As a finance leader, I play a pivotal role in navigating the complexities of a sudden takeover of an OEM in the automotive industry by a private US-based company that solely operated in the after sales market so far: I continuously lead cross-functional collaboration – formerly to ensure the successful completion of post-acquisition due diligence – currently to provide enhanced transparency and insights for the new ownership. In this transformative phase, I am proud to have empowered my Finance and FP&A team to maintain operational excellence and to be well-equipped for ensuring timely delivery of ad-hoc and standard reports despite stringent deadlines.Selected Contributions:•Leading efforts that reduce the cash conversion cycle by steering adjustments of the inventory strategy and promoting transparent dialogue with key suppliers to ensure commitment as well as continuity.•Managing and coordinating strategies across operational departments and to top-level management to address controlled cash spending restrictions in adaption to the new owners’ “Cash is King” Doctrine.•Prioritizing actions for an optimized direct materials consumption and replenishment report to prevent production shortages and mitigating critical bottlenecks.•Driving automated mass data analysis in finance, sales, and procurement, leveraging deep SAP expertise and enhancing skills in Power BI to provide data-driven insights to address inquiries from and to support correspondence with the global leadership team in Europe as well as with the US-headquarters.•In charge of upgrading the automated accounts payable processing and archiving tool for SAP R/3, improving efficiency and ensuring the system’s compliance to evolving financial regulations (e-invoice).•Maintaining a hands-on leadership style while mentoring team members, recognizing talent, and delegating new responsibilities to foster culture of growth and empowerment.

I was in charge of developing and securing the financial transformation of the European Finance Organization of James Hardie towards a modern, digital, state-of-the-art organization.Primary Focus:•Involved in structuring and implementing a roadmap for finance transformation with the Global Transformation Team and other key stakeholders (e.g. the EU-Finance and IT Department) to align with corporate requirements and initiatives in view of rolling out SAP S/4HANA.•Continuously drove the improvement and optimization of all financial processes within crucial end-to-end business transactions (such as Procure to Pay and Record to Report).•Ensured process documentation are up to date and in a standardized format in view of the aforementioned business transactions and foremost in the Finance Department area.

As one of the key members of the German leadership team, my role was to redesign and contribute to the formulation of a financial model that increases transparency to shareholders and provides essential information, analysis, counsel, and recommendations to achieve business objectives of a fast-growing company.Selected Contributions:•Optimize financial controls and monthly liquidity rolling forecasts.•Cultivate an efficient tax and regulatory network with selected consultancy firms.•Direct the conduct of financial audits of multiple (past) business years in conformity with HGB and statutory requirements.•Steer the establishment of a contractual transfer-price study for group transactions in view of future local tax audits.•Drive digitalization enhancements within payables management and take-charge of introducing the automated sanctions lists assessment of customer and supplier master data in our ERP system.•Reestablish professional relationships with high-profile counterparts located in UK and US subsidies and serve as a sparring partner for other local departments.•Build and professionalize the German finance and controlling team.

I was in charge of the national Finance and HR Administration Department, performing strong business partnership with division-wide management and collaborating as an ally of the CFO and the CEO of the International Division.Selected Contributions:•In charge of regular financial and ad hoc reporting to local and international management in New York and London for actively contributing to scenario thinking and commercial decision-making process.•Budgeting, varance and rolling forecast analysis, long range planning of Product Gross Sales.•Lead the preparation, consolidation and review of annual financial statements in accordance with USGAAP and HGB.•Formulating and administering proactively corporate and local statutory accounting practices.•Devoted team leader of up to 4 emplyees and 2 consultants.

Comfortable in leading and developing the finance team in a corporate environment committed to transformation and undergoing a restructuring phase.Selected Contributions:•Achieved productivity improvements as well as general and administrative cost reductions.

Provided independent assurance to the Management Board of Gerresheimer AG during the implementation of sustainable measures by evaluating and improving the effectiveness of risk management, - control and control processes.Selected Contributions:•Involvement in risk-oriented audit planning.•Independent preparation and realization of worldwide audits (operational / financial) and special engagements in the context of reported Fraud & Compliance incidents and requirements from the business units or the Management Board.•Definition and reconciliation of measures with the responsible management to mitigate risk and to comply with company-wide corporate governance guidelines.•Identification and promotion of best practice procedures to support harmonization processes within Gerresheimer AG.

Responsible for the implementation of all IT performance and IT sourcing relevant elements defined in the IT strategy.1. IT Finance Management:•Implement plans, policies and processes for the accounting, budgeting and, where applicable, charging of IT resources and services in cooperation with Corporate Tax, Corporate Controlling and Corporate Consolidation.•Definition of cost models and charging models.•Manage global financial budgets and targets, take care that there is adequate funding for all IT targets and plans.•Monitor and manage IT expenditure, ensuring that all IT financial targets are met by variance analysis in any areas where budgets and expenditure exceed their agreed tolerances.•Performing of effective financial control, especially in the areas of IT services, projects and component cost models and the allocation and apportionment of all incurred IT costs.•Achieve and maintain compliance against national and international standards, as appropriate.2. IT Quality Measurement and Reporting:•Review service delivery to ensure that agreed targets are met and prepare proposals to meet forecast changes in the level, content or type of service.•Create a regular Group IT Reporting Dashboard to report on the performance of Group IT services.3. IT Sourcing Management:•Creation, update and maintain corresponding Statements of Work.4. IT Risk, Security and Compliance Management:•Recording of all IT information security breaches, elaborating remedial action to prevent recurrence wherever possible.•Management of internal and external IT audits to certify alignment with compliance requirements.•Carry out the consolidation of workflow-oriented IT Compliance assessments and define sufficient measures to be taken for detected deficiencies as well as for potentially complex areas.•Define follow up procedure about deficiency and issue management and integrate status reports in Group IT Reporting Dashboard.

Experienced in the analysis of core procedures with a focus on risk minimization and process optimization of affiliated companies in Europe. Thorough understanding of assessing control systems, including organizational and management monitoring systems of the holding company and its affiliates. In depth knowledge in financial statements review of selected affiliated companies in preparation of annual consolidation procedure. Continuously ensuring the adherence of corporate guidelines and local business standards. Accomplished in writing and implementing questionnaires within the functions of corporate audit.Selected Contributions•Guiding the development of a concept for implementing an uniform compliance management system in the International Vorwerk Group•Undertaking detailed benchmarking analysis of accomplished main process audits.•Proven track record of evaluating Corporate Audit quality standards on the basis of DIIR (German Institute of Internal Audit).•Proactively conceived and implemented an Audit-Review Checklist about the assurance of completeness and the degree of performance.•Accomplished the creation and introduction of a checklist for semi-annual and year-end financial statements audit.•Conducted in the development of a process audit questionnaire focusing on order processing and accounts receivable.

Integrated quickly into a team who audited separate business entities of foreign companies. Served as a key assistant in the review of financial statements to verify and ensure proper accounting standards. Evaluated the integrity of operational internal control systems and was responsible for conducting and completing entire audit engagements. Committed to high level of detail and strict adherence to deadlines and budget requirements. Supported and participated in consultation services with clients concerning operational issues under commercial law.Selected Contributions•Successfully administered and coordinated process as well as financial audit engagements to completion.•Collaborating with clients on effectively and efficiently creating and implementing process improvements.•Executed mass data IT analysis procedures to identify any inconsistencies and brought them to the attention of management.•Ensured remote and on-site support to team members and conducted comprehensive business research activities.

As a new dedicated member of a company that operated in a niche service sector, I was responsible for various essential functions to thoroughly support the sales and the accounting department. During my vocational training my functions included to direct business transactions between suppliers and customers as well as to create invoices for incoming and outgoing orders.Selected Contributions•Consistently controlled inventory movements and carried out plausibility checks.•Established and maintained strategic relationships with foreign suppliers in Europe and Asia.•Monitored and analyzed expenses in the company general ledger.•Provided assistance in the end-of-month account closing events.