Zaid Aboobaker Email & Phone Number

United Arab Emirates

Dubai, Dubai, Ae

Supporting the Executive Committee with creation of a culture that encouraged accountability across all functions. Review of all functional departments and identification of measure to improve efficiency. Support to regional and departmental leads with advice and mentorship.Training and development of finance team.Negotiating with banks and third parties to restructure financing facilities and relationships. Review existing ERP and make recommendations for improvements in reporting and control.

Washington, Dc, Us

• Management of commercial finance, financial control, legal, compliance and procurement for MENA and India region.• Member of regional Board and Global Leadership team; leading global projects for invoice process automation and creation of a shared service center that will manage transactional finance, travel and admin.• Close partnership with regional President and the MDs, practice group leaders in each office. Support each with pricing strategies for new business opportunities and devise client retention programs.• Manage key projects such as World Government Summit, World Travel and Tourism Council and Financial Sector Conference.• Own relationships with major clients which include Sovereign wealth funds, Ministerial bodies and multinational corporations. This includes negotiation of commercial terms and legal contracts.• Partner with the leadership to identify cost saving opportunities and areas where efficiency gains can be achieved.

Washington, Dc, Us

Leading finance function for IMEA and Europe, consisting of operations in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Poland, Israel, Turkey and the United Kingdom, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and India. Managing team of 25 in various locations. Key focus on driving growth in MENA, especially Saudi Arabia where double digit growth was achieved in both revenue and EBIT. Key Achievements:• Collaborates closely with Managing Directors of each country, providing strategic financial/operational advice on how to drive growth through new business development, recruiting and retaining best in class personnel and ensuring commercial interests are protected• Works with the global management team devising, recommending and implementing plans geared towards driving greater efficiency and ultimately better margin• Sits on several committees that include the global ERP team and regional leadership groups/Boards. • Travels to each office to ensure that management accounts and local statutory accounts are being prepared in accordance with the required accounting standards as well as oversees the operational matters for each office such as lease agreements.• Manages tax affairs across the region, seeking opportunities to increase tax efficiency• Prepares commercial responses to key new business proposals and attends new business pitch meetings• Leading a dedicated team of approximately 25 staff, in finance, HR, legal, compliance, procurement and admin.• Integrated two separate teams from two locations into one high-performing team providing best-in-class service to key stakeholders• Developed business plans for the regions and offices that included manpower plans that provides clear, attainable targets for MDs to drive shareholder value• Plays a key role in various due diligence processes, when looking to raise external funding and partner with third parties, both debt and equity-related deals

Washington, Dc, Us

Ensuring that all accounting processes are operating effectively for IMEA as well as Europe which consists of operations in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Poland, Israel, Turkey and the United Kingdom.• Providing strategic financial advice to the Managing Directors of each country.• Working with the global management team to devise, recommend and implement plans geared towards driving greater efficiency and ultimately better margin.• Liaising with senior teams across all regions to look for synergies both financial and operational.• Sitting on several committees including the global ERP implementation team and regional leadership groups.• Extensive travel to each office in order to ensure that the management accounts as well as the local statutory accounts were being prepared in accordance with the required accounting standards.• Managing the tax affairs across the region looking for opportunities to increase tax efficiency.• Preparing commercial responses to all key new business proposals and attending new business pitch meetings.• Leading a team of approximately twenty finance staff as well as providing guidance to operational areas such as HR.Achievements:• Successfully integrating two very separate finance teams in two locations into one high performing team providing best in class service to key stakeholders.• Development of the business plans for all regions and offices including manpower plans to provide clear, attainable targets for MDs to drive shareholder value.• Playing a key role in the various due diligence processes when looking to raise external funding and partner with third parties – both debt and equity related deals.

Washington, Dc, Us

• Ensuring that all accounting processes are operating effectively for: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, and India(offices in Delhi and Mumbai) as well as managing affiliate relationships in Saudi, Jordan and Egypt.• Managing each entities’ balance sheet, ensuring accuracy and that all accounts are understood andreconciled each month. Managing month-end closes and ensuring that deadlines are met• Reviewing weekly cash flows for each entity and working with the European Credit controller• Handling client budget tracking as appropriate. • Managing all audits, both internally from corporate and externally from tax agencies for assigned offices.• Coordinating the preparation of all required tax returns for indirect taxation (VAT, Sales Tax), payroll,with-holding, corporate income taxes and other regional taxes with the local accounting team.• Managing local banking relationships. Ensuring company policy related to signature levels is beingcomplied with.• Supporting the businesses with strategic planning and ensuring that the operational team are workingtowards the overall strategic objectives.• Leading negotiations with existing clients for contract renewals as well as new prospects• Supervising assigned accounting staff, coordinating workflow, assisting with annual reviews, mentoringAchievements:I• have been able to implement a number of processes and make the necessary changes to my team to allow for more oversight and less execution on the above listed tasks. This has allowed me the time to travel around the offices and spend time with the Senior Management teams looking at overarching strategic objectives.• Designed and rolled out a monthly KPI reporting pack which at a very high level gives a snapshot of the performance as well as looks forward based on existing trends.Using this data I encourage the Directors to look at clients where profitability targets are not being met

London, Greater London, Gb

Duties: • This role is a Middle East Board position with overall responsibility for the Finance, Operations, HR, Legal and IT functions, leading a team of five reporting into the Group CFO in London.• Providing fellow Senior Management team with strategic financial & operational counsel paying particular attention to the commercial aspects of tender responses.• Managing expectations throughout the business with regards financial performance projections, working capital and key operational constraints/opportunities.• Mentoring junior members of the team through creating clear personal development plans to achieve career goals.• Execution of all contracts with clients, suppliers and employees taking appropriate legal counsel where necessary.• Fostering and developing relationships with counterparts at clients and suppliers. • Management of all procurement including Health Insurance and ultimately responsible for controlling the cost base.Achievements:• Development and implementation of company polices on revenue recognition, staff expenses, recruitment and a number of other key processes. These were considered robust enough to be rolled out across the whole Group.• Delivering the three year strategic financial plan to the Board of the parent company in London.• Successfully managing the company’s growth through coordinating the logistics of two office upgrades in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

London, Greater London, Gb

Duties: • Maintaining the daily bank reconciliations in all currencies. This also involves striking the necessary foreign exchange deals to ensure the company is protected against exchange losses.• Cash flow forecasting and using this information to determine supplier payments as well as availability of funds for CAPEX spend. • Managing the bi-weekly supplier payment runs and intercompany settlements. This includes using the online treasury system to make or authorise payments.• Dealing with bank relationship managers on a regular basis liaising on issues such as the requirement for performance or tender bonds where requested by clients. • Managing the payroll and staff expense processes.• Travelling to the various regional officers in order to conduct financial reviews with regional Managing Directors. Travelling to the UK to attend group finance meetings when needed. • Meeting with the finance teams of our clients to build/maintain relationships and ensure the smooth running of the account from a finance perspective.• Dealing with external auditors and half year and year end. In addition, interaction with internal audit as and when needed. • Completion of half year and year end audit packs together with all associate reports required for the UK parent company.Achievements:• Playing in a pivotal role in helping the company to achieve record profits in each year of my employment through the provision of insightful information to aid commercial decision making as well as continuous efforts to cut the cost base leading to improved margins.• Successfully tendering out for the company’s new payroll software package and subsequently project managing the implementation process leading to a more efficient, cost effective payroll system.• Key involvement in the strategic direction of the business through valuable contributions to the three year plan process.

London, Greater London, Gb

Duties:• End to end production of the monthly management accounts including revenue/cost variance analysis by region. Management account packs containing full KPI analysis for regional Managing Directors with commentary. • Compiling the balance sheet for all Middle East entities on a monthly basis. Calculating the foreign currency revaluations and reviewing all balance sheet provisions. • Consolidation of the regional financial statements and reporting back to the UK parent company in multiple currencies on a monthly basis. In addition, completing the board papers for UK reporting purposes.• Managing the monthly reforecast model and the annual budget model. In addition assist in the preparation of financial outlook presentations for UK and Middle East Board members.• Working closely with all the regional Managing Directors and Chief Executive Officer in order to monitor and maintain new business opportunities.• Maintaining a risks and opportunities schedule, alerting senior management when required.• Responsible for reviewing all supplier invoices and ensuring they are correctly posted into the relevant entity’s ledger. • Managing the client billing for all the Middle East regions ensuring that all client invoices are accurate and issued in a timely manner. This involves billing for both fees and chargeable expenses. • Regular review of the debtors ledger and contacting clients to chase payments where required.Achievements:• Designing and implementing a new central database to allow management accounts and balance sheets to be completed in a more efficient and accurate way. In addition, implementing regional management account packs for distribution to aid Managing Directors with decision making. • Implementing the use of a month end timetable and financial calendar throughout the business which enabled deadlines to be met without fail.• Quickly becoming familiar with the company’s accounting system – Agresso which I had never used before.

Gb

Duties:• Working closely with the Directors of acquisitions and programming to ensure the production of accurate and timely budgets/forecasts and updates on expected out turn for the Broadcast business sector• Monthly and weekly Management Accounts including revenue/cost variance analysis for all divisions of the business. In addition, monthly review of balance sheet provisions with full commentary.• Management and maintenance of the company’s investment model. This involves regular contact with senior management to appraise potential investments. • Detailed investment appraisal for all proposed new acquisitions of broadcast programming. Appraisal included NPV, IRR, breakeven, phased P&L and cash flow together with full business case narrative. • Preparation of quarterly post investment review and communicating the outcomes to the business.• Management and development of Commercial Finance Analyst.Achievements:• Successfully designing, testing and implementing an excel based model to quantify the company’s cash flow exposure and associated revenue streams of acquiring new programming for DVD publication. This model developed significantly over time and became the basis for an entire section of the monthly management pack given the economic climate and focus on cash flow.• Key member of the project team that was responsible for redesigning and implementing a new monthly management reporting pack that enabled the company to make more informed timely decisions. This process also involved moving the company from quarterly to monthly forecasting.

Cape Town, Western Cape, Za

Duties:• Production of weekly and monthly key performance indicators relating to inventory and working capital. Writing a full commentary for Board members on inventory movements and key drivers at the end of each financial period.• Working with commercial functions to set stock and cash targets. Communicating targets to the business, including all Directors. This led to the forming of excellent working relationships throughout the business.• Assisting in the consolidation of the income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statement for both Woolworths Plc and Woolworths Group Plc.• Responsible for assessing and reporting on opportunities and threats that exist in relation to inventory and cash. Presentation of detailed analysis was often required to senior management and some Directors.• Providing support to the treasury function through dealing on the foreign exchange markets using futures and forward contracts as well as deposits and other cash management.Achievements:• Building a model that allowed the company to determine how best to invest in stock that was anticipated to have the highest rates of sell through at the most profitable margin rates thus reducing the risk exposure.• Playing a key role during the company’s refinancing from a traditional syndicated bank loan to an asset backed lending facility. This required meeting very tight deadlines, working under pressure and dealing with senior members of the board and management team.

Cape Town, Western Cape, Za

Duties:• Daily, weekly and monthly reporting of sales and margin performance for the mobile communications area of the business.• Production of monthly management accounts and mobile telephone network reconciliations.• Monthly commentary and analysis of the balance sheet provisions.• Attendance at supplier meetings to support the commercial team in making sound financial decisions.• Running regular sessions for the junior buyers to explain basic financial terminology with the aim of improving understanding of bottom line margin and profitability in the business unit.• Ad hoc analysis on the profitability of changing supplier terms and introducing new mobile handsets. Achievements:• This role demanded rigorous financial control through the implementation of various processes for which I was responsible that led to a lower exposure to risk. This was quantified by the debtor balance on the balance sheet falling from £18m to £3m during my tenure in this role.• Development of more sophisticated analysis that allowed the company to analyse profitability by mobile network. This made it easier for the business to identify the most profitable suppliers to trade with.

Fellow, Chartered Management Accountancy

Ba Hons, Business And Finance

Education record