Project Manager Sales

Andrew Strachan, Sloan Fellow

********.**@*****.*** 714-***-****

http://andrewstrachan.wordpress.com/highaltitude/

Summary

Graduate of London Business School; published by John Wiley &

Sons in 2011 in a book on Private Equity; recently relocated

back to the US in the Los Angeles area, and a CFA level II

candidate.

Internationally seasoned finance professional, fluent in

French with hands on entrepreneurial approach to immediately

add value nurtured in Venture Capital backed start-up

environments and subsequently refined in large listed

companies with analytic rigour and concise communication to

the highest levels . With creative and lateral business

acumen; commercial nous; customer first principles driven

passion to accomplish objectives and lead; and with the

discretion to mentor, I have been privileged to work with

phenomenal people throughout the world and mentor many up and

coming entrepreneurs in the London start up scene.

With drive and passion for constant improvement and change, I am

eager to contribute and expand in new challenging environments,

partnering to achieve spectacular mutual success.

Experience

Managing Director; VERITRUST Ltd. (8/2011-

2/2013) London, UK

Managed client accounts for a Swiss fiduciary company

structuring optimal holding company structure, models, and

financial reporting processes and analysis for international

operations of UK trading companies.

Facilitated placement of Non Executive Directors into small

companies, evaluating and assisting in revision of business

plans for the companies to be Non-Exec ready.

Manager, Strategy project; UK Pharmaceutical Company

(8/2010-6/2011) United Kingdom

Managed team of analysts for a sales strategy project using

complex quantitative and statistical models for the United

Kingdom companion animals division preparing it for sale at

a higher valuation, transitioning the sales force from

product to services sales.

Managing Director; Gedeon Engineering (10/2008-

3/2010) France

Organised strategic market entry for a Spanish solar company

in the French market. Established offices in Lyon,

structured and implemented a site sourcing methodology,

developed the solar farm financial models and sourced

investors. Shut down in 2010 following French moratorium on

new feed in tariffs.

Senior Finance Manager; Allianz Global Assistance

(2000-2008) Paris, Zurich

Supported many activities with increasing responsibility in

an Insurance and Services company with over 80 international

subsidiaries created in 2000 as the result of a merger.

> Developed the business plan and models to rationalise

legal entities and acquisition of new entities

following a merger resulting in office consolidation

country by country.

> Piloted internal change processes for the new group

including consolidation, reporting, FP&A, investment

management, cash flow, and KPI's, leading to 4x growth

in 4 years.

> Piloted and successfully closed the Board driven IT

change initiative to replace existing reporting

software: analyzed business case, developed commercial

solution with an RFP, vendor evaluation and

negotiation, budget definition, and negotiated board

approval.

> Managed the resulting multi-million E consolidation

reporting project, delivered on-time within budget

reducing the closing cycle by 6 days.

> Solvency II analysis. Evaluated QIS (Quantitative

Impact Studies); analysed and provided recommendations

on beta versions of Allianz and Moody's Ratings

Solvency Capital Requirements models; collaborated

with actuary in defining VaR (Value at Risk) and

solvency ratios for the group.

> Re-designed and built IFRS chart of accounts for

stakeholders' consolidated reporting requirements

(management, divisions, board, parent company, bridge

to USGAAP) including KPI's, commercial activity

reporting, VaR reporting, and investments resulting in

higher quality concise deliverables.

> Directed major SOX implementation projects including

Section 302 certification of financial results, section

404 assessment of internal controls, and entity level

control assessment (ELCA) processes.

> Managed the monthly, quarterly and annual closings,

budget cycles and forecast. Point person for the

auditors. Review/Analyse actual financial

performance and variances providing commentary.

Financial Analyst; Danzas Group (1999-

2000) Basel

Logistics company purchased by Deutsche Post and now part

of DHL.

In preparation for sale to DHL and to substantiate high

valuation, delivered a complex Excel KPI modelling

application for the CFO requiring significant research

and modelling requirements on large volumes of data and

quick assimilation of the business drivers and selling

rationale for this successful board driven initiative.

Project Manager; EFG Private Bank (1999-

2001) Geneva

Newly formed private bank with 10 subsidiaries and no

developed financial reporting back office.

Managed project team to develop the internal processes

and implemented IT reporting processes. Assisted the new

department in adopting best practice, reporting

discipline and flexibility for change.

Project Manager; Alusuisse (2000-

2001) Zurich

Complex manufacturing group with 3000+ operating entities

that had outgrown current systems.

> Supported the CFO to rationalise and automate the

finance IT processes and reduce time lags initiating

and implementing change using technology as a lever

significantly improving quality and speed. Managed

multiple external suppliers.

> Guaranteed the smooth reporting transfer of 3000+

entities following acquisition by Alcan in Montreal.

Project Manager; Financial Analyst; Finance Manager; SAirGroup

(1996-2000) Zurich

Massive restructuring of the group from Swissair to

SAirGroup required an overhaul of corporate finance

processes and systems to reflect the new organisation.

> Managed several teams composed of internal and

external resources to define and implement new

consolidation and reporting applications. Developed

internal reporting processes in several GAAP's

including KPI's and commercial reporting. Managed

stakeholder requirements, internal training

development and delivery, and organisational

adaptation resulting in the successful transition of

financial reporting in the new group structure.

> Expanded responsibilities adding value in affiliates

Gate Gourmet, Swiss tel, SAirlines, and SAirTechnics

capitalising on the headquarters investment to

establish affiliate specific value added projects to

track divisional revenue drivers.

Project Manager; Elma Chips

(1996-1997) Sao Paulo

FMCG company adapting to the elimination of hyper-inflation

accounting in 1996 with no developed budget culture.

Worked with a local sales team selling budget IT

applications to identified prospects.

Through implementation of the budget application at Elma

Chips, introduced, a budget culture and assisted in

budgeting knowledge transfer to the local Arthur Andersen

team.

Other various short term consulting clients:

Mobil Canada; Union Carbide; Disney Development Corp.;

Placer Dome; Dover Corp.; Freeport MacMoran; AIG; Manulife

Toronto; Laurentian Bank; Pfizer; Lindt and Sprungli; Welch

Allen; Warner Lambert; Lexmark; Firminich...

Prior Experience

Comshare Inc.

USA, France, UK

July 1995 - June 1996: International Business Development,

London.

Directed product launches to all partners worldwide; identified

new partners and participated in key sales opportunities;

developed worldwide and local sales strategies, penetrated Swiss

and Brazilian markets. 85% travel, Europe and South America.

July 1994 - June 1995: Project Manager, Paris.

Guided successful introduction of Comshare's financial reporting

software in the 60+ employee office in France resulting in a new

sustainable revenue stream for the office.

June 1991 - January 1994: Sales Consultant, Ann Arbor.

Presented extensively throughout the USA giving seminars and

participated in key sales opportunities for 17 US sales offices.

Member of 'Commanders Club', reaching sales objectives each year.

Assisted in product development specifications and supervised

client development projects: project plans, resource

requirements, and budget.

February 1989 - June 1991; Orion Micro Systems, Inc., CT

USA

Entrepreneurial position in a 5 person VC backed start up software

firm with a financial consolidation and reporting software product

assisting in most activities including sales, marketing, product

development and strategy. Steered the marketing strategy for a

successful trade sale and transfer of the company to Comshare, Inc.

Assured the successful integration into the acquiring company's

corporate strategy.

September 1985 - February 1989; Interactive Market Systems, New

York, NY USA

Account Executive in a small VC backed entrepreneurial market

research SW company; trade sale to VNU.

Education

Sloan Fellowship Advanced MBA in Leadership & Strategy

UK

August 2007; London Business School

> Winner Fuld and Co. Strategy Competition.

> Final research project on LBO of Debenhams, now adopted as a

private equity class case study at London Business School,

London School of Economics, and Coller Institute of Private

Equity.

Bachelor of Science degree in finance and accounting; minor:

economics USA

1985; State University of New York at Albany

> Co-founder and President, campus branch of the American

Marketing Association

> Member Deans Advisory Council

Personal Details

US and UK national; Fluent in French and English; Professional Organist.

2012 Walpole Innovation in Luxury Business Plan Competition

finalist with a 3D metals application in jewellery.

Contributing author 'International Private Equity Textbook' published April

2011 by John Wiley & Sons.

http://eu.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-047*******.html

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