Rohan Advani

Senior Finance Professional

Executive Summary

I am a Senior Finance Professional with over 25 years of global experience and proven competencies in financial planning and expertise in Operations and Accounts Management, MIS, Asset management & Investments & Online Trading. Having worked across a myriad of industries, I have consistently been able to accomplish growth and profitability goals through insightful forecasting, ethical & responsible standards, and innovative process improvements. My ability to establish long term and productive relationships with external and internal stakeholders/ clients and team members has enabled me to attain several corporate goals and targets. Work Experience

Exuberance Asset Management & Investment LLC, Dubai, UAE Associate Vice President (Oct 2022 – Present)

Supervision of Accounts and the MIS report to the Owners

Pitching for the investments in the company’s financial products involved in investments in commodities, currencies and Nasdaq and guiding the business Development team and helping them in the daily briefings.

Heading and developing a division in wholesale Import and Export of Agri and other commodities with a separate General trading License under the same umbrella as a part of diversification. Saphira International General Trading LLC, Dubai, UAE Chief Financial Officer -CFO (March 2019-Oct 2022) Responsibilities:

● Overseeing the wholesale import & export of commodities such as rice, sugar, soybean seeds, granite slabs, quartz stone and quartz powder.

● Devising trade financing for imports of the commodities, in compliance with banking regulations and Vatable laws.

● Aiding clients to procure trade financing and creating project reports for commodity finance and project finance. Achievements:

● Successfully procured a SBLC for USD 5.75 million for soybean seeds.

● Successfully procured back-to-back LC financing limits for an amount of USD 15 million from ICICI Bank Astra Rocks & Minerals International Trading LC

General Manager (2017 to 2019)

● Successfully set up the trading company for Building materials which included Granite & Marble tiles and slabs

● Additionally Trading In barites

● Fully responsible for Setting up the company, Administrative and Finance funcrtions write from scratch. The Indian High School, Dubai, U.A.E

Head of Accounts & Finance (2002-2017)

Responsibilities:

● Managed a team of 5 spread across the Cash, Accounts and Payroll departments. I mentored my team and provided them with opportunities to grow and advance their careers.

● Worked with the internal business units and executive management, as the head of finance for 3 schools with a student strength of over 13,000 & staff of over 1,300, apart from engaging with external partners and advisors.

● Assisted with the internal & external auditors on a regular basis

● Carried out the finalization of accounts, reconciliation & cash Row analysis and budget preparation of the school, which was presented to the BOD on a monthly basis.

● Developed robust and ambitious medium and long- term financial strategies covering all key opportunities and risks.

● Provided insightful Finance support to the business in key tactical and strategic decision making. Achievements:

● Successfully managed the finances of the school to improve on the profitability year on year approx. by 8 to 10 % and also kept a tight balance so as to provide topmost quality education at the lowest possible price by controlling expenses and enhancing revenue collections.

● Handled the construction of a new school at the Dubai silicon Oasis with a project cost of 85 million. I was involved in managing the financing for the same and its implementation at every stage, whilst keeping the stakeholders up to date with information of the operations.

● Negotiated a working capital facility of AED 19 million with Local Banks to meet the temporary shortfall in cash Rows due to investments in capital projects.

● Negotiated with suppliers for deferred payments which strengthened our cash Rows

● Implemented computerized accounting, cash & payroll software & systems to establish stricter internal controls, which in turn saved time and reduced the staff. This led to savings of nearly 20% in salary cost for our department.

● Centralized the Purchase Department in accordance with the ISO 9001 procedures, thereby achieving economies of scale and avoiding duplication. This was followed by a certificate of appreciation for the same and receiving the qualification of an internal auditor for ISO 9001:2000. Emirates Steel Pipe Industry, Jebel Ali, U.A.E

Head of Finance & Accounts (1998-2002)

Responsibilities:

● Reported to the managing director, while heading the finance department and handling budget, costing & project management.

● Prepared the accounts and cash Row on a regular basis, alongside financial forecasting & projections. Achievements:

● Successfully negotiated a finance facility from the bank for an expansion project.

● Successfully negotiated for Ernst & Young to come on-board as the company’s external audit for the first time. During the audit, I was involved with helping out with a due diligence done by them where I was responsible for supplying them with all the inputs they needed.

● Instrumental in the company’s tie up with The International Investors Kuwait to further the expansion Project, which was achieved by providing the prospective investors the financials & other MIS reports and assisting Ernst & Young in preparing the due diligence report which formed the basis of their decision to invest US $ 10 million in the expansion project.

Multi Pro Enterprises/ Panabiz International Ltd., Lagos, Nigeria Assistant General Manager (1993-1998)

Responsibilities:

● Budgeting, costing, financial projections and write ups.

● Liaising with financial institutions and banks to finalize accounts and audits. Achievements:

● Negotiated prices with overseas suppliers for imports, while handling the costing of the imported products and subsequently fixing the selling prices. The tight budgeting techniques helped save the company 4 to 5% specially with thin margins on wholesaling and ensured enhanced profitability. Ocean Fisheries Nigeria Ltd., Lagos, Nigeria

Finance Manager (1991-1993)

Responsibilities:

● Purchases and Inventory management and trawler wise costing.

● Reporting and presentation of the budget, controlling cash Row and preparing MIS reports to the CEO and chairman.

Achievements:

● Identified trawler wise economic viability, thereby helping the management to decide which trawlers to be replaced or refurbished so as to improve the overall profitability of the company.

● Successfully negotiated better prices from suppliers and combined the purchases for economies of scale and a proper maintenance of inventory levels was successful in reducing the operation cost of trawlers by 3 to 5 %. India Petrochemical Corporation Limited, India

Finance Officer (1988-1991)

Responsibilities:

● Administration Finance to vet and recommend proposals for Purchase and procurements also be part of the purchase committee – Annual budget of 300 Crores.

● Salary/ TADA and other staff emoluments – staff strength of over 10,000 employees. Achievements:

● Successfully faced the CAG9 Comptroller General Audit) audit for the department.

● Part of the committee to design the Pay & Perks Policy manual for the IPCL Guide Book.

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