Summary                               

Most recent positions

Education

Professional qualification
Personal
 

References 

•       A results focused, resourceful, decision making executive with extensive international experience,

• 18months based in Dubai as Chief Financial Officer, GEMS Education, MENASA, based in Dubai, UAE.
• Three years as CFO and Company Secretary for a Toronto Stock Exchange and USA listed mining and exploration Company with its operations in Thailand. A successful sale of the company was completed in July 2006.
• Asia Finance Director (CFO) for 5 years for UK headquartered global media and information Company. The business generated £500 million per annum in revenue from twenty Asian countries.
•  Have developed my career beyond the role of a successful finance director to include operational and strategic responsibilities.
• Have successfully completed a number of acquisitions, investments and divestments in Greater China, Asia Pacific, North America and England. Thorough knowledge of due diligence requirements.
• Restructured businesses, from both a financial and operational perspective.
•  Responsible for post acquisition integration and management.
•  Extensive people management and development experience across different cultures.
   

• Principal, Scott Consulting

• CFO, GEMS Education, MENASA. GEMS owns and manages a growing network of international schools in the UAE and across the MENASA region

• CFO and Company Secretary, Asia Pacific Resources Ltd, a Toronto Stock Exchange listed mining and exploration Company, based in Bangkok.

•  Senior Vice President, Reuterspace, Asia (Reuters new business and investment division) based in Hong Kong

•  Finance Director, Reuters Asia, based initially in Hong Kong and then Singapore.

BA, Economic and Social History, University of Kent at Canterbury, 1979

Association of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales, 1984

British and Canadian Citizen; Hong Kong Permanent Resident
Married. Wife is working in Dubai.

Readily available on Request
 

Work Experience
June 2007 to November 2008

 
Nov 2002 to July 2006

   
Dec 2001 – November 2002

 


Nov 1999 - July 2001
(Hong Kong)

Oct 1994 – Nov 1999
(Hong Kong and Singapore)

March 1988 – Oct 1994
(Toronto, Canada)

Feb 1985 – March 1988
(London, England)

Oct 1979 – Feb 1985
(London – and assignment to Sydney, Australia) 

CFO GEMS Education, MENASA. GEMS owns and manages a network of international schools in the UAE and MENASA Region. The company is 75% owned by the Varkey Group and 25% held by Abraaj Capital.

Responsibilities

Provision of broad based strategic, investment and financial advice, analysis and support to the shareholders of GEMS MENASA.

Responsible for Financial and Management Reporting, KPIs, Budgets and Forecasts, Internal Controls and Treasury.

Support of Business Development initiatives, human resources and legal functions.
 

Achievements

·           Completed the minority investment by Abraaj Capital into GEMS Education, MENASA. – Sept 2007.

·           Completed the company’s first major fund raising in the UAE through a syndicated loan for US$100 million. Nov 2007.

·           Completed the sale of investments in three schools in Qatar – August 2008.

·           Introduced monthly financial and KPI reporting for shareholders.

·           Implemented annual budget and plan process and quarterly forecast revisions. Obtained buy in from school leadership teams to a process of budget responsibility and accountability.

CFO and Company Secretary, Asia Pacific Resources Ltd. (APR). The company was an exploration/mining company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, and the OTC Bulletin Board. The management and principal activities of the business were in Thailand. The Company was acquired by Italian-Thai Development PCL who, as planned, replaced the previous Directors and management team.

Responsibilities

Evaluation of strategic options for the Company that would provide a satisfactory return to shareholders.
The CEO and I, with board support, were responsible for negotiations with potential investors; these included companies from Australia, Japan, China and Thailand. An offer to shareholders, supported by management and the Board, was successfully completed in June 2006.
Advice and support management on investment matters and fund raising. Managed all legal, due diligence and reporting for a May 2004 fundraising when C$9.9 million was raised through the issue of new shares and warrants at 10cents per unit.
Closure of the Company’s Vancouver Head Office and outsourcing of local finance, compliance and investor relations work in Canada.
Completion of year end audits and statutory reporting.
Responsible for all quarterly reporting, taxation, compliance, SEC reporting, legal and company secretarial matters.
Responsible for all internal control and audit matters. Accountable to the Audit Committee.
Management of cash flows.
Recruitment of Finance staff for Thailand operations.
Company Secretary; active participant in Board meetings.

Achievements

·           Negotiated and concluded a takeover bid from Italian-Thai Development PCL for APR at a premium to market and at a price that ensured that a substantial majority of shareholders (86%) would accept the offer.

·           Completed a C$9.9 million fundraising in May 2004.

·           With no transition period from previous staff completed the 2002 year end statutory accounts for the listed company, the annual audit, and the SEC Form 20F filings.

·           Completed all statutory filings, quarterly reporting, financial statements and all other compliance matter.

·           Managed all due diligence matters for fund raising, potential investors and for the eventual sale of the Company.

 Principal, Scott Consulting (http://www.rascott.com/scottconsulting.htm)

Scott Consulting was set up to assist companies looking to make an entry into Asia’s markets and companies seeking experience interim executive support. Asia Pacific Resources Ltd became the largest client and a full-time responsibility.

1985 to 2001 – various international positions at Reuters as detailed below:

Senior Vice President, Reuterspace, Japan and Asia Pacific, Reuters Asia Ltd

Responsibilities:

As the senior executive for Reuterspace in Asia Pacific and Japan, I had overall responsibility for the regional strategy, implementation and performance of Reuters Internet and new business division, which was established at the end of 1999. Reuterspace include the company’s new technology venture fund. The group was responsible for identifying, evaluating and negotiating strategic investments.

Achievements

·           Established an Internet based company in China to focus on domestic corporate customers, using a wholly foreign owned enterprise structure.

·           Led a strategic investment in a Hong Kong based solutions provider.

·           Invested in a Chinese securities real time information and solutions company. Active board member.

·           Approved the establishment and funding of an online personal finance joint venture in Japan.

·           An internal business incubator was established to nurture new ideas and to sponsor them as new businesses.

·           Led the investment in and was an advisor to technology funds based in Hong Kong and Tokyo.

·           Established an identity and presence for Reuterspace in the region through client/customer functions, media interviews, creating a distinctive working environment, regular offsite conferences.

Finance Director (CFO), Reuters Asia,

Based in Hong Kong until September 1997 and then relocated to Singapore as part of move of Asia head office and editorial functions.

Responsibilities

Provision of broad based strategic, investment and financial advice, analysis and support to the management teams in Asia. Financial and Management Reporting, Budgets and Forecasts, Taxation, Internal Controls and Treasury.  Financial management for a business generating annual revenues of approx £500 million per annum, from approx 22 countries employing 2,400 staff.

Achievements:

·          Significantly improved the quality and usefulness of regional management reporting. Strong focus on improvements in systems of internal control.

·          Evaluation, negotiation, recommendation and completion of  acquisitions/investments in Thailand, China and India.

·          Completed the relocation of the Asia Pacific head office to Singapore resulting in significant cost and tax savings. Tax savings have been calculated at £56 million over the first six years of “pioneer” status.

·          Provide timely advice, analysis and reporting that enabled the business to meet financial targets in 1997 and 1998 that were set before the Asian financial crisis.

·          Developed financial training programs for non-finance personnel.

·          Assessor on regional management development programme.

·          Member of the steering committee for a global management leadership programme developed with the University of Michigan.

Director, Planning and Analysis, IP Sharp Associates, Toronto, Canada
Vice President, Finance and Administration, Reuters Historical Information Division.
Vice President, Data Services Division.
Vice President Finance and Administration, Reuters Canada.

·          Initially project manager for the post acquisition integration of IP Sharp’s international operations with those of Reuters. Responsible for all MIS, Tax, Treasury and Finance functions.

·          Established reporting processes to comply with requirements of the Reuters group for its new subsidiary.

·          Achieved a very good negotiated settlement of a difficult tax case, relating to pre-acquisition issues, with Revenue Canada.

·          By 1991 Reuters was rationalising the IP Sharp operations. Completed the sale of two divisions of the company and the outsourcing of certain functions.

·          Transferred to the Reuters Canada business with responsibility for all finance, taxation, human resources, and data centre and communications operations. Responsible for developing the media business, particularly television. Edited and designed the company newsletter.

Assistant Financial Manager, Internal Audit.
Special Projects Accountant, Reuters Europe, Middle East and Africa.

·          Joined Reuters in 1985 Completed audits in Bahrain, Hong Kong, New York, Chicago and London.

·          Transferred to a Special Projects group responsible for identifying, evaluating and negotiating potential acquisitions. Completed four investments between Nov 1985 and June 1987, including assuming overall responsibility for the due diligence and investment approval for IP Sharp Associates, an international data company based in Toronto.

Pannell Kerr Forster, Chartered Accountants.
Qualified Chartered Accountant.
Seconded to Sydney Australia, June to Sept 1984