I am an energetic and commercially minded finance executive with more than 20 years of experience across different
organisations in a variety of industry sectors. Managing changing business environments, making improvements to the finance and accounting functions and strategic management accounting are my core skills. I am passionate about my work and believe in sound ethics and good governance.
Specialist Skill Areas
| Accounting environment functions & improvement | Business performance management &,improvement |
| Cash flow management solutions, structuring | Business operations (production, logistics, inventory) |
| Strategic Management Accounting (Value, creation) | Restructuring and change management |
Professional Career Summary
| Dates | Last Position | Company |
|---|---|---|
| 2014- 2015 | Executive Manager, Finance, (CFO) | Murray Irrigation Ltd |
| 2013 | Consultant/Director | Alter Course Business Consultants |
| 2011 – 2012 | Chief Financial Controller | OTOC Group (OTOC/Whelans) |
| 2009 – 2010 | Senior Management Accountant | Wespine Industries Pty, Ltd |
| 1998 – 2008 | Group Financial Director (CFO) | Alto Group (South Africa) |
Industry Exposure
| Manufacturing and distribution | Property development and related activities |
| Property management | Accounting/Consulting |
| Agriculture | Infrastructure /Engineering/Survey/Mining services |
Significant Career Achievements
- ➢ Successful management and group integration of a 5 year merger & acquisition trail involving the purchase of businesses and property.
- ➢ Managed the process of trading out of a severe group cash flow situations in an organisation operating in the construction and mining services industries rectification of projects and ERP application.
- ➢ Rectification of a major infrastructure project ($200m) that entailed: rebuilding the project’s budget to be aligned with schedule, managing probability testing in order to verify the ability to achieve the critical path of the project and utilising outcomes of statistical simulation to manage the project’s budget and schedule.
- ➢ Identification of long-term sustainability risks to a business via modelling the effects of a major infrastructure upgrade on the future of the company, testing scenarios affecting its profitability using levers affecting the business.
Qualifications
| Bachelor of Accounting Science (*B.Compt.,– University of South Africa), (Audit, Tax, Accounting) (2002) |
| Member– CPA Australia (Associate) (2011) |
| Certificates in Foundation Tax and Applied Tax -Taxation Institute of Australia (2010) |
| Completion of ** Articles with South African Institute of Chartered, Accountants, (1993-1998) |
FULL TIME EMPLOYMENT HISTORY – AUSTRALIA
| Murray Irrigation Limited : January 2014 – September 2015: CFO (Executive Manager, Finance) Murray Irrigation is a Not-for-Profit company owned by its customers. It is the largest privately owned irrigation infrastructure company in Australia located on the Southern Riverina of New South Wales. It services a footprint of 750,000 ha and provides water to 2,400 landholdings and has assets of c. $1 billion at replacement value.The Company was undergoing a $200 million infrastructure upgrade under a Commonwealth Funded program called Private Irrigators Infrastructure Operators Program (PIIOP), many financial challenges were associated with this project. The company’s turnover is approximately $40m per annum and employs 160 people.MIL required a Finance Executive that had recent project management experience and could develop strategies to cope with how the vast change in infrastructure would affect the business and its stakeholders in the future. There was need for improvements in the finance department as regards reporting and quality of accounting information. I was appointed in January 2014, reported to the CEO and to provide the Board with strategic financial advice about the future sustainability of the organization. |
Duties and Responsibilities
Manage finance and resources teams (property, plant & equipment)
• Monthly Board reporting
• Strategic management accounting
• Financial modelling
• Project financial management (PIIOP) and evaluation
• Audit and Annual report (Annual Financial Statements, tax preparation)
• Management of Fixed Income Investment Portfolio (>$100m)
• Property and office site management
• Financial risk management and Insurance
Key achievements
• Reporting process improved
• Re-resourced finance team
• Monthly financial accounting process improved
• Implemented effective project financial reporting and introduced monthly forecasting
• Revised pricing introduced based on changing infrastructure and market analysis
• Stabilized company’s $100m Fixed Income investment portfolio
• Financial and statistical modelling introduced to the business
• Debtors backlog cleared, debt management policy introduced
• Procurement practices modernized and strengthened
• Capex process improvements implemented
• Cash flow management tools introduced
• Financial system upgrade undertaken and completed
| Wespine Industries Pty Ltd September 2009 – January 2011 Senior Management Accountant Wespine Industries is a leading and well-established manufacturer of Softwood Structural Timber. It processes pine that is distributed into the WA housing market as well as into the Eastern States of Australia and limited offshore markets. Wespine is not listed but is owned equally by Wesfarmers and Fletcher Building. The Company had turnover of $100million is extremely profitable and its growth and sustainability rely on the housing market demand in Western Australia. Wespine required an experienced management accountant that had experience in the manufacturing environment to take on the role at the mill and support management on site. |
FULL TIME EMPLOYMENT HISTORY – SOUTH AFRICA
| Alto Group September 1998 – January 2009 Last Position – Director & Group CFO Alto Group, a privately owned Group of Companies (SME’s) comprising of a number of entities of different structure, involved in several fields of industry throughout Southern Africa: • Manufacturing and distribution: Waterproofing, Specialized Ink, Plastics, Food and Spices. • Agriculture and Forestry: Dairy, Beef, Citrus, Vegetable Cropping, Sugar Cane, Blue Gum, Pine, Macadamia Nuts • Property Ownership and Development (Commercial, industrial and residential) • Venture Capital Transactions • Business Consulting and Accounting Services I started off running an accounting practice owned by the major shareholder of Alto Group and gradually became the Group Financial Director of this rapidly growing group of companies. I had operational responsibilities as an Executive Director for the plastics manufacturing businesses, agricultural operations, the property portfolio and the accounting business that the group owned whilst also financially managing the rest of the groups assets and businesses. Alto Group’s annual turnover reached c. R250 million (c.AU$50M at the time) and was profitable. |
Duties and responsibilities
• Running the Group and its various entities alongside other Directors and key employees
• Annual Audit responsibility
• Group management accounting and reporting function
• Annual Group Budget and forecasting
• Treasury and Cash Flow
• Group Head Office management/shared services
• Management of the Group Property Portfolio
• Managing Director of certain businesses and entities in the Group
• Liaison with Group’s Bankers, Insurance brokers and other third party service providers
• Group’s Taxation and Statutory obligations and affairs (monthly and annual tax related returns)
Alto Group Continued
Key achievements & results
• Improvement of the group’s accounting and taxation affairs
• Formation of Alto Group as a recognised group of companies
• Introduced monthly reporting across the group( templates, structures, timelines)
• Developed the Group organization structure for tax effectiveness
• Established Group Corporate Head Office (shared services for accounting, IT, Payroll, Insurance and Banking)
• Managed aggressive acquisition campaign involving purchasing new businesses, properties and other existing shareholders stakes (Financing; Integration; Reporting structures; Change management)
• Re-structured and discontinued non-performing entities that created risk for the Group
• Standardized software, accounting and reporting systems (new systems established in some cases)
• Resourced businesses with appropriate management and financial staff
• Established effective banking facilities allowing access to equity in property and availability of working capital
• The NAV of the Group grew over threefold between 2004 and 2009 as a result of acquisition of businesses and property
• Cash flow improved through the acquisition of highly profitable businesses and implementation of effective management strategies
• The overall turnover grew dramatically from less than R50 million per annum to over R250 million during the acquisition period.
• The Group’s national presence and branding was increased through acquisitions and establishing new distribution centres
• Profits and return on investment ratios increased during and after the major acquisition period being 2004 – 2009
Other Roles
| 1996 – 1998 | Accountant/Manager | BDO Spencer Steward Chartered Accountants (RSA) |
| 1993 – 1995 | Trainee Accountant | Porter Purbrick Chartered Accountants (RSA) |
| 1991 -1993 | Farm Manager | L Kietzmann & Son |
Accounting Software
I have gained experience with numerous accounting software applications, ERP’s and readily adapt to new systems. I strive to integrate and improve these systems in organisations in order to make their use more efficient and effective. Using the tools that systems have built into them to output reports rather than manipulating data outside of them is a key area that I focus on when going about an accounting application improvement project.(Accounting Software: Pronto, Oracle, SAP Business One, Account Mate, Sage Payroll, MYOB, Soft line Pastel)
I am proficient in the use of Microsoft Office tools, especially Excel.
Personal interests
Personal interests outside of work include golf, travel and exploring the outdoors (camping, fishing, 4×4) I have been a member of rotary and freely give of my time and expertise to clubs and societies engaged in creating sustainable communities.