Peter Walton Email & Phone Number

35 E. Wacker, Suite 400

Lead accounting and finance functions, including budgeting, financial reporting, disbursements and cash receipts. Frequent interaction with Audit, Finance, and Investment Committees, and presentations to Board of Trustees and Executive Committee. Oversee Information Technology department. Head teams of six accountants and four IT specialists. Renegotiated Letter of Credit and led credit card merchant processor review, both leading to significant savings. Maintained and monitored $70M portfolio with investments largely in equities and hedge funds. Enhanced employee retirement plans by adding lifecycle funds to investment options, and presented Financial Wellness seminar highlighting the benefits of saving.

Maintained general ledger; prepared and monitored annual budget; prepared financial statements and acted as primary contact for annual audit; reviewed and approved all disbursements; reconciled all accounts. Implemented Sarbanes-Oxley style review of processes and controls, leading to enhanced Accounts Payable and Payroll processes.

Documented and designed tests for internal controls in accordance with Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

Greater Chicago Area

Led team of three in documenting, and designing tests of, internal controls in processes including software development, revenue recognition and procurement.

Greater Chicago Area

Analyzed, monitored and reported sales and trade spending forecasts; consolidated sales office forecasts and communicated to business units; ensured proper trade accrual; managed trade deal liabilities; researched drivers of business results. Provided support and analysis to Foods’ Business Development group during forecasting and annual planning process for sales and trade; annual sales were $5BB and annual trade budget was $1.4BB. Enhanced reporting on sales for senior management, working with I/S support to provide information on driver customers.

Greater Chicago Area

Managed hedging program on exposures of approximately $100MM, obtaining approval from the Treasurer, enhancing program by improving match between hedge transactions and cash flows. Set Quaker’s official exchange, interest and inflation rates for Latin America and Europe. Provided analytical and administrative support to foreign subsidiaries in obtaining approval for loans, leases and dividends, interacting with international Tax department.

Greater Chicago Area

Identified $40MM misstatement in footnotes to the financial statements and reported to management and auditors. Identified and resolved invoicing issue that incorrectly credited a Gatorade facility; resolution involved persuading facility to book unbudgeted expense. Identified invoicing issue that overstated discount given to major customer. Reconciled, analyzed and managed 40+ balance sheet accounts with a gross value in excess of $300MM, which had not been properly reconciled for approximately five years.

Greater Chicago Area

Developed and performed operational and financial audits of plants (U.S. and international), sales offices, third parties, corporate functions. Used process maps to analyze functions such as fixed asset acquisitions, accounts payable, inventory and costing. Made recommendations on how to reconcile Advertising and Merchandising accruals that helped to uncover a fraud at a foreign subsidiary. Used language skills to ensure smooth running of audits, particularly in Latin America. Led teams of up to three auditors.

England: Aylesbury, High Wycombe, Luton

Planned audits, using sample sizes based on assessment of risk and analysis of financial statements. Supervised audit teams and formally assessed performance. Produced business plans for two prospective businesses: a two-center, dual franchise motor dealership; and a realtor partnership. Plans covered three years of operations and incorporated sensitivity analysis and non-financial data.

Mba, Finance, Accounting, Economics

Ba, French And Italian