Bernard Abela Email & Phone Number

Naxxar, Mt

Malta

Reporting to the Director of Commercial FinanceKey responsibilities:- providing robust Financial commentary- delivering Annual Budgets and Monthly Rolling Forecasts- providing analysis and insights to business strategies- initiating change to ensure key commercial and financial targets are delivered- building relationships with Senior Management and respective teams- delivering clear insight of financial conecepts to Senior Non-Finance Management- lead Finance Strategy projects

Malta

Reporting to the Group Finance Director my key responsibilities include:- Overseeing a team of 10 qualified & part qualified accountants - Developing and maintaining a detailed understanding of all the operational, commercial and legal aspects of the business whilst interpreting and relaying the financial results to management- Owning the monthly, quarterly and annual financial reporting process whilst ensuring consistent, timely and accurate reporting- Optimising and improving reporting processes across the group- End-to-end coordination of the audit

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Key Responsibilities:- Business partner to Operational State Leaders and Brand SWOT Team providing commercial support towards driving key strategic initiatives- Conduct area business reviews to identify productivity improvement opportunities- Prepare forecasts for all operational leaders- Identify key business drivers, company and industry trends- Various ad-hoc projects that support the strategic and SWOT teamsKey Achievements/Projects:- Awarded the General Manager of Finance - Best on the Ground Award in my first year at Flight Centre Travel Group- Formed part of a select group of analysts, supported by external consultants to identify initiatives and opportunities in improving the run-rate for Flight Centre Brand- Involved in a successful Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (EBA) and acted as the lead wage modeler to provide easy-to-use wage impact calculators to over 5,000 employees. The process successfully passed the vote at the 1st attempt, which is a first in Australia, especially given the size of the organization. The project helped me to work under pressure, communicate and promote my ideas with senior management, whilst gaining exposure across the organization- Involved in a restructuring process to close off 20 loss making stores whilst still maintain all staff and redeploying them to more brand aligned locations which resulted in higher productivity across the brand

South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Luqa, Malta

Key Responsibilities:- Responsible for Revenue, Accounts Receivable, Capital Expenditure and Tax areas and managing a team of 2 direct reports- Ensuring accurate and timely month end reporting (5 day closing period) - Building financial models and variance analytics, including dashboard reporting - Preparing and presenting commentary on reported actuals to the CFO- Achieving compliance with relevant group-wide KPIs,- Ensure compliance with internal control procedures and identify ares of improvement- Acting as the Finance direct point of contact in New Product Development meetings- Preparing statutory financial statements & tax-related computations on a yearly basis and coordinating the external audit engagement between internal and external stakeholdersKey Achievements/Projects:- Promoting my direct report on my departure and watching her develop into a future leader- Coordinating and implementing IFRS 15 project requirements across the organization- Implementing balance sheet reconciliations under new group policy- Implementing EU wide group internal controls in relation to month-end reports- Automation of various excel models including, management accounts, corporate tax workings, Financial Statements and variance analytics- Introducing a new ticketing system, JIRA, across the organization for asset creations reducing significantly the volume of emails received on a day-to-day basis

Key Responsibilities:- Provide internal training up to accounting and audit staff up to Supervisor Level on general recognition, measurement and disclosure IFRS requirements- Assist the audit and accounting departments with IFRS technical queries on various engagements- Maintain abreast with recent developments of IFRS-related issues- Engage with the Audit Department on audit engagements in various industries mainly manufacturing, automotive, construction and shipping.Key Achievements/Projects:- Seconded to Istanbul, Turkey for 6 weeks (March – April 2015) on the audit engagement of the firm’s biggest client operating within the shipping industry. I was also seconded on the same engagement for 1 month in March 2014.- Formed part of a worldwide SEC SOX engagement in relation to a leading pharmaceutical company operating in Malta

Malta

Key Responsibilities:- Seconded for 1 year to one of the firm’s major clients in the manufacturing industry to assist the Financial Controller in the day to day operations- Assist Senior Auditors in audit engagements- Prepare financial statements up to Trial Balance- Conduct bank reconciliations and VAT Returns- Perform other administrative duties including data inputting utilizing Sage Line 50

Master Of Business Administration (M.B.A.), Mba With Specialism In Finance

Accounting, Economics, Organisational Behaviour, Finance, Project Management, Marketing, Financial Risk Management, Credit Risk.

Bachelor'S Degree, Accountancy Hons., Second Upper Class Honours

Bachelor'S Degree, Accountancy & Management, Second Upper Class Honours

Matriculation Certificate, Accounting And Marketing, Maths, It, English, Systems Of Knowledge

Gcse'S

Activities and Societies: Class Prefect, Captain of Handball and Basketball Teams

Common Entrance Exams & Junior Lyceum Exams, Maths, English, Maltese, Religion & Social Studies