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