1. Bhavesh Shah | Telephone: 07966 441 825 | Email: baveshshah@hotmail.com
BHA VESH SHA H
F L A T 4 , G R E E N V I E W C O U R T , 1 4 3 3 H I G H R O A D , W H E T S T O N E , L O N D O N , N 2 0 9 R N
T E L E P H O N E : 0 7 9 6 6 4 4 1 8 2 5 | E M A I L : B A V E S H S H A H @ H O T M A I L . C O M
An accomplished Management Accountant with over 8 years’ commercial experience delivering timely financial reporting, full
management accounts and analysisata regional HQ level for PLCs in the Public Relations, Publishing and Manufacturingsectors.
With a strong audit background, has managed oversight of subsidiary reporting and led the completion of variance reviews,
substantiation testingand investigation of SOX compliance. Has also engaged with senior management to supportdiscussionson
business strategy,clienttargetingand staff retention and has led initiatives to re-design process around cash, logisticsand billing.
KE Y A C H I E V E M E N T S
Delivered revenue and profitability growth at Burson Marsteller by improving billing accuracy: Built a tool to record staff
hours by client to support the CFO in client pricing negotiations, eliminate over-servicing and enhance client profitability
analysis. Also produced sector and market analysis to guide strategy and aid local FDs during the bidding process.
Generated revenue gains and cost savings through process re-design at JVC Europe: Improved management of Working
Capital through development of a tool to track payments to suppliers, saved €300k from improved transport logistics and
delivered higher interest income through better cash flow forecasting to support the placing of funds on Time Deposits.
Improved Sarbanes Oxley (SOX) audit results by reviewing controls across EMEA subsidiaries: Ran sampletests and process
reviews at multiplesites,addressingprocedural weaknesses in segregation of duties and traininglocal staff and management.
Saved 1 headcount by streamlining Financial and Management Reporting processes: Automated data processing and
analysis using Excel and created standardised month-end templates, helping to maintain delivery to deadline despite staff
reductions. Also developed audit packs with full audit trail for external auditors and to aid staff cross -training.
P R O F E S S I O N A L EX P E R I E N C E
2016 Interim Financial Analyst (Contractor) WPP Coretech
An internal ITServiceCentre to WPP,the world’s largestmarketingcompany. Supports monthly financial accountingand reporting
including journal preparation, Balance Sheet reconciliation and variance review and tax calculation for WPP India.
Achievements
Cleared backlogin creation of PurchaseOrders for IBMcontractors in EMEA and Asia Pac regions.Also automated the tracker
tool and wrote process notes from scratch to support sharing of workload across the team.
Supported tax calculations in India,workingalongsidetheAsia Pac CFO and WPP India tax team.Provided analysisof Accounts
Payable and responded to queries to tight deadlines.
Improved efficiency and accuracy by using Excel to automate preparation of Accounts Payable and Receivabl e journals.
2015 Group Data Analyst (Temporary) The Color Company
A publishingand printingcompany with operations in the UK, Ireland and US. Reporting to the Group FD, given responsibility for
year-end preparations, inter-company, VAT and production of audit reconciliations.
Achievements
Supported the transition fromSage to SAP accountingsystems for year-end by rollingforward theledger, merging or creating
new accounts linked to the extended TB and overseeing the reversal of prior year journals.
Reconciled £594k of differences between VAT returns and SAP Sales figures, identifying issues on intercompany recharges
and coding corrections. Prepared schedules for the FD and auditors to validate the differences.
Automated the preparation of bank reconciliations and analysis of accounts payable/receivable, saving over 50% of
production time. Also used Excel expertise to link data by US state to sales/purchase data, improving business analysis.
2008 – 2014 EMEA Financial Accountant Burson Marsteller
A global public relationsand communications firmand a subsidiary of WPP. Recruited to the EMEA Group Financefunction with
responsibility for full management account preparation for 1 of the HQ entities and review of multi-currency P&L and Balance
Sheets for 14 subsidiaries, providing preparation guidance, analyzing client profitability, producing budgets and inter-company
reconciliations and reporting on corporate social responsibility and other ad hoc requests.
Achievements - Financial Reporting & Control
Saved £80k in 2 years through productivity gains.Automated procedures through Excel pivots and lookups, created Upload
templates to streamline month-end and improved controls over bookings and mappings to reduce errors and variances.
2. Bhavesh Shah | Telephone: 07966 441 825 | Email: baveshshah@hotmail.com
Ensured SOX audit compliant procedures at subsidiaries. Shared best practice on processes between locations, addressed
issues on reference-checking for new hires and delays in contract signing and lack of segregation in vendor set-up.
Provided training to staff and local FDs on the completion of month-end and quarterly reporting and analysis and resolved
technical queries on the group accounting system. Also prepared group budget and forecast presentations and supporting
documents for quarterly management review
Led substantiation of revenue and staff costs figures, tying ledger balances back to sub-ledgers and payroll information,
following up variances with local management and checking accuracy of mapping.
Recovered $100k in unpaid fees,completing a full reviewof work performed, invoicingand payments received to substantiate
disputed balances for presentation to clients.
Enhanced reporting and audit trail by building monthly comparisons and graphs into presentations and producing fully-
referenced audit packs complete with key account review for external audit review.
Achievements - Financial Analysis
Improved billing accuracy by leading development of Employee Billability / Utilisation reports, acting as liaison with IT.
Designed the reportingrequirements and guided the implementation, providingadviceto FDs from each subsidiary.This tool
also improved planning and allocation of staff resources.
Supported business development by producingrevenue analysis by clientand sector (Healthcare,Energy and Public Affairs)
to identify growth opportunities, assess business strategy and highlight potential conflicts of interest.
Increased workingcapital through analysis of contractterms,identifyingareas for improvement and highlightingissues to the
Financial Controller for discussion with the Treasury Department.
Supported staff retention by analysingheadcountmovements and turnover by market in conjunction with the HR Managing
Director, using the data to guide HR strategy.
2008 EMEA Financial Accountant (Contractor) Dow Jones Inc
Hired on a short-term contract and reporting to the Financial Controller, was responsible for managing the month-end process
while providing commentary on variances and performing multicurrency Balance Sheet reconciliations.
Completed all high-level reporting and ad hoc analysis for the CFO, Business Finance and Corporate Strategy teams to tight
submission deadlines.
2005 – 2007 Group Finance and Management Accountant JVC Europe Ltd
Based in the European Head Office of an international consumer and professional electronics company with 22 subsidiaries.
Reporting to the FD and with a team of 3, was responsiblefor production of 5 year Business Strategy budgets, full Management
Accounts, inter-company account reconciliations, forecasts, Accounts Payable/Receivable and Treasury and FX management.
Achievements
Enhanced transfer pricing accuracy and eliminated losses on internal sales. Performed an in-depth financial analysis of
shipping and transport costs, sales prices and costs of goods for audio portables and in-car navigation systems to ensure
correct allocation of profitability by subsidiary.
Generated cost savings of €300k per annum by rescheduling deliveries, reducing them from 6 a month to 2 to fully utilise
capacity. Also negotiated improved freight charges from the internal logistics warehouse in Belgium.
Delivered revenue gains of £70k per annumby producingenhanced cash flowforecasts to better manage surplus cash.Placed
cash on Time Deposit to achieve better rates of interest.
Improved management of WorkingCapital and clientrelationshipsby creating a Pan European Accounts Reconciliation system
to process all payments to International Dealers, minimising penalty charges for breaches and avoiding early payment.
Supported Financial Planning and Analysis, working in partnership with the Corporate Planning Department.
Oversaw budgets up to £30m, providing independent verification of pricing and cost assumptions.
EARLY CAREER
Accounts Assistant Coppard & Co, Chartered Accountants & Auditors, Covent Garden, London 2002 – 2005
Accounts Senior RA Pick & Co, Chartered Accountants & Auditors, Mayfair, London 2000 – 2002
ED U C A T I O N & Q U A L I F I C A T I O N S
Association Of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) Ongoing
Law (LLB Hons), University of Buckingham 1996
S Y S T E M S & L A N G U A G E S
Systems – MS Office including Advanced Excel, Maconomy, SAP Business One, SAP (BFC Cartesis), Oracle (PeopleSoft)
Languages – English (Native), French (Basic/Intermediate)