Björn Franz, Mba At Whu Email & Phone Number

Kaarst, NRW, DE

Krefeld, Nordrhein-Westfalen, DE

Krefeld, Nordrhein-Westfalen, DE

• 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.
• 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.
• 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).

Chicago, Illinois, US

• 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.
• 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.

Düsseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia, DE

• 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.
• 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.

Pearl River, New York, US

• 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.
• 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.

Pearl River, New York, US

• 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.

Düsseldorf, DE

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

Wuppertal, DE

• 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.

Wuppertal, DE

• 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.
• 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.

Worldwide, OO

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

Master Of Business Administration (Mba), General Management

Vorwerk Academy Certificate, Aspiring Leaders Program

Bachelor Of Science (Bsc), Finance

Associate'S Degree, Foreign Commerce