Over the past decade, I have been part of the senior leadership team driving the development and growth of Gorilla from a Digital Agency of 6, to a full service Creative Advertising Agency, with near 50 employees highs. It was during this time that we expanded Gorilla's footprint from Durban to Johannesburg to meet our customers ever growing demand for our industry leading advertising and marketing capabilities which has seen Gorilla achieve multiple Mobile Marketing Agency of the Year and Assegai Integrated Agency of the Year Awards all the while further expanding our Durban Head Office industry footprint. As Financial Manager for Gorilla, I have had an integral role in facilitating procurement agreements and pricing negotiations with Blue Chip FMCG clients including the likes of: Nestle, Procter & Gamble, Tiger Brands and Unilever (to name but a few). Further to this, I have been involved in the development of a comprehensive digital and creative industry asset pricing model (in conjunction with a specialised advertising and financial team) which has been stress tested in a live industry leader competitor agency bidding auction environment.Part of my portfolio also includes the custodianship of Gorilla's Employment Equity Committee, as well as the Management, Development and Facilitation of Gorilla's Workplace Skills Plan and Annual Training Report. I have also contributed to Gorilla's BBBEE business transformation agenda which has seen the successful launch of our Academy which drives female first academic transformation in our industry.My understanding of the Digital Media landscape (cross channel media expertise) has been refined and over the years I have developed / rolled out countless digital media strategies to support campaign and marketing objective lead outcomes. I've also developed and managed Gorilla's own dedicated digital media division and have continued maintaining and developing relationships with our external specialist partners.

After 3 years of being the Financial Accounting and Tax Compliance Manager for Gorilla, while working at Howard & Associates, I joined Gorilla full-time as a Junior Financial Manager (which at the time was a team of 6 employees including shareholders) it was during this period I gained extensive insight into the Marketing and Advertising Industry within an Agency Environment. It was also during this time that I was introduced to the fast paced world of Blue Chip FMCG clients with Gorilla's expansive customer portfolio base including the likes of: BP, Dairymaid, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck Pharmaceuticals, Mondelez, Nestle, Procter & Gamble and Unilever.I took an avid interest in the Management and Development of the Digital Media Buying, Reporting and Analysis (as this form of advertising was only just starting to explode on to the market as a communication medium) for many of our brands across various industries and market sectors. This also included strategic partnering and management of media and campaign requirements with media partners such as Mindshare, Starcom, PHD etc.My core business duties included the delivery and management of the following services and output:- Monthly Management Accounting and Reporting.- Monthly Financial Forecasting.- Monthly Cash Flow Forecasting and Management.- Project Profitability Reporting. - Full Service Debtors Management.- Full Service Supplier Management. - B.B.B.E.E Management and Reporting. - Business Operations Management.- Leave Management.- Monthly Payroll Management.- Annual Financial Statements (Production, Review and Approval).- Monthly Statutory / Tax Returns: PAYE, UIF, VAT etc.- Bi-Annual Statutory / Tax Returns: EMP501 Reconciliations, Provisional Tax Submissions etc.- Annual Statutory / Tax Returns: Workmen's Compensation Submission, Company Tax Submission, CIPRO / CIPC Annual Companies Declaration etc.- Annual Shareholder Personal Tax Returns.- Reporting to the Managing Director of Gorilla.

During my time at Howard & Associates I gained extensive financial accounting and tax insight into various businesses through the management of their business financial and tax compliance requirements. Including but not limited to the following industries: Marketing and Advertising, Manufacturing, Retail, Security and Protection Services, as well as Legal and Health Care Practitioners.My areas of interest and strength included the delivery of the following services and output:- Corporate Structures and Restructuring (CIPRO / CIPC).- Corporate Tax Efficiency Planning and Implementation.- Corporate Financial Gearing and Balance Sheet Representation Structuring.- Personal Financial Wealth and Tax Efficiency Planning and Implementation.My customer duties included the delivery of the following services and output (across my full client portfolio) :- Monthly Client Relationship Management.- Monthly Client Management Accounting and Reporting. - Monthly Client Payroll Management.- Annual Financial Statements (Production, Review and Approval). - Monthly Client Statutory / Tax Returns: PAYE, UIF, VAT etc.- Bi-Annual Client Statutory / Tax Returns: EMP501 Reconciliations, Provisional Tax Submissions etc. - Annual Client Statutory / Tax Returns: Workmen's Compensation Submission, Company Tax Submission, CIPRO / CIPC Annual Companies Declaration etc.- Annual Client Personal Tax Returns. My business duties included the delivery and management of the following services and output:- Management of a Team of Bookkeepers and Payroll Clerks.- Team Training and Best Practice (Accounting, Finance and Tax).- Management of Workflow (Inflow and Delivery Scheduling).- Project Management (Client and Team Delivery Management).- Internal Reviews and Approvals.- Reporting to the Head of Howard & Associates.