A Chartered Tax Adviser and international law specialist by training with substantial commercial, corporate tax, legal and financial exposure and practice, together with significant experience managing teams of 5 – 50 in SMEs and multinational businesses and experience in an international organisation (International Seabed Authority). Success in building a finance function from scratch, devising and implementing tax efficient structures, embedding transfer pricing methodologies, restructuring the business operation to support the delivery of business strategy (including talent acquisition), negotiating a business sale and driving change in culture across an international operation. More recently, regulatory planning and development for deep sea mining activities.
Strong leadership across multi-disciplined teams, commanding respect of company personnel and senior management teams through the exercise of mature judgement, experience and handling confidential and sensitive matters with tact and diplomacy. People-focused manager. Provide support to and embrace feedback from a team. A mentor. Promotes innovative thinking. An outstanding communicator providing pro-active and candid counsel to the CEO and Board.
Areas of expertise in:
CAREER AND ACHIEVEMENTS TO DATE
Consultant 01/2015 – date
International Seabed Authority, Kingston, Jamaica
• Work to date has included the drafting of the legal framework for mineral exploitation in the Area; a working draft of the exploitation regulations (currently out for public consultation); presentations and advice to the ISA Legal and Technical Commission; expert attendance at international workshops and conferences.
Law Lecturer, International law of the sea 08/2015 – 07/2016
Northwest University of Politics and Law, Xi’an, China
Visiting Lecturer in International Law / Foreign Expert Shandong Jiaotong University, Jinan, China University of Jinan, Jinan, China 10/2012 – 12/2014
• Teaching international law, leadership and innovation, global marketing & English language
• Teaching Excellence Prize, Shandong Provincial Education Department (June 2013)
• Qilu Friendship Award, Shandong Provincial Government
Consultant 10/2013 – 02/2014
International Seabed Authority, Kingston, Jamaica
• Drafted and presented Working Paper on financial terms and other considerations for the ISA exploitation code, including presentation to the ISA Legal and Commission week commencing 10 February 2014. Drafted public consultation document.
Independent Consultant 04/2011 – 09/2012
Consulting assignments including business due diligence, company valuation, contract drafting and negotiation, procurement initiatives and strategic review of ancillary mining operations for high net worth investors.
Director / Chief Operating Officer
Prezence SA (Pty) Ltd, Cape Town 01/2007 – 12/2010
Spearheaded the operational and financial aspects for this digital agency. Formulated and operationalized the long term strategic plan. Executed full HR (including team development) duties. Proactively managed client and supplier relationships. Acted as legal counsel (contract negotiation and drafting) and company secretary.
• Led and negotiated sale of business to leading media and broadcasting entity, Primedia Ltd; improved purchase price by x2 compared to original offer;
• Expedited strategic partnerships with other agencies and clients;
• Overhauled pitching process;
• Built finance and reporting function from scratch;
• Put in place service level agreements with clients and suppliers;
• Enhanced productivity (from 62% to 82% of available studio hours) through individual accountability and reward mechanism;
• Improved cash collection from 220 days to 66 days;
• Implemented mentoring programme for junior designers and developers (talent creation);
• Benchmarked business against competitors; identified competitive advantage;
• Implemented formal client service delivery review mechanism, assessed against agreed deliverable;
• Drove initiative to sell value adding services leading to incremental billings.
Global Cash Champion / Project Implementation 10/2005 – 01/2007
Director, Nordic Shared Services EMI Music / EMI Group plc, London & Copenhagen
Led the delivery of a sustained improvement to subsidiary working capital balances and reduction in average Group debt position, accountable to the Non-Executive board members of EMI Group plc. From October 2006, spearheaded delivery of the shared services centre for EMI Music Nordic region (consolidation of financial accounting, tax and reporting activities).
• Devised average operating cash flow KPI (incorporated into senior executive incentive plans);
• Introduced territory league tables including DSO / DPO gap and other metrics; led to internal competition to improve rankings;
• Incorporated transfer pricing review;
• Identified and consolidated best practice cash forecasting techniques; improved quality of forecasts against actuals – crucial for bank covenants;
• Entrenched a cash culture and practice in commercial teams through continued communication and workshops;
• Ran European debt factoring programme (€35m) and bank negotiation;
• Delivered in excess of £70m average annual working capital benefits;
• Inspired a de-motivated Nordic Shared Services team.
Managing Member 11/2004 – 07/2005
The Biz Entertainment Solutions, Johannesburg
Created "The Biz" to provide business and legal services and solutions to the music and wider entertainment business, including artist management, sponsorship and endorsement and music publishing.
• Set-up joint venture with business associate to hold rights to Ministry of Sound events and merchandising in RSA;
• Negotiated artist recording contracts for two South African popular groups; • Successfully negotiated contract exit for a now leading South African artist;
• Delivered long term sponsorship deal to popular black group.
Finance and Operations Director 11/2001 – 10/2004
EMI Music South Africa, Johannesburg
Managed the following functional areas: financial accounting and reporting, risk management, royalties, credit control, IT, inventory/stock control, manufacturing and distribution, business support / analysis, supplier management. Member of local IFPI (industry body) finance committee.
• Restructured and transformed finance function into a credible, value add to the business;
• Drove two rationalisation processes, including trade union negotiations, in line with international objectives;
• Directed procurement initiative and negotiation of improved trading terms (+-ZAR4m annual benefit) together with the outsourcing of the manufacturing function and review of logistics function/supply chain;
• Generated operating cash flow improvement from 68% to 98% (cash conversion);
• Reduced unrecouped advances by over 25% by driving commercial compilation initiative;
• Concluded company’s first digital deal; set benchmark for local deals;
• Introduced culture of responsibility and ownership of numbers by budget holders; empowerment and understanding improved company profitability;
• Successfully managed new IT system / general ledger transformation;
• Led company’s social corporate responsibility plan through partnership with local HIV/AIDS charity, Cotlands;
• Implemented black empowerment reporting programme (including supplier reporting); monthly monitoring against targets.
International Finance Manager EMI Group plc, London 10/2000 – 10/2001
Recruited by EMI Group to provide intelligible tax and treasury services to group international subsidiaries and identify and execute planning opportunities.
• Recognised as an excellent communicator and service provider to group subsidiaries;
• Drove successful transfer pricing strategies and studies in Europe and Australasia;
• Key member of project team working with the Bertelsmann Group to structure potential merger of EMI Music and BMG Music;
• Successfully managed key international banking relationships.
Vice President, Tax Anglo American plc, London 11/1999 – 08/2000
International tax planning lead for the Anglo American Group of companies’ ex-South Africa. Recruited specifically to rationalise CFCs within group structure and provide tax advice to finance and commercial teams and group legal including national mining tax rules and regulations.
• Advised on and managed the structuring and financing of the US$1bn acquisition of Shell Coal Assets (4 month project).
Manager of Taxes (International) 08/1996 – 10/1999 EMI Group plc, London
Managed the international tax planning and compliance affairs of the EMI Group including effective tax optimization and cash repatriation structures. Served as director of several holding companies.
Prior Experience
First graduate to enter KPMG London’s direct tax entry programme (1987 – 1991) and subsequently Acting Sector Tax Manager / Senior Taxation Account for Allied Domecq plc (1992 – 1996).
EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP / TRAINING
University of Cape Town 2012 - 2013
Masters in Public Law (with distinction)
Title: Deep Seabed Mining: Confronting Gaps and Tradeoffs in the Protection and Preservation of the Marine Environment.
University of Cape Town 2010 - 2011
Postgraduate Diploma in Marine Law (with distinction)
• Engen Petroleum Prize for Best Marine Law Results.
Chartered Institute of Taxation
Associate member / Chartered Tax Advisor 1992
Queen Mary College, University of London
Bachelor of Laws (LLB(Hons)) 1984 - 1987
Languages English; Chinese (basic).