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Manager Management

Location:
United Kingdom
Posted:
March 31, 2014

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Resume:

Dear Sirs

APPLICATION FOR FINANCIAL REPORTING POSITION

I am a Chartered Accountant (S.A.), who moved to the UK in late 2010 for personal and family

reasons. I have experience of assisting the post-apartheid SA Government reform the financial

management practices of its new local government system between 1995 and 2010 as well as

also being in the forefront in the development and implementation of accounting standards,

specifically IFRS, in the South African public sector.

I had to initially develop a tailored set of accounting standards (Generally Accepted Municipal

Accounting Practices) and later was involved in the transition of these standards to IFRS. I have

also developed IFRS implementation guidelines, training of varying skilled finance officials and

trained non-finance officials on the implications of implementing IFRS. I have also assisted

numerous organisations, mainly in the public sector, fully implement IFRS.

My experience includes working in a Big 4 firm, Deloitte & Touche South Africa, where I was a

partner for 9 years, and thereafter establishing a start-up company (Akhile) in the financial

management services industry. I have developed strong business development and leadership

skills from these experiences and understand the importance of developing and implementing

marketing and business retention strategies to achieve pre-determined and challenging financial

objectives.

I am a confident communicator who is at ease to engage with important stakeholders. My other

strengths include accuracy and attention to detail, good analytic and research skills, the ability to

successfully work within tight deadlines, leading and working with diverse teams and location

flexibility from a working environment perspective.

Since relocating to the UK in October 2010, I have focussed on the hospitality industry, assisting in

the reform of the tied pub industry. This has included research, participation in various political

processes and undertaking ad-hoc consultancy work in the hospitality sector on a self-employed

basis. However, whilst I have found this work interesting, it does not provide sufficient personal

development challenges. I have therefore decided to seek employment in a financial reporting

and/or financial leadership role.

I confirm that I am a British citizen, am available to start immediately and able to work anywhere in

the UK. I am confident that my understanding of IFRS and my ability to design and implement

appropriate accounting processes will add value to your organisation.

Yours faithfully

Alan Yorke

Chartered Accountant (S.A.)

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ALAN YORKE

17 BARKER DRIVE, CAMDEN, LONDON, NW1 0JG

019**-****** +44(0)740-***-**** *******@*****.***

PROFESSIONAL PROFILE

Chartered Accountant (SA) Former Partner at Deloitte & Touche and Director of own Start-up

Company (Akhile). Career focussed on:-

Implementation of IFRS in local governments and national government entities, including

research on applicability, development of implementation guidelines and training of non-degree

accounting personnel;

Research, development and implementation of international best financial management

practices in South Africa and other African territories, focusing on bridging the gap between

public and private sector best practices;

Development and implementing of turnaround strategies for financially challenged local

governments, including large Metropolitan Cities; and

Business development through marketing, successful management of diverse teams and

stakeholder engagement.

Currently self-employment doing ad-hoc financial and operational assignments mainly focussed on

the UK hospitality industry. I am seeking to strengthen the financial reporting function in a large

corporate company.

KEY SKILLS

IFRS Implementation: Qualified Chartered Accountant (SA) with expertise in

implementing IFRS in the public and private sectors – researched relevance and adaptability,

developed implementation strategies and assisted local governments implement IFRS.

Significant insight into UK accounting procedures and global IFRS application. Engaging with

UK Financial Reporting Council on adherence with IFRS by certain UK listed companies.

Business Development and Other Strategies: Ability to drive business-development

strategies having built a national business unit focusing on local government consulting whilst

at Deloitte and later formed own consulting business (Akhile). Developed support strategies

and delivered programmes for global bodies including the World Bank and various European

government donor-aid agents.

Stakeholder Engagement: Considerable experience of working with a range of highly

influential external stakeholders on a range of key financial management projects, including

cabinet ministers, politicians and high-profile clients. Deploys accomplished public speaking

skills in a wide range of contexts, including presenting at conferences and workshops.

Recently, part of delegation meeting UK Business Innovation & Skills Minister and other

politicians on reforming the tied pub industry.

Leadership: Managed diverse and complex consulting projects with large diverse teams.

Successfully developed and retained talent through effective coaching and mentoring.

Confidently leads progressive training initiatives to culturally and geographically diverse

audiences. Represented and supported organisations in lobbying initiatives around funding

and refinement or clarification of roles and responsibilities.

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CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

Self-employed Financial Consultant

2012 – present

Contributor of financial data and research to campaign bodies lobbying for reform of the UK

tied Pub Industry.

Drafted various research papers into the tied pub industry and the self-regulation framework

for campaigning bodies for change. Work has been used by Chair of the All-Party

Parliamentary Save the Pub Group.

Developed financial sustainability evaluation models for evaluating pub opportunities.

Reported to the Financial Reporting Council on the incorrect application of IFRS by listed

companies in the pub industry.

Undertaken an evaluation of the bar operations at a 5-star resort for the Operations Director.

Managed a tied pub tenancy

2011 – 2012

Manager at the Foresters Arms, Forest Row. Reopened previously derelict pub, driving

turnover up to £24,000 per month within 6 months.

Director, Akhile Management & Consulting (Pty) Ltd, Pretoria

2006 – 2010

Founding member of start-up financial management consultancy

Led municipal finance related consulting assignments, driving annual turnover to more than

ZAR 27 million in four years.

Company Secretary and Finance Director.

Deloitte & Touche – Various positions

1984 - 2006

1997 – 2006: Partner, Deloitte & Touche

1994 – 1997: Consulting Manager, Deloitte & Touche

1989 – 1994: Audit Manager, Deloitte & Touche

1984 – 1989: Articles of Clerkship, Deloitte & Touche

SUMMARY EXPERIENCE (TO D E M O N S T R AT E K E Y S K I L L S )

OF

IFRS development and implementation

Oversaw the development and implementation of GRAP (IFRS) alongside draft legislation and

regulations on financial management practices for the SA National Treasury.

Developed pro-forma IFRS complaint specimen municipal annual financial statements as well

as the first specimen consolidated financial statements for municipalities.

Assisted in excess of 40 municipalities implement IFRS, including conversion, IT system

redesign, training and capacitation of municipal officials and annual financial statement

preparation. Included Cities of Cape Town and Johannesburg.

Participated in the preparation of a fully IFRS compliant Fixed Asset Register for the SA Water

Affairs Department. This included componentisation of large scale water infrastructure,

guides for engineering field staff, valuation, residual values and useful life estimation.

Business and strategy development

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Co-authored a study on the State of the Cities Finance Report for SA Cities Network,

published in October 2007.

Led numerous research projects used for lobbying purposes by stakeholders involved in local

government, including the SA Local Government Association.

Participated in the reform of the Namibian Local Government System on behalf of the World

Bank: developed a trust fund tool to support equitable development; calculated a fiscal gap

between allocated responsibilities and priorities versus the ability of Namibian local

governments to finance such responsibilities; and synthesised four separate studies

undertaken on various municipal functions and structures.

Undertook major World Bank funded financial management study, covering nine local authorities

in Malawi and focusing on reforming budget systems, accounting systems, revenue sources,

rating and valuation procedures, financial reporting and control reports to the Ministry of Local

Government to prevent a financial crisis.

Worked with 5 Provincial Governments to manage interventions in approximately 25

municipalities in financial distress; developed short-term and long-term strategies to restore

financial viability.

Undertook numerous studies for SA National Treasury, including designing a Municipal

Financial Management Grant and assisting to pilot a Municipal Restructuring Grant.

Assisted in the design of UK Department for International Development local government

programme (LOGOSUL) in 1999; subsequently appointed as Programme Manager for the

duration of the programme (four years).

Stakeholder Engagement

Advised the SA National Treasury in drafting the Municipal Finance Management Act;

developed six sets of regulations required to be issued by the Minister of Finance.

Presented four papers at an annual conference of the Institute of Municipal Finance

Officers.

Drafted a manual to assist municipal councillors fulfil their financial management responsibilities;

related training courses were delivered to 40 municipalities throughout the country.

CREDENTIALS

Key Qualifications

Chartered Accountant (SA), Public Accountants & Auditors Board

B. Compt (Hons)/CTA, University of South Africa

Professional Memberships & Committees

Member of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA)

Past member of the SAICA Public Sector Committee

Past Member of the Institute of Municipal Finance Officers (IMFO)

Past Council Member of the Institute of Public Finance & Auditing (IPFA)

Past Chair of the Audit Committee of the Department of Environmental Affairs & Tourism

Hospitality Qualifications

Personal Licence Holder for England and Wales.

BII Certificates in Level 2 Food Safety in Catering, Award in Beer Cellar Quality Management

and Introduction to Licensed Retail Operations.

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