Financial Executive

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Aninda Banerji

FCA (India), FCMA (India), CMA (USA), MCSI (UK), FCILT (UK)

Kuwait City, Kuwait adgzvo@r.postjobfree.com +965-****-****

https://kw.linkedin.com/in/anindabanerji

Chief Financial Officer

Analytical and results-driven executive with extensive international experience in finance and strategic business operations management. Performance driven business partner, developing major goals and initiatives and leading overall business operations teams to achieve shared visions and goals. Successful in creating financial and corporate governance models to reduce operating costs and business risks. Entertains a healthy level of CFO scepticism useful in executing complex business strategies that deliver on profit targets and demanding financial performance across regions, languages, and sensibilities. Skilled in ERP implementation, stakeholder engagement, relationships building, business transformation, and performance management. Adept at driving efficiency/productivity through evaluation of financial management systems and execution of process improvements, identifying business growth opportunities, enjoys challenging status quo and conventional wisdom while blending frontline operations experience with backend strategic foresight to achieve sustainable business success. Core Competencies

Strategic & General Management

Risk Assessment & Mitigation

Change Management & Sustainability

Financial Planning & Analysis

Corporate Budgeting & Forecasting

Continuous Process Improvement

Contract Negotiation & Administration

Listed Company Compliance

Career Experience

City Group Company KSCP, Kuwait

Chief Financial Officer Secretary to the Board and Executive Committee, 2013 to Present Overall business responsibility in the absence of permanent CEO for four years from 2016 to 2020, with a remit to develop and implement end to end financial and operational strategy designed to deliver business objectives mandated by the Board. Direct investments and capital expenditure and ensure effective utilisation of company resources to identify and secure new business opportunities and build profit improvement plans. Deliver strategic leadership and act as business partner to the Executive Committee challenging the team to achieve set goals. Administer the execution of group’s short and long-term business plans, financial strategy, budget and reporting, financial controls, bank relationship and treasury function and statutory audit as per capital market authority guidelines. Perform review of all business drivers and take corrective actions to achieve targets and improve financial performance. Complete P&L responsibility for warehousing and dealership business. Key Contributions:

Steering the company through the Covid-19 situation and managing Board stipulations and employee expectations with a mix of cost cuts and cash management strategy, without lay-offs, despite losing 75% revenue for the past six months; stepping up service levels for the remaining business lines and actually increasing their revenues during the crisis.

Introduced robust credit control and collection mechanism that resolved perennial issues with receivables management.

Secured a favourable deal with the Ministry of Finance, Jordan and financial institutions based in Jordan recovering long terms dues to the company which were originally payable over a 10-year period and were facing collection uncertainties.

Directly managed the banking relationship negotiating credit facilities at extremely favourable terms and acquiring institutional finance at arguably, the best rates in Kuwait, even during the current Covid-19 situation.

Led successful implementation of Oracle Fusion in Finance, HR, and Supply Chain Management including its live integrations to eight third-party software and existing systems through a full switch to Fusion without a parallel run.

Defined and developed enterprise risk management and corporate governance standards and reviewed performance dashboards for corporate and subsidiaries to evaluate business performance and take timely corrective measures.

Directed successful negotiation of terms with suppliers and customers minimising engagement costs while increasing profitability of two subsidiaries entrusted as additional responsibility by 10% YoY. United Arab Shipping Company, Kuwait/Dubai, UAE

Vice President (Financial Planning and Controlling) Board Member in French Subsidiary, 2010 to 2013 Spearheaded short - term and long - term FP&A strategy strengthening business partnership with corporate strategy, corporate development, and regional business unit heads. Led successful transformation of financial department into key analytical engine and financial resource that boosted reporting capability across the global enterprise and delivered base for optimal business decision-making. Formulated annual corporate budget, forecasting, and operational management of financial analysis and controlling functions and implemented the corporate Enterprise Risk Management program. Key Contributions:

Provided expert guidance to management consultants on critical functions during the company transformation phase.

Analysed and provided accurate actionable information to operationalise corporate strategies and restructure plans, driving profit improvement and cost rationalisation.

Conceptualized the development of an integrated web enabled budgeting, forecasting, and reporting module, away from excel based spreadsheets in use during the past 20 years, for the first time in the history of the US $ 3B company.

Led the Authorised Economic Operator certification program for the European agencies, executed transfer pricing strategy for the company’s European subsidiaries and the tax breaks for setting up the shared service centres in India. AMI Middle East LLC, Dubai, UAE

Chief Financial Officer, 2008 to 2010

Evaluated and reviewed long-term business and financial planning and provided effective recommendations to MD for profit improvement. Engaged with competitors, peers, and trade associations to deliver counterbalance against potentially risky moves during 2008-10 financial crisis, acquiring valuable industry insight and providing risk-based guidance to executive management. Introduced the concept of standard operating procedures and streamlined the process of preparing corporate budgeting, forecasting, and reporting and cash flow management. Negotiated commercially astute contracts with insurance companies, suppliers, service providers, partners, customers, and banks ensuring long term sustainability of the company. Key Contributions:

Initiated standardised measure of policies, processes, and procedures, ensuring alignment with business plans.

Defined and oversaw performance management initiatives to develop talent and capabilities for maintaining complex transformations within and outside finance function.

Implemented a new net-based bespoke ERP solution to across sales, operations, and finance functions.

Developed strategic relationship with banks, shareholders, partners, and customers to ensure company survival through decisive leadership during global financial instability during 2008-10 balancing Board mandate with ground realities. AP Moller-Maersk, South Africa, Gabon & Mali

Country Manager Finance and Administration, 2003 to 2008 Set up a joint venture in Gabon with existing shipping agent, ensuring smooth transition of management control by winning confidence of their board by presenting the right mix of strategic thoughts on scalability of business and well-integrated roadmap for the joint venture. Delivered a context to apparently divergent interests of partners by laying down long-term objectives with short-term measurable milestones; met their expectation to create a long-term value proposition. Initiated and led operations of the agency, which had not progressed for past three years, within the first 100 days completing all formalities relating to company incorporation, tax and legal registrations, appointment of insurers, bankers, and statutory auditors. Key Contributions:

Managed overall annual budgeting and reporting process, all finance and non-financial SOPs, IT systems and migration to new ERP systems and headed up administration department of the country operations.

Mentored local talent to take on roles as country finance managers for the first time in company’s African operations.

Delivered on all aspects of the financial and operations management of agencies of Maersk Line, Safmarine, DAMCO, Trucking and Internal Container Depot.

Oversaw process of buy back of shares from local partners at terms more favourable than those mandated by HO. Additional experience:

Financial Controller at Tea Division AFT Industries Ltd., Calcutta-Assam, India Entrepreneur at E-Commerce venture, Calcutta, India Group Manager at Ernst & Young, Calcutta, India

Regional Commercial Head at Siemens Limited, Calcutta, India Education and Credentials

Bachelor’s Degree (Hons) in Commerce (B Com) - Calcutta University – Kolkata, India Professional Development

Chartered Accountant (FCA) - Fellow, Institute of Chartered Accountants, India Cost and Management Accountant (FCMA) - Fellow, Institute of Cost Accountants, India Certified Management Accountant (CMA) – Member, Institute of Management Accountants, USA Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment (MCSI) – Member, The Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment, UK Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (FCILT) – Fellow, The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, UK Languages: proficient in English, Bengali, and Hindi; Intermediate Level Spanish and French Date of Birth: July 29, 1968

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