JOHN CHAPLE
Mobile: 917-***-**** linkedin.com/in/johnchaple **********@*****.***
GLOBAL FINANCE EXECUTIVE / CPA, BUSINESS LEADER
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Career assignments include top Finance positions at several international subsidiaries, as well as critical Corporate leadership roles, for Colgate-Palmolive. Most recently served as Director of Finance Business Partnering, leading the global transformation of Financial Planning & Analysis, including development and deployment of integrated technologies, and alignment of end-to-end processes, across the organization. Concurrently led rollout of standard reporting & analysis solutions across the globe. Successfully completed global implementations, resulting in improved planning accuracy, increased delivery of actionable insights, and $11MM annual savings. Previously served as Process Owner for Supply Chain Finance, strengthening controls over plant operating costs, capital expenditures, and driving margin improvement initiatives.
In addition to strong expertise in financial and accounting oversight, the roles required extensive engagement across many areas- Sales, Marketing, Supply Chain, IT, and other supporting functions- and have provided a big-picture view of operations and experience in optimizing processes and finding efficiencies across a company structure.
Key Strengths include:
FINANCE LEADERSHIP
Extensive experience overseeing all aspects of Finance / Accounting operations, executing strategies and delivering improved financial metrics in various markets across the globe
Committed to Finance Team building, through active mentoring of early-in-career professionals, as well as providing cross-functional exposures and other professional development opportunities
PLANNING & ANALYSIS
Hands-on in planning, review and analysis of business results, identifying risks, opportunities and necessary course-adjustments
Designed, developed and deployed new, best-in-class global FP&A solution, which increased transparency, shorted planning cycle times, and improved linkage to longer-range Strategic Plan
STRATEGIC TRANSFORMATION
Led various global strategic effectiveness & efficiency initiatives, driving standardization, managing change and minimizing business disruption
Proven success in streamlining of processes, increasing utilization of technology, realizing savings and improved financial performance
BUSINESS PARTNER MANAGEMENT
Trusted and credible member of leadership teams, partnering with General Manager and other functions (Sales, Marketing, CS&L, Legal, HR) to effectively manage operations while driving continuous improvement mindset
Extensive engagement with Commercial and Supply Chain partners, providing insights and managing inherent interdependencies and trade-offs, to achieve alignment and optimize overall performance
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
JOHN P. CHAPLE, CPA 2018 – Present
Principal, Advisory Services
Strategic, financial and operations management services, including interim or part-time CFO / Advisor engagements. Specialization in early-stage businesses through mid-sized entities, including PE backed companies, in Consumer Product, Pharmaceutical, Technology and Manufacturing industries.
COLGATE-PALMOLIVE COMPANY 1990 – 2017
Director, Finance Business Partnering 2012 - 2017
Accountable for global FP&A transformation (design / development / deployment), introducing leading practices including rolling, driver-based forecasting, with longer planning horizon and rationalized planning levels.
Successfully completed global implementation, resulting in improved planning accuracy, transparency, reduced cycle times, integration into longer-range Strategic Plan, and $11MM in sustained annual savings.
Concurrently served as member of cross-functional Global Analytics Council, drove alignment metrics / key performance indicators (KPIs) company-wide, and rolled-out automated, global standard Management Reporting and Business Review decks.
Director, Global Supply Chain Finance 2007 - 2012
Based in New York, managed Company’s flagship product category (Oral Care, $7 billion annual revenue). Leadership role included engagement in all aspects of strategic & operational planning, from product development through commercialization, as well as financial oversight of international supply chain operations.
Led various Finance-driven standardization initiatives, including enhancement of plant accounting processes and procedures, redesign of global costing policies, and project justifications through ROI financial analysis.
Led various strategic effectiveness & efficiency initiatives, including product and portfolio simplification, global replenishment systems and processes, cost control / margin improvement and organizational right-sizing. Efforts contributed to 350bp improvement in Gross Profit during period of extreme commodity and exchange volatility.
Finance Director, Poland / Baltics 2002 - 2007
Based in Warsaw, a key member of team managing commercial and manufacturing operations at largest and most profitable business unit in Central Europe. Expanded responsibilities included supervision of Baltic region, including Latvian commercial entity.
Head of Finance, accountable for all aspects of Finance / Accounting operations, including General Accounting, Statutory and Management Reporting, Cost Accounting, Budgeting & Brand Accounting, Financial Planning & Analysis, Treasury & Banking, Tax Planning & Compliance, Business Continuity / Risk Management, as well as Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A).
Consistently surpassed sales / profits / cash generation targets, as well as market share growth goals.
Finance Director, New Geographies Business Development 1997 - 2002
Based in Istanbul, established export operation for markets including Ukraine, Belarus, Caucasia and Central Asia. Supervised start-up Slovenian business unit covering former Yugoslavia and Bulgaria.
Successfully grew sales and profits across all markets, and subsequently converted several operations into profitable, stand-alone business units. Region now considered strategic growth markets, with over $350MM in annual revenue.
Finance Director, Czech / Slovak Republics 1994 - 1997
Based in Prague, an essential member of small leadership team for new import and distribution subsidiary.
Served as primary co-pilot to General Manager in ensuring successful start-up of business operations. Responsibilities included Finance, Information Technology and Customer Service / Logistics.
EARLY-CAREER EXPERIENCES:
Sr. Financial Analyst- Colgate Palmolive (’93 - ’94) Analytical support to Senior Financial Leaders
Sr. Internal Auditor- Colgate Palmolive (’90 - ’93) Financial / Operational reviews of operations world wide
Audit Supervisor- Coopers & Lybrand Boston (’86 - ’90) Emerging Business Audit & Advisory Services
EDUCATION & CERTIFICATIONS
BS, Business Administration Babson College
CPA Massachusetts, 1989 - Present