Ashley Nicholas FCA CPA MBA

Mobile: (+**) **** **55

Email: acqg4h@r.postjobfree.com

Executive Summary

An accomplished accounting and finance professional with 20 years of experience in accounting and finance. Possesses excellent leadership and communication skills, with strong commercial acumen.

Extensive international commercial experience in Business Development, Commercial Negotiations, Contract completions and Project delivery.

Experienced working in dynamic and fast growing businesses (Lloyd Helicopters 9 times growth in 8 years, Redmart 9 times growth in 1 years).

Track record of leading finance teams, working closely with senior management and Boards, identifying value add opportunities, executing and contributing to the growth of international groups and start-ups.

A highly driven and dynamic leader who is comfortable with taking responsibilities and making quality decisions quickly.

Strong on IFRS and GAAP and experienced with ERP systems.

Has a high level of professionalism, integrity, ethics and personal credibility.

Areas of Impact

Financial Analysis, Corporate Finance, Due Diligence, Business Development, Financial Modeling, Group Restructuring, Strategy, Business Planning, Contract Negotiations, Auditing, Asset Leasing, Expansion in High Growth Environments, Executive Management & Leadership.

Career Experience

REDMART LIMITED (Apr 2013 – Nov 2014)

VP of Finance, Singapore

E-Commerce of FMCG

Reporting to CFO

Key responsibilities:

Led the finance function and worked closely with the CEO and COO.

Provided recommendations on all aspects of financial and corporate development issues.

Partnered closely with functional teams working on commercial and finance agreements.

Oversaw all accounting processes, IT integrations and ERP implementation.

Oversaw monthly, quarterly and annual financial reporting.

Reported business KPIs to executive committee on regular basis.

Led by example and possess strong people skills.

Demonstrated emotional intelligence: empathy for others, self-expression and self-control.

Key achievements:

Led the ERP evaluation of SAP, Oracle, Sage, Infor, Microsoft Dynamics, Netsuite and Epicor.

Led the ERP selection and implementation team, achieving a successful go live in 4 months and significantly improved the availability of key management data.

Built and led a diverse finance team with strong emphasis on people development capable of handling the requirements of rapid growth.

Managed considerable volume growth, requiring capacity, capability and policy growth.

Implemented internal accounting systems, policies and procedures.

Selected, appointed and acted as main point of contact with the company auditors.

Ensured compliance with all corporate tax, payroll and GST matters.

Set up Indian subsidiary and established transfer pricing policy.

BELL HELICOPTERS (Aug 2011 – Feb 2013)

Business Development & Regional Sales Manager Asia Pacific

Key responsibilities:

Led Business Development in Malaysia, Taiwan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Maldives.

Developed and focused on aircraft prospects, customers and markets in APAC.

Developed business development strategies

Ensured compliance with KYC, anti-money laundering and FCPA regulations.

Identified and pursued business development opportunities.

Prioritized, organised and planned regional business development activities.

Key achievements:

Developed Malaysia market resulting in selling the first 429 and the first 407GX helicopters in Malaysia.

Developed Bangladesh market resulting in selling the first 407GX helicopter in Bangladesh.

Built relationships with regional Aviation Authorities and export financiers resulting in first of type acceptances of Bell helicopters in Malaysia and Bangladesh.

Presented Bell Helicopter solutions at conferences in Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Taiwan resulting in raised profile and increased interest in Bell Helicopters.

Presented Bell Helicopter solutions to many clients resulting in increased market share.

Travelled extensively (>75%) within APAC developing helicopter business opportunities.

Developed relationships with operators, manufacturers and MRO’s improving Bell’s profile regionally.

Successfully negotiated sales with customers and managed customer relations.

CIT AIRCRAFT LEASING GROUP (Mar 2011 – Jul 2011)

MBA Intern/Consultant contract

Key achievements:

Prepared refinancing proposals for some APAC airline operators resulting in workout agreements.

Submitted a credit assessment paper on an airline to the Chief Credit Officer which met his requirements. Less than one in ten candidates met his standards.

Analyzed the commercial aircraft market globally providing forecast data for supply and demand for various aircraft types.

Assessed and reviewed the risks and creditworthiness of some APAC airline operators resulting in some lease proposals with higher minimum lease rates.

LLOYD HELICOPTERS GROUP (May 2002 – Dec 2010)

Lloyd Aviation Limited (holding company) (HK)

- and subsidiaries:

Lloyd Helicopters Asia Pte. Ltd. Singapore)

Lloyd Helicopters Limited (Hong Kong)

Lloyd Helicopters US Inc. (USA)

Lloyd Helicopters Europe Limited (UK)

Lloyd Helicopters Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. (Malaysia)

Lloyd Helicopters Resources Limited (Hong Kong)

Lloyd Marine Pte. Ltd. (Singapore)

Group Director of Finance (& acting Group CFO) (May 2006 – Dec 2010)

Key responsibilities:

Partnered with the Global Managing Director and reported to the Board of Directors.

Negotiated financial aspects of sales, purchase and lease contracts and agreements.

Was the main contact for group banks, auditors, tax agents, lawyers, escrow agents and insurers.

Provided financial direction and recommendations on all strategic projects for the Group

Worked with the Board on group planning, analysis and recommendations.

Led the Finance function for the group, with strong controls, based on IFRS and GAAP.

Was overall responsible for 8 companies reporting and compliance in different countries.

Managed new loan initiations, servicing, reviews, extensions and repayments.

Ensured compliance with offshore trust requirements.

Key achievements:

Led negotiations resulting in sale and purchase contracts for US$26m worth of aircraft.

Successfully managed US$18m loan facilities and leases for aircraft in accordance with all covenants, rescheduling, early repayments and renewals.

Reviewed group gearing and improved the group capital structure towards more optimal gearing.

Reviewed and optimized project risks and ROC’s and improved group risk adjusted profitability.

Worked on re-investing profits into range of investment projects significantly contributing to group growth of over 9 times in 8 years.

Analyzed project risks and returns to minimize downsides and maximize project profits

Successfully structured complicated aircraft transactions to ensure efficient completion and execution.

Oversaw the finance teams, directing and motivating resulting in on time deliverables and low staff turnover.

Group General Manager (May 2002 – Apr 2006)

Key responsibilities:

Set corporate policies, procedures, controls, compliance and continuous improvement.

Prepared group monthly, quarterly and annual financial statements with analysis for the MD.

Liaised with external auditors, tax consultants, company secretary and legal advisors.

Implemented a group accounting system and internal control system.

Managed a team of finance staff and reviewed all accounting for the group.

Ensured corporate tax, GST, payroll/CPF compliance.

Oversaw HR, IT and Legal functions.

Key achievements:

Restructured a complex group structure into a simplified and rational group structure resulting in access to new additional sources of finance.

Analysed costs of funds and obtained significantly cheaper sources of funding from banks and finance companies resulting in significant savings in interest payments.

Regularly evaluated group assets and project risks and ensured group insurance and risk mitigation was in place and sufficient.

Evaluated many aircraft projects identifying the higher value added projects resulting in better returns and higher group profits.

Achieving more access to funding, better interest rates and higher yielding projects resulted in group profitability improving from breakeven to gross profits of approximately 30%.

Setup a number of new overseas subsidiaries to facilitate new projects and operations.

KPMG, Singapore (Apr 2001 – Apr 2002) - Transaction Services Manager

PRIDIE BREWSTER, London (Apr 2000 – Mar 2001) - Corporate Finance Manager

PRIDIE BREWSTER, London (Feb 1999 – Mar 2000) - Audit Manager

COOMBES WALES QUINNELL, London (Feb 1997 – Jan 1999) - Audit Supervisor

CHANTREY VELLACOTT, London (Nov 1994 – Dec 1996) - Audit Senior

CHANTREY VELLACOTT, London (Sep 1992 – Oct 1994) - Audit Junior

Other responsibilities:

Responsible for over-seeing and delivering financial due diligence reports on acquisition targets.

Planned, conducted and reviewed many financial due diligence projects

Managed teams of auditors and liaising closely with clients to ensure completion of audits.

Completed large group audits and resolved technical issues with demanding clients.

Other achievements:

Identified undisclosed liabilities during due diligence work resulting in cessation of acquisition.

Identified material impairment of long term assets resulting in material decrease of acquisition valuation.

Prepared business plans and financial models for startups seeking finance resulting in several startups receiving early round funding.

Managed High Court of London receivership case resulting in successful business disposal.

Contributed key work towards a fraud investigation resulting in larger settlement for plaintiff.

Academic/Professional Qualifications

2012 : Masters of Business Administration (MBA) with Finance Concentration,

University of Chicago Booth School of Business

2010 : Member of the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants (ISCA)

(Formerly ICPAS, CPA in 2011 then ISCA in 2013)

1998 : Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW)

(Associate, ACA in 1998, Fellow, FCA in 2013)

1991 : Bachelor of Science (Hons) Mathematics & Management Studies,

King’s College, University of London

Systems / IT experience

All Microsoft Office software, Excel, Word, Powerpoint, Access. Wide experience of many accounting systems including Sage, Accpac, MYOB, Epicor and other ERP systems. Warehouse systems such as Manhattan SCALE warehouse management system.

Personal Particulars

Date of Birth : 6 June 1970 (44 years old)

Citizenship : British – Singaporean Permanent Resident

Languages : English (Native), Mandarin (Basic)

Marital Status : Married with 2 children

Interests : Squash, Running, Reading.

Contact this candidate