youness abidou

Gatehouse Bank plc (06/2011 to Present)
Vice President, Head of Finance

• Managing team of 5 in Finance Function with responsibility over financial reporting, management reporting, regulatory reporting to FSA.
• Key achievements within scope of role:
o Overhaul of management accounts and MI including benchmarking data, analysis of income, cost management reporting and automation of reporting;
o Working alongside CFO to delivery financial forecast and Bank valuation for purposes of Rights issue in 2011 resulting in investment by Sovereign Wealth Fund;
o Pro-active approach to FSA reporting resulting in revised ILAA and ICAAP production;
o Delivery and approval of FSA required Bank Recovery Resolution Plan;
o Implementation of Basel III liquidity assessment LCR and NSFR reporting;
o Member of working group updating credit, market and operational risk methodologies.
• Other achievements:
o Developed, implemented and managed budget and strategy to grow its income streams, focusing on the opportunity within Real Estate, liaising with Bank Shareholders and Executive Management;
o Oversee growth in Real Estate portfolio of £500m of assets under management, with over 100 investors providing over £250m of equity investment mainly from GCC nationals.
o Financial control function for all off shore special purpose entities that hold real estate assets;
o Member of Real Estate credit committee, asset and liabilities committee and executive committee;
o Provided financial advisory and due diligence assistance on real estate acquisitions; assisting with Sharia structuring;
o Managed the collection, presentation and correspondence of all financial information with professional investors;

Tharwa Investments Limited (11/2010 to Present)
Co-Founder

♦ Tharwa Investments was co-founded by myself and an ex-colleague of Anglo Irish Bank to provide an intermediary service between the National Asset Management Agency ("NAMA") in Ireland and potential investors worldwide.
♦ We presented to and secured backing from Morgan Stanley Real Estate Fund, who agreed to us approaching NAMA on a joint venture basis with them to acquire debt or direct property assets on their behalf.
♦ Presenting to a number of contacts in the Middle East and North Africa generating further interest in the business proposition.
♦ Driving this business from inception up to date, converting an idea into a business with support from an internationally recognized investment bank and various other high net worth individuals.
♦ Although the business is currently embryonic, the skills and experience gained from setting up Business Finance Advisors were applied with great success.

Tudorvale Properties (08/2010 to 06/2011)
(ENGAGED THROUGH BUSINESS FINANCE ADVISORS LIMITED)
Head of Finance

♦ Assisting with the financial management of the various property developments, at various stages of the development process. This includes the preparation and ongoing review of performance against cashflow forecasts and budgets.
♦ Negotiating Bank terms and managing deliverables to ensure financial and property related covenants are maintained.
♦ Managing the Audit process of all companies in the 'group', including a construction company and a number of special purpose vehicles holding the developments.
♦ Prepare presentations and report to the directors and shareholders / investors in relation to the position and performance of the various developments.
♦ Manage and improve efficiency in other operations in the business, including IT, Book keeping / ledger functions, Sales and Marketing.

Business Finance Advisors Limited (05/2009 to 08/2010)
Director

♦ Incorporated and built a strong businesses in a testing economy, focusing on the corporate and property finance services sectors;
♦ Advising businesses on funding solutions to meet existing and future business plan requirements and risks;
♦ Sourcing debt and equity solutions for business and developing strategies to aid growth, expansion or acquisitions.
♦ Engagements include: a. Providing advice on NAMA compliance and refinancing £50m portfolio of light industrial assets.
b. Providing advice to borrower associated with ongoing management of the property portfolio and associated debt position.
c. Sourced equity injection in an entrepreneurial IT security company
d. Recently working in association with one of the top four UK accounting practice in aiding borrowers of the Irish Banks with NAMA compliance.

ANGLO IRISH BANK CORPORATION PLC (04/2006 to 02/2009)
Property Finance Lending Manger

♦ Manage team of 5 and portfolio of assets with £1.5bn of value
♦ Maintain asset quality in a very testing economy and mitigate risks
♦ Relationships ranging in size, type of business (investment, development, trading operations) and structured debt options (Development, sale and leaseback, cashflow, etc.);
♦ Ongoing review and restructure of transactions to improve credit risk in testing economic climate.
♦ Working specifically on a number of high profile clients, developing and implementing various work-out scenarios.
♦ Clients, transactions and key attributes include: a. Ballymore Properties, Anglo Irish Banks largest relationship
b. Senior member of credit committee as a result of changing the way credits are presented
c. Refinance of the Paramount hotels portfolio
d. Credit Committee guru for corporate transactions

ERNST & YOUNG LLP (10/2000 to 02/2006)
Assistant Manger

♦ Working in the Real Estate, Hospitality and Construction team throughout my employment I became very astute in the property industry;
♦ Managed elements of financial due diligence projects, performing a variety of roles including financial modeling, sensitivity analysis and balance sheet valuation for a number of large high profile property transactions;
♦ Managed assurance teams on the firm's larger clients, including Brixton plc, Great Portland Estates Plc, Cadogan Group Limited and BP Plc where I have maintained relationships;
♦ Strong financial reporting knowledge; IFRS Champion in 2005 attending and presenting at seminars to assist in the understanding of the standards and the impact they have.