This consultant manager has extensive experience implementing SAP EPM solutions like BW, BPC, and C4A. He has led many projects for clients across various industries and has strong skills in areas like financial planning, data modeling, and SAP technologies. He also has a background in law enforcement investigating complex financial crimes.
1. IGNATIUS RICHARDS
22 Van Der Schyff Street, Pretoria, Gauteng, 0182 | +27 71 606 9850 | igrichards.ir@gmail.com
EPM Competency Manager / Senior BPC Consultant
SUMMARY
This consultant manager has extensive knowledge of the SAP Netweaver environment. He has
helped major clients “go live” with Enterprise Performance Management solutions that enable
Strategic decision making to top management. Most of his assignments were in the capacity of
Senior BW consultant and Senior BPC Consultant where he was the project lead on several full
implementations.
He has worked closely with various clients and consulting teams to define or re-engineer different
business processes. His financial knowledge across numerous industries coupled with his analytical
approach to risk management and planning has made him an invaluable asset.
SOLUTION EXPERIENCE
SAP Solution
Experience
Description Years Exp
SEM: BPS Business Planning and Simulation 8
SEM: BW IP BW Integrated Planning 8
SAP BPC Business Planning and Consolidation 5
SAP BW SAP Business Warehouse 8
BOBJ A4O Analysis for Office Add-in for Excel 2
SAP C4A SAP Cloud for Analytics for Planning Recent
SAP IBP for S&OP Integrated Business Planning for Sales and Operational Planning Recent
BOBJ EPM Add-in Enterprise Performance Management Add-in for Excel 5
Other IT Skills Proficiency
Years
Exp
FOX (Formula Extension) Expert 8
Visual Basic Good 8
ABAP Good 8
Logic Script Average 3
Excel Expert 8
Word Expert 8
PowerPoint Expert 8
2. FORMAL QUALIFICATIONS
Tertiary Qualification Institution Year
B Com (Economics, Money & Banking) NWU 2002
Honours B Com (Economics & Financial Risk Management) NWU 2002
Diploma (Forensic Auditing) UJ 2005
TRAINING
SAP Training Attended
SAP BW (Advanced)
SAP BPC 10 (MS & NW)
BW on HANA
IBP: S&OP
IBP: Control Tower
Migration to S4/HANA
C4A Sales Training
PROJECT EXPERIENCE
Project Position and Role Client Year
Planning Specialist (C4A) (Project Lead) Media24 Apr 2016 to date
Senior BPC Consultant (BPC 10.1 NW)
(Project Lead)
Oceana Group Apr 2016 to date
Senior BPC Consultant (BPC 10.1 NW)
(Solution Architect)
Department of Water and
Sanitation
Feb 2016 to date
Senior BPC Consultant (BPC 10 NW)
(Project Lead)
Gauteng Department of
Finance
Oct 2015 to date
Senior BPC Consultant (BPC 10.1 NW
Embedded) (Technical Lead)
Standard Bank Feb 2015 - Feb 2016
Senior BPC Consultant (BPC 10 NW)
(Project Lead)
NHBRC Aug 2014 - Aug 2015
Senior BPC Consultant (BPC 7.5 NW)
(Project Lead)
City of Tshwane May 2014 - Jan 2016
Senior BPC Consultant (BPC 10 NW)
(Project Lead)
African Explosives Apr 2013 - Jul 2014
Senior BW/IP Consultant (SAP BW & SAP:
BW- IP) (Project Lead)
Transnet Rail Engineering Apr 2012 - Mar 2013
Senior BW/IP Consultant (SAP BW & SAP:
BW- IP) (Project Lead)
African Explosives Jul 2011 - Apr 2012
Senior IP Consultant (SAP: BW- IP)
(Technical Lead)
Liberty Properties Jul 2010 - Jul 2011
IP Consultant (SAP: BW- IP) Sasol Jan 2010 - Jul 2010
BPS Consultant (SEM: BPS) Denel Apr 2009 - Dec 2009
BPS Consultant (SEM: BPS) Xstrata Chrome Apr 2008 - Apr 2009
Other Training
Prevention of Organized Crime
Detection and Prevention of Money Laundering
Detection and Prevention of Corruption
Investigative Interviewing
Advanced Agent and Informer Handling
International Finance and Payments
International Trade Relations
3. INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE
Industry
Years
Exp
Consulting 8
Mining 2
Petro & Chemical 1
Manufacturing 4
Banking & Insurance 3
Transport 1
Local, Provincial- and National Government 4
Non-Government Organisation 1
FMCG 1
Media 1
Law Enforcement 4
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
EPM Competency Manager April 2014 to date
SAP Services Division
EOH Mthombo
Responsibilities:
Serve as advisor and thought leader, providing support to a variety of department heads and
upper management.
Offer expertise in the form of knowledge, specialty skills, experience and creativity.
Provide guidance on aspects of corporate operations to clients: human resources planning,
sales planning, production planning, financial planning, corporate IT strategy and data
processing.
Work as a team leader on special projects, responsible for planning, implementation,
integration and auditing.
Manage service to clients, including the performing of analysis and the discovery of needs
and solutions.
Guide clients through IT building projects, advising on new technologies, helping with data
management or security, or leading a strategic planning project.
Assess and manage risk through analysis of financial, statistical and economic data.
Make critical decisions to solve problems in times of need and uncertainty.
Combine marketing, operations and financial knowledge to achieve organizational goals.
4. Predict and manage change through innovative methods. Leverage advanced knowledge and
skills to succeed in driving business goals.
A strong team player, with outstanding leadership skills and a solid business background.
Solution Architecture of complex client solutions and the integration thereof to the current
client landscape.
Assist BPC teams on projects with complex requirements as technical advisor.
Understand and apply industry context to solution design and business process design.
Design and implement complex Planning, Budgeting and Forecasting, Consolidation,
Business Intelligence and reporting solutions.
Define data architectures and the integration of data models between SAP and non-SAP
systems.
Initiate and implement performance reviews.
Offer project management on contract compliance services and internal control reviews.
Communicate with clients to manage expectations, lead change efforts and ensure
satisfaction.
Initiate to gather data, analyse, interpret and formulate conclusions and suggestions.
Develop solutions for complex client situations to meet goals and objectives.
Develop work plans and coordinate daily fieldwork and project team efforts.
Handle data analysis, interpretation and process design interviews for clients.
Communicate with client management.
Monitor client expectation scope on generated results’ delivery.
Measure project progress and manage client benefits.
Handle proposals and business development calls with partners and senior managers.
Manage, develop and mentor staff to assess engagement performance and year-end
reviews.
Attend networking events and training seminars regularly.
Conform to professional standards and strict client confidentiality.
Leader consulting and client personnel to determine, quantify, execute and measure
improvement initiatives.
5. Senior BPC Consultant April 2008 to April 2014
SAP Services Division
EOH Mthombo
Responsibilities:
Consulting with Finance Businesses and IT at all levels of the organisation.
Advising on good practice approaches to consolidation to reduce the close cycle time and
improve accuracy and business insight.
Understand and apply industry context to solution design and business process design.
Design and implement complex Planning, Budgeting and Forecasting, Consolidation,
Business Intelligence and reporting solutions.
Define data architectures and the integration of data models between SAP and non-SAP
systems.
Plan and facilitate client requirement gathering and analysis workshops.
Involved in full life cycle of EPM projects starting with the initial design of the performance
framework through to the implementation of the supporting technology.
A good working knowledge of the interdependencies between different business functions
such as Marketing, Sales, HR, Production, Finance and Operations.
Planning projects include Financial and non-financial planning.
Excellent customer relationships with strong communication & presentation skills.
Excellent ability to interact with and support business users.
Strong financial skills.
Strong analytical skills.
Strong problem solving skills.
Proven SAP BW Configuration experience and knowledge of the SAP Netweaver landscape.
Deep understanding of the integration between SAP BW and BPC.
Produce timelines and an implementation plan for complex planning and consolidation
solutions.
Proven success in designing, developing and implementing client solutions & value
propositions in SAP BPC NW solutions.
Proven experience in managing the planning, organization and tactical execution of
Performance Management project delivery including: requirements definition, technical
design and development, system and user testing, accountability for project deliverables and
6. timelines, managing risk and project scope, and assuring client satisfaction and business
profitability.
Passionately guide, mentor and motivate staff members and project members.
Realize risk management policies through ensuring good corporate governance in financial
processes.
Enabling audit trail enhancements on existing financial procedures.
Manage other consultants on major implementations.
Specialist Investigator April 2004 to March 2008
Directorate of Special Operations
“Scorpions”
Responsibilities:
Investigation of Complex Financial Crime.
Case management, including assessment and review of projects.
Collect and manage evidence obtained through search and seizures.
Manage crime scenes with effective preservation of evidence.
Conduct Interviews and take Statements.
Compile and serve summonses and subpoenas.
Apply for, and execute Warrants.
Draft Section 252A applications.
Present evidence to Senior Management.
Consult with witnesses for court preparation.
Present evidence in court. Testify in criminal proceedings.
Develop and maintain an Informant network on an ongoing basis.
Execute proper control and use of intelligence with regards to good governance.
Handle agents and informers.
Take part in Covert operations.
Control secret fund budgets for covert operations.
Manage workflow to ensure compliance with strict deadlines.
Secure and manage resources within the prescripts of the PFMA and policy.
Interact with all stakeholders that form part of the investigation.
Plan and execute all overt operations such as takedown operations.
7. Conduct physical surveillance and electronic surveillance.
Analyse financial documentation to detect criminal activity.
Conduct forensic audit on suspect persons for the purpose of obtaining evidence.
REFERENCES
Daryl Landsberg Tel: 082 827 9832
Finance Business Services / FBI Delivery Management
Standard Bank
Rob Tudor Tel: 079 905 4397
Director / Senior BPC Consultant
CR Consultancy
Elza Kriel Tel: 082 456 3241
Executive: Cross-Industry Businesses
EOH SAP Services
Charles Brown Tel: 082 453 7066
Senior Manager: Financial Performance Management
Collaborit
Brigadier P. Pieterse Tel: 082 463 7227
Specialised Commercial Crimes Unit (“Hawks”)
SAPS