Simon Baker Email & Phone Number

Los Angeles, California, United States

Position Summary – Worked largely remotely from Reno, NV in designing and implementing financial tools to improve operational efficiency and visibility at a medical software company. Reported to the Chief Executive Officer.Accomplishments & Notable Experiences - Designed and implemented a process and associated reporting tools to enable the CEO to have much greater visibility into where company resources were being allocated with the goal of ensuring that overall resource deployment was occurring in a manner consistent with the CEO’s strategic objectives.Advised the CEO on other opportunities for increasing financial efficiency within the organization.

Greater Los Angeles Area

Managed global treasury services for Fox Entertainment Group, including the successful transition of Fox treasury activities, protocols and systems to The Walt Disney Company, following the latter’s acquisition of Fox in 2019. My primary focus while at Fox was on transforming the treasury organization to be a more value-added partner to the business. Initiatives implemented include the development of cash repatriation strategies for numerous international territories and business lines, and the design of a hedging strategy to protect EBITDA.

Culver City, California

Managed approximately 150 staff across Treasury, Risk Management, Corporate Procurement, and Corporate Shared Services (including A/P, Payroll, T&E, Corporate Card Programs, and Travel). AccomplishmentsKey member of the senior management team accountable for strategic planning and budgeting, providing guidance on balancing film production commitments with internal capital constraints, and being instrumental in ensuring that the company’s budgeting was consistent with its cash flow commitments.Financial architect for a team designing and successfully implementing SAP. Utilized the SAP platform for driving efficiencies in Accounts Payable and implementing straight through payment processing out of SAP. Managed the company’s debt financing, including the negotiation of terms, and the administration of specialized tax-based financing vehicles (including any associated currency or interest rate hedging activities).Established cash management structures in Europe, Asia Pac, and Latin America.Oversaw the design of a Treasury Management System.Made presentations to the Board of Sony Corp seeking approval for financing transactions or capital projects that exceeded delegated authority levels.Designed and implemented policies, procedures, and processes across my finance organization to meet or exceed Sarbanes-Oxley requirements.Handled the exposure risk on a property portfolio of almost $2 billion, and an annual film and television production budget of around $1 billion. Also managed a comprehensive suite of other insurance programs.Implemented a global procurement policy establishing a formal framework around competitive bidding and contract requirements, as well as encompassing conflict of interest and other corporate governance procedures.Achieved annual procurement savings of around $20mm-$25mm.

Los Angeles

Managed the Treasury and Risk Management departments, reporting to the Chief Financial Officer of Fox Filmed Entertainment.AccomplishmentsAccountable for cash flow forecasting and reporting to News Corporation and for raising the awareness of cash/working capital issues at all levels of the company and improving the quality of cash flow reporting.Managed financing activities including production financing, New Millennium (the company’s $1 billion medium-term securitization vehicle), and international tax-driven financing opportunities. Maintained the Studio’s relationship with financial institutions.Ran foreign currency hedging activities & the setting of intercompany foreign exchange rates. Oversaw cash management activities. Implemented a European cash management structure to facilitate cross-border pooling in the Euro-zone. Introduced tighter financial controls over banking operations and cash. Developed bank reconciliation database and new policies to counter the threat of check fraud.

Beverly Hills

Publicly traded (NASDAQ small caps market) diversified entertainment company with interests in publishing, television production, and feature film distribution. CPA equivalent experience. Managed the company finance function and financial reporting requirements including all SEC filings and compliance issues. Handled Investor Relations and the company’s communication of financial information to third parties. Oversaw administration of stock option and 401k plans. Ran all aspects of cash and treasury management including Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, and investment activities. Reported to the President & Chief Executive Officer. AccomplishmentsProvided company President and the Board of Directors with on-going analysis of Dove’s core businesses including recommendations on better cost control, budgeting and planning. Examples include an evaluation of Dove’s film distribution and video business, and an analysis of publishing sales and returns. Negotiated with banks and investment banks for financing on the most favorable terms for the company. Negotiated the terms for a new public offering of equity and worked with the underwriting investment bank to prepare the prospectus and registration statement. Arranged a new commercial bank facility to refinance debt in an acquired company and a project finance loan for a movie being filmed in the U.K. to which Dove had North American rights. Managed the financing for the acquisition of a TV production company. Performed due diligence work; evaluated the target and the proposed purchase price; advised on the financing structure; integrated the financial affairs of both companies in the post-acquisition period.

Los Angeles

Managed a portfolio of loans and oversaw business development in corporate finance, treasury management and risk management. Clients included 20th Century Fox (negative pick-up transactions), MGM (cash and treasury management), MCA (project financing for Universal Studios Florida), The Samuel Goldwyn Company (corporate finance, interest rate and foreign exchange management), Warner Bros.(trade finance for WB Studio Stores), and Todd A-O (leasing and acquisition financing).

London, United Kingdom

Managed the provision of corporate finance services to a number of London Branch’s largest revenue-generating clients from within a target market of the top 200 U.K. corporations. Facilitated the implementation of European cash management and treasury management solutions and provided interest rate and foreign exchange risk management advice.

Ba, Ma, Politics, Philosphy, And Economics, Upper Second Class

College - St. Edmund Hall

Advanced Accounting, Corporate Finance