Richard Watson Email & Phone Number

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

As Head of Finance and Operations at Risk Logic Pty Ltd my responsibilities include:• Providing strategic and commercially focused advice to management. • Providing insightful financial analysis to drive improved cashflow and business performance.• Ensuring the efficient operations of practice management including project profitability and effective resource planning and utilisation.My focus as leader of the Finance and Operations team is to deliver the teamwork necessary to achieve excellence in the performance of the Practise Management Office and the monthly reporting of financial performance of the company.My specific achievements include:• Improving cashflow and return to profitability by more efficient invoicing and revenue recognition• Effectively engaging management, ensuring results optimized and other KPIs met.• Streamlining financial reporting and the practice management of back-office functions.

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Providing CFO services to SMEs

Sydney

As CFO at Dynamiq Pty Ltd my responsibilities included:• Provision of strategic and commercially focused advice to executive management and the board. • Provision of insightful financial analysis to drive improved cashflow and business performance.• Partnering with other functions to optimize performance via standardization and simplification.My focus as leader of the finance team was to deliver and maintain the teamwork necessary to achieve excellence in the performance of both the company and individual members of the finance team. My specific achievements include:• Improvement in cashflow and return to profitability by reducing overheads by 2.0m.• Effectively engaged executive management, ensuring results optimized and other KPIs met.• Improved focus of the finance team with engagement and clear communication of objectives and expectations. • Simplified corporate structure, streamlined financial reporting, and consolidated back-office functions.

Sydney

As CFO, responsibility for compliance with all ASX reporting and governance requirements and driving strategic planning and ensuring accountability across the business was the key focal point of this role.My specific responsibilities included:• Providing leadership to the Accounting and IT teams. • Driving strategic planning and accountability across the business.• Driving efficiency, standardization and simplification across the business.• Providing detailed insights and analysis to management to enhance business performance.• Preparing all ASX reports (including appendix 4C, 4D and 4E) and other statutory filings.Achievements included:• Complied with all ASX reporting and governance obligations.• Reduced overhead expenditure by 2.1m per annum.• Gained control over Inventory and reduced stock on hand with negligible write offs.• Implemented an integrated forecast and budget methodology including quarterly forecasts.

Sydney, Australia

As CFO, a particular focus of the role was to provide strong leadership to the finance and IT teams with an emphasis on rebuilding and motivating the teams including re-engaging with the rest of the business. Driving the strategic planning exercise for the region, including the development of strategies to achieve the financial objectives set by head office, was also a key focus. My specific achievements included:• Successfully re-built the finance team, re-integrated it into the business and changed it into a commercially focused, business supportive function. • Effectively managed rapid growth – including revenue growth of 66% and EBITDA growth of 4.5 times.

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

As CFO the provision of strategic advice and guidance to management especially in relation to ASX reporting/governance was the priority of the role as well as providing leadership to the finance teams with reporting responsibilities required under the ASX listing rules.Highlights include, the successful dual listing on the AIM exchange in London (raising 1.5m.The provision of commercially focused financial advice in relation to the current business direction ensuring delivery of financial objectives was the foundation of the roles as well as managing relationships with key external groups including investors, bankers, tax advisers and auditors.

Greater Sydney Area

As Finance Director, the provision of strategic advice and guidance to the senior management group and leadership of the finance team were the priorities for the role, specifically in relation to group reporting (US GAAP) and local reporting (AIFRS), tax, statutory and solvency requirements. In addition, the successful negotiations with ASIC in relation to the ongoing solvency protocols, after winning a number of significant concessions from the US parent company (including the cessation of the global treasury sweep, subordination of parent company debt and the quarantining of funds to meet local employee entitlements) was a key achievement.Finally, the provision of timely and detailed financial information enabling senior officers to monitor the company's solvency and comply with the mandated reporting requirements was also a key focus of the role at my time at Ozemail.

As Finance Director, the provision of broad based strategic and financial advice to the management team was the key focus of the role as well as developing financial models for acquisitions, evaluating greenfield and disinvestment opportunities.Additionally, preparation of business cases and the provision of strategic advice in relation to acquisitions and disinvestments was a focal point, as was the implementation of process improvement.Further, the critical evaluation of the potential acquisition of a customer base from a competitor, saved the company approximately AUD 1.5m.Finally, advice given in relation to a greenfield project with a start-up company enabled the company to join a joint venture with no outlay.

San Francisco Bay Area

As VP for Finance and Administration for the newly formed Western Region, the establishment of a new finance and administration department from first principles was the immediate priority of the role. Additionally, the implementation of an integrated reporting/budget framework, ensuring accountability was also a focal point, in addition to the provision of broad based strategic and financial advice to the management team.Finally, the modelling of potential de-investments and acquisitions, including performing risk assessment, was another key focus of this role.

Commerce, Accounting, Economics, Commerce

Diploma Of Applied, Finance & Investment

Education record

Associate Membership, Accountancy