SUMMARY
Senior Financial Executive with success in restoring financial controls. Broad range of experience in big four accounting firm and multi-national conglomerates (head office and field) in US and overseas. Strengths include strong communicator, working in difficult environments and building departmental teams that can identify and implement operational efficiencies.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
SCIENTIFIC & TECHNICAL INSTRUMENTS MANUFACTURER 2003-present
Finance Director of one of the divisions, Houston
FD for a $250m division of S&P 500 company with 15 plants in 6 countries (and 12 ERP systems).
· Improved cash flow by 40% through better working capital management.
· Documented and tested controls to ensure compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley.
· Division leader for companys continuous improvement program.
ABB 2002- 2003
US Controller, ABB Vetco Gray Inc, Houston
Second in command for $350m manufacturer of oilfield equipment. In day-to-day charge of finance dept of 24.
· Improved quality of reporting by reducing amount of data reported with increased emphasis on graphical and forward-looking information.
· Restructured finance dept, eliminating 3 positions, saving $150k annually.
· Identified $300k savings in Kazakh taxes through restructuring of contract with ABB Kazakhstan.
KVAERNER ASA 1994 2002
Chief Financial Officer, Kvaerner Oilfield Products, Houston 1997 2002
Directed accounting, reporting, credit & collections, regulatory tax, planning, information technology and human resources for $135 million manufacturing business.
Within one year of appointment re-instituted financial controls which resulted in clean audit opinion for first time in four years.
Merged two accounting departments and systems into one (JD Edwards - World) with minimum disruption, saving $300k annually.
Initiated cost reduction exercise in 2000 that reduced headcount from 550 to 400. In 2001, company made profit of $6million, its first since Kvaerner acquired the business in 1994.
Stabilized the Finance & IT departments that were experiencing 100% staff turnover. IT dept has had no turnover in 2 ½ years; Finance had rate half company average.
Chaired Business Process Improvement Committee that created one common system for reporting product defects and consolidated engineering procedures, saving $200,000 annually.
Performed routine legal work that was being subcontracted to outside attorneys, saving $50k annually.
Performed all aspects of $1m acquisition (due diligence, negotiation, post-acq integration plan).
Financial Controller, Kvaerner Metals, Pittsburgh 1996 1997
Oversaw all general accounting, including month-end closing, cost accounting, receivables and payables and performed financial appraisal of all contracts and tenders, including those that required equity investments.
Restructured the finance dept of 32 and lowered its overall cost by $0.5m.
Identified cost-saving measures implemented by management, one being sale of one division that was losing $800k, another was closure of satellite office, saving $0.5m.
Initiated appraisal of equity investment, which subsequently led Kvaerner to invest $10m and win contract worth $50m.
Divisional Financial Controller, Kvaerner Metals, London 1995 1996
Conducted special investigations for CEO and CFO of the division (revenues $1.5 billion, 18 operations in 9 countries).
Project manager responsible for moving divisional head office (12 people) 150 miles to London.
Appeared in High Court as prosecution witness against one of our competitors in a successful civil action that alleged theft of proprietary information.
Group Management Accountant, Trafalgar House, London 1994 1995
Helped ensure that Hyperion, a financial reporting package became workable through correcting flaws in logic and re-writing reports.
Helped produce Group Finance report for TH board, which was being produced by external consultants.
PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS, LEEDS, UK 1987 1994
Corporate Finance
Audit & Business Services
Produced complex computer model for house builder that recommended that company should not be put into Chapter 11 contrary to advice of another big 4 accounting firm and being proved correct.
Project manager for sale of loss-making subsidiary of Rolls Royce for net asset value ($4m), despite there being only one serious buyer for business.
Created marketing initiatives such as newsletters and surveys to bring in new work and raise awareness of PwC with local companies and financial institutions.
Passed all Chartered accountant exams at first time of asking (less than 10% do this)
Gained reputation as strong auditor of difficult audits such as property division of Burton Group (retailer, market cap $2b), and Yorkshire Water (market cap $1b).
COMMUNITY SERVICE VOLUNTEERS 1986 1987
Voluntary organization for people aged 16-35
Volunteer
Helped schizophrenic adjust to life in community.
Wrote leaflet encouraging those with physical disabilities to volunteer for CSV.
EDUCATION & QUALIFICATIONS
Chartered Accountant (British equivalent of CPA)
BSc Geography, University of Durham
US Green card holder |
