Chief Financial Officer
Intersat Fze
Total years of experience :35 years, 8 Months
Intersat Fze is a Telecommunication company incorporated in Dubai Silicon Oasis Free Zone in Dubai, with operations in Nairobi, Kenya. Being in the VSAT industry, the company offers full communication solutions to customers all over Africa. Intersat Fze is a fully owned subsidiary of Belgium Satellite Services s.a., based in Brussels, Belgium.
- Setting up of systems and controls where required.
- Preparation and review of management accounts.
- Preparation of cash flows for monitoring of funds and budgetary control. Ensure timely payments from customers.
- Dealing with the banks/ financial institutions.
- Finalizing year-end accounts and dealing with statutory auditors.
- Compliance with all statutory regulations.
- Attending management meetings, actively involved in planning and decision making.
- Setting up and streamlining of operational processes. Was involved in the formulation of the Transfer Pricing Policy between Intersat and the operational arm of Intersat in Nairobi, Kenya.
- Identifying key vendors, negotiating supply, price and payment terms with the vendors.
E M West Africa Limited and Emperion Middle East are VSAT companies providing internet and communication solutions to the major banks and corporates. E M West Africa Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary and Emperion Middle East, a branch, of Emperion A S which is based in Copenhagen, Denmark.
- Setting up of systems and controls where required.
- Preparation and review of management accounts.
- Preparation of cash flows for monitoring of funds and budgetary control.
- Dealing with the banks/ financial institutions. Arranged for working capital requirements for the Nigerian unit.
- Finalizing year-end accounts and dealing with statutory auditors.
- Compliance with all statutory regulations.
- Attending management meetings, actively involved in planning and decision making.
- Involved in the setting up and migration to a new Microsoft based ERP system called Microsoft Dynamics C5 in the Nigerian company. This required the setting up of processes and training of the staff in the processes, data transfer and verification of data. And finally the successful migration and “going live” on the new ERP system.
- Involved in the senior staff recruitment process. Structuring an incentive scheme for senior managers.
- Setting up and streamlining of operational processes, set up a process for the periodic reconciliation of the service provided to customers between technical, marketing and accounts to ensure full and accurate invoicing of customers.
- Identifying key vendors, negotiating supply, price and payment terms with the vendors.
- Responsible for the clean-up of the customer accounts. Ensured collections from customers categorized as “Bad and Doubtful”, and an over all increase in collections by introducing an incentive scheme.
Tata Zambia Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Africa Holdings Limited which is based in South Africa. The operations of the company include motor vehicle sales, general trading, assembly of buses, property development, etc. The company has achieved a turnover in excess of US$12 mil in the year ending 31st March, 2008.
- Preparation of Management Reports/Accounts weekly and monthly for review by HO at South Africa.
- Preparation of cash flows for monitoring of funds and budgetary control.
- Dealing with the banks/ financial institutions.
- Negotiating supply, price and payment terms with key vendors.
- Finalizing year-end accounts and dealing with statutory and internal auditors.
- Compliance with all statutory regulations.
Armcor Security Limited is one of the largest security service providers in Zambia with over 1500 clients ranging from embassies, international banks/ financial institutions to individuals. The company employs over 2500 guards and prides itself in being one of the most efficient security service providers in the country. Since its inception in 1990, the company has introduced a number of security related services and currently enjoys a major share of the industry with an annual turnover of about US$ 8.00 million.
- Cost control through monitoring of departmental expenses through budgetary control
- Preparation of Management Accounts
- Obtaining financing facility from banks/ financial institutions and dealing with the banks/ financial institutions
- Finalization of accounts and dealing with auditors
- Assisted in carrying out the internal audit function of the various departments in the company
- Compliance with all statutory regulations
Was responsible for negotiating and obtaining a complete restructuring of the existing debt of the company - reduced interest burden and increased tenor resulting in reduced cash outflows.
Spencon & Polyphase is a multi-national construction company operating in Zambia since 1994. The company has been associated with projects related to infrastructure rehabilitation in all disciplines of engineering in Zambia, Malawi, Botswana and Mozambique.
- Complete project management. During project execution, dealings with the Consulting Engineers and Client. Monitoring of technical and financial project progress.
- Controlling resource consumption through Budgetary Control - comparison of actual expenses with budgets and variance analysis. Reporting to the Management with findings to initiate remedial action.
- During project execution, to identify areas for revenue enhancement and reporting to the project management team.
- Scheduling of resources for various projects.
- Reviewing tender documents, highlighting critical areasPreparation of qualification information for tender submissions.
- Dealings with the Clients and Engineers of projects on contractual and financial matters
- Dealings with financial institutions in establishing credit limits, both funded and non-funded
- Preparation and finalization of accounts and dealing with company auditors.
- Ensuring compliance with all statutory regulations.
- Setting up of systems and controls in the company.
Spectrum Power Generation Limited is an Independent Power Producer (IPP), set up as one of the fast track projects with an installed capacity of 208 MW. The project was designed and executed by Rolls Royce of UK and Westinghouse of USA under the supervision of National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) of India, for a project cost in excess of USD 300 million.
- A thorough understanding of the EPC and O&M Contracts. Ensuring complete compliance from the contractors to the contractual obligations. Ensuring compliance of all statutory regulations.
- Monitoring the Foreign Currency loan from ANZ Grindlays Bank, UK and Letters of Credit established with State Bank of India.
- Jointly involved in the year-end finalization of accounts and dealing with both internal and statutory auditors.
- Assisted in the preparation of financial models and budgets for the company for private placement of equity with foreign investors.
- Assisted in the valuation of equipment and profits for obtaining insurance coverage for plant and equipment and loss of profits.
- Preparing MIS Reports for periodic review by management.
- Implementation of systems and controls designed by M/s Coopers & Lybrand.
L’Union Estate Company Limited is a parastatal company, entirely owned by the Government of Seychelles. The company had several divisions, which included Boat Building, Farming, Animal Husbandry, Property development and Tourism. The annual turnover of the company was in the range USD 2.0 million to 2.5 million.
- Setting of systems and controls within the company.
- Attending Board of Directors’ meetings to advice on matters concerning finance and accounts. Preparing MIS Reports for periodic review by management.
- Reviewing the profitability of the various divisions of the company and advising Management.
- Preparation of monthly and quarterly financial reports for review.
- Finalization of Accounts and liaising with auditors and banks.
- Was responsible for setting up a Job Costing System for the Boat Building Division.
A.F.Fergusons & Company is one of the largest firms providing accounting and auditing services in India. Clients included some of the largest companies both from the public and private sector. Responsibilities included:
- Preparation of audit plans and scheduling.
- Carried out Statutory Audits, Systems Audits and Cost Audits of various clients (including some of the largest multi-national companies in the manufacturing and service industry).
- Training the junior staff members in auditing and accounting techniques and procedures.
Renewable Energy Systems was a company manufacturing solar batteries using photo-voltaic cells. They were setting up a Thermal Batteries Division for the production of thermal batteries to be supplied to the Indian Military. Responsibilities included:
- Systems and controls in the company.
- Liaising with the financial institutions and company auditors on all matters.
- Preparation and finalization of accounts and liaising with both internal and statutory auditors
- Assisted in the preparation of a project report for obtaining financial assistance from Industrial Development Bank of India, for the Thermal Batteries Division
I also completed by B.Com from Osmania University in Hyderabad, India and secured distinction overall.