committees around issues, trends, and changes in the operating model(s) and operational delivery.
 Assist in establishing yearly objectives and meeting agendas, and selecting and engaging outside consultants (auditors, investment advisors).
 Assist in performing all tasks necessary to achieve the organization's mission and help execute staff succession and growth plans.
 Work with the President/CEO on the strategic vision including fostering and cultivating stakeholder relationships on city, state, and national levels, as well as assisting in the development and negotiation of contracts.
 Participate in developing new business, specifically: assist the CEO and COO in identifying new funding opportunities, the drafting of prospective programmatic budgets, and determining cost effectiveness of prospective service delivery.
 Complete analysis of financial results; Develop recommendations (strategic and tactical).
 Develop and execute analysis of various business initiatives (e.g., opening new operations, asset acquisition, new service launches).
 Develop and maintain capital budget.
 Assist in development of financial planning and analysis exercises/reports.
 Oversee the production of monthly reports including reconciliations with subsidiaries and pension plan requirements, as well as financial statements and cash flow projections for use by Executive management, as well as the Audit/Finance Committee and Board of Directors.

Chief Financial officer at The Yahn Group Incorporation
  • Afghanistan
  • September 2011 to April 2015

As a Chief Financial Officer (CFO), I was responsible for the followings:
 To oversee all the functions of Finance & Accounts Department.
 Maintaining work control sheets and allocating work to staff
 Preparation of computerized accounts using Quick Books and carry out approved transactions.
 Prepare monthly management accounts for decision making.
 Development & implementation of internal controls and checks
 Monitor and preparation of list of outstanding liabilities and receivables at the end of each month for the finance director.
 Prepare and provide the end of the month position about profit or loss or liabilities and assets.
 Prepare bank reconciliation statements at the end of each month.
 Preparation of receivables and payables control accounts reconciliations and aged debtors analysis.
 Oversee and reconcile petty cash expenses with petty cash book.
 Provide assistance to the finance director in the preparation of budgeted financial statements.
 Provide financial reports with actual and budget comparison to finance director on monthly basis.
 Maintain the payroll records of the company’s employees including their gross salary, deductions and net salary.
 Calculation of superannuation entitlements for each employee at the end of each year.
 Involvement in recruitment process for new inductions to accounts department.
 Conducting meeting on receivables & payables with relevant staff.
 Conducting regular meetings with receivable for debts clearance.
 Make contacts with the government authorities for the payment of different taxes and submission of quarterly and annual tax returns.
 To advise management on potential projects and their viability.
 Prepare and maintain all records necessary for carrying out of the annual audit of the accounts of the company including the evidence of revenue expenditures, incomes, capital receipts/expenditures, staff lists, asset register, and employees’ personal files, etc.
 Maintain the back-up of computerized and other financial records and information on a regular basis.

External Auditor at BDO (Binder Dieker Ottey) Chartered Accountants
  • Pakistan - Islamabad
  • August 2008 to September 2011

 Internal, external audit, reviews, enterprise risk management, quality control of departmental activities
 Development, updation and implementation of internal audit and risk management policies
 Drawing Up and implementation of risk based annual internal audit & enterprise risk management plans
 Preparation of internal audit & risk management planning, execution, reporting and follow-up documents including: programs, procedures, questionnaires, templates, frameworks, flow charts, formats, checklists and other documents
 Planning, execution, organizing, monitoring, review, reporting and follow-ups of internal audit and risk management activities
 Calculation of audit risk, including inherent, control and detection risks, preparation of process maps and system notes for better audit execution and control
 Staff, cost/resources and time planning, preliminary survey, identification of critical audit areas and legal requirements, audit sampling and materiality calculations, usage of analytical procedures and profitability analysis and presentations and analysis
 Review the adequacy and effectiveness of internal controls, risk management, compliance and governance system & making recommendations for the improvements;
 Strategic and operational risks management including: identification, assessment, categorization, grading, reporting and mitigation of different internal & external risks and updation of risk register;
 Review of audit & risk management working papers and presenting and reporting the findings
 Initial and subsequent follow-ups of audit and risk management reports
 Implementation of International Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing (IPPF) and International Standards For Risk Management
 Analysis of accounting and financial system in details under IFRS/IAS & strong practical knowledge of IFRS/IASs
 Coordinate and interact with department staff, other employees, management, external auditor & external parties, as applicable;
 Proficient in MS Office tools and various accounting and reporting softwares
 Excellent Analytical and People Skills and Managing Large Teams
 Strong verbal And Written Communication Skills
 Competent In General Office Skills And Staff Training And Development

Senior Accountant at China Zhenhua Oil Company Limited
  • Pakistan - Islamabad
  • January 2005 to August 2008

As a Senior Accountant, I was responsible for the followings:
 Administer and monitor the financial system of the company and prepare the computerized financial records on timely basis using Peachtree Accounting Software.
 Review and finalization of work done by staff.
 Prepare income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement.
 Maintain financial files and records upto date.
 Assist with preparation of the budget and variances analysis.
 Maintain the accounts payable and accounts receivable systems in order to ensure complete and accurate records of all P/A and R/A.
 Prepare debtors’ schedule on monthly basis to identify overdue payments and bad debts accurately and prepare receivables control account and its reconciliation with receivables records.
 Prepare creditors’ schedule on monthly and on annual basis to identify overdue payments and to make accurate payments on time & prepare P/A control account & its reconciliation with P/A records.
 Establish and maintain cash controls & preparation of reconciliations.
 Preparation of bank reconciliation statements at each month end.
 Issue cheque for all accounts due within authority limits.
 Payment of taxes and submission of returns as required.
 Monitor cash reserves and other short term investments.
 Administer employee files and records in order to ensure accurate payment of benefits and allowances after different deductions.
 Assist and monitor the calculation of gross and net salary of employees for the month after deducting necessary deductions such as income tax, provident fund and EOBI contributions.
 Any ad-hoc duty assigned by the management.

Education

Master's degree, Financial Reporting, Cost and Management Accounting, Internal/External Auditing, Corporate Law
  • at CPA form Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Pakistan
  • June 2014

CPA (Certified Public Accountant )

Master's degree, Financial Reporting, Cost and Management Accounting, Auditing, Business Law, IT
  • at ACCA from Institute of Chartered Certified Accountants, UK
  • December 2012

ACCA ,Associate Chartered Certified Accountant

Specialties & Skills

taxation
Costing
Management
Auditing
Accounting
1. QuickBooks Accounting Software
Peachtree
Visual Accounting software

Languages

English
Expert
Urdu
Expert
Punjabi
Native Speaker
Hindi
Expert

Memberships

Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Pakistan
  • Member of accounting body
  • June 2014
ACCA
  • ACCA
  • June 2012

Hobbies

  • Long drive, Movies