Tan Wei Jian Jason
Hougang
Summary
To establish strategic partnerships with business leaders, communicating valuable financial insights to the business in a rapidly changing environment
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
Work History
Head of Finance, Singapore
Exclusive Networks Singapore Pte Ltd
01.2021 - Current
- Oversee finance department for Singapore entity, with a senior accountant, AP and AR staff for day-to-day operations, including quarterly balance sheet review, review reporting packs, tax and audit matters.
- Perform credit analysis with various customers, capitalizing on ratio analysis, liasing with credit insurer Allianz to optimize allocation. Work with sales team to build business models for multi year financing deals with required IRR. In certain cases, engage and negotiating with external leasing companies.
- Implement Receivable financing and other trade facilities with Group and Bank (HSBC) with tracking mechanism to optimize utilization and drawdowns.
- Business Partnering: Dynamic forecasting on profitability by business units, analysis on vendor margins, work closely with various dept to monitor controls on payroll, T&E, marketing expenditure.
- Review & streamline sales commission plans with HR and sales team, tracking individual attainment quarterly.
- Lead annual budgeting process with business managers, providing valuable insights on Net margin over sale/Ebitda/Opex ratio etc.
- Lead process improvement projects from Group, Design key performance templates in APAC context to track critical KPIs such as Order, Revenue, Trade margins, reduction in DSO and overdue %, optimizing inventory turnover by minimizing preloads etc
- Ensure robust internal control across stakeholders, educating sales team on requirements, gatekeep structural Delegation Authority Matrix (DAM) and highlight potential risks to management.
Business Controller
Orange Business Services Singapore Pte Ltd
02.2018 - 12.2021
- Drive monthly/quarterly forecasts for pipeline (€800M), revenue (€100M annually), opex, profitability (including margin improvement plans) and headcount by working closely with country sales, human resources and FP&A team (for ASEAN, Korea, Japan cluster)
- Lead annual budgeting process with various business units, providing in-depth guidance on growth & strategic view of business
- Spearhead key performance matrices against budget and forecasts with complex projects. Implemented Power BI Dashboards across key KPIs & customers (Orders, Revenue, Margin, DSO etc) with insights to accelerate achievement in key metrics.
- Lead in performance optimization projects such as productivity & opex improvement plan including evaluation of P&L in individual customers to provide valuable insights to support business cases/capex spend
- As part of Deal Approval Committee (DAC), assist in reviewing strategic business models and deal structuring. Lead Go-to-Market initiatives such as establishing partnership models in Indonesia/Vietnam/Philippines, deep dive on costs/benefits analysis in high growth markets and navigating team on cross border tax implications.
- Ensure compliance with company policies & procedures, develop efficient internal controls
Regional Controller
The Nielsen Company (S) Principal Pte Ltd
- Managing the integration of financial & business control for combined 6 Asia countries including Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Korea & Japan.
- Setup intricate processes for POC (Principal Operating Co) such as SAP entities, cost centers setup, contract novation for global clients into POC, GST & Corporate tax among the 6 countries.
- Resolve Billing/Collection issues such as complications in entity setup, interco rev share, AR Aging review.
- Annual Tax savings as result of RHQ setup
- Handle & Co-ordinate complex cross countries’ EY audit matters under POC
- Aligning controls & policy update from Corporate introduced due to US GAAP revision to existing processes and communicate/explain to client svc team on these implications on mgt results etc
- Co-Lead with Calibrate Executive Director on presentations and Communications with finance and business leaders among 6 countries to ensure smooth transition of POC
- Achieved coveted Nielsen BPI Green Belt in 2015
Associate Director – Finance
The Nielsen Company Singapore Pte Ltd
10.2014 - 01.2018
- Partner key management to drive business and financial performance metrics
- Prepare & drive weekly/quarterly tracker for BU sales pipeline, opex & profitability forecast with various business leaders
- Work closely with HR BP and business leaders on analysis of headcount allocation, payroll, bonus, relocation costs on annual budgeting
- Produce & present monthly/quarterly operational review dashboard.
- Ensure compliance with Accounting, Legal & Treasury policies, month end close process & business guidelines
- Cashflow management/forecast & treasury functions including FX hedging.
- Advise sales team on contract pricing review process, work with legal team on terms and conditions/termination/penalty clause of more complicated contracts, including rev rec/billing structure & payment terms.
- Ensure adherence to SOX & US GAAP compliance on all revenue and costs.
- Communication key policies such as Revenue Recognition requirements and Signature of Authority with sales team
- Lead cross-functional integration projects such as streamlining Client/Vendor engagement process / Salesforce implementation
Lead Controller
GE Aviation Services Operation LLP
10.2008 - 09.2014
- Leading all operational cycles using Oracle ERP
- Work closely with cross country finance teams & business leaders to implement process improvements and drive to business to meet cashflow KPIs
- Focal person for internal audits and closure of all audit findings
- Preparation of monthly performance slides with KPIs – Controllership metrics
- Perform business controllership risk assessment and address potential risk areas
- Review General Ledger, account reconciliations, payroll entries, AP, AR, inventory, fixed assets and driving monthly closing operations with outsourced team of 6 in India.
- Review Internal billing process and transfer pricing
- Key Projects include Automating Journal loading in Oracle, automate completion of standard Acc Recs to streamline close process.
Financial Analyst
GE Aviation – ATI (Acquired by GE in 2009)
- Perform Month end management reporting such as financial highlights for management, monthly financial package from HQ in US, inventory trend report, sales by customers as well as productivity & other costing reports.
- Lead in special projects such as pricing audits, internal controls audit etc. Handle and audit of Cost Saving projects (set up IBM Cognos reporting for KPIs)
- Tracking key performance indicators such as operating costs per hour and operating expenses on weekly and monthly basis, including in depth analysis on burden and labour rates.
- Perform annual Budgeting and work with sales manager and various department heads to arrive at the Plan figures
- Monitoring and forecasting of entire P&L including expenses and perform variance analysis
- Assist in cost analysis for engineering projects as well as Lean Six Sigma projects (Member of Lean Six Sigma committee) with Green Belt certification
- Assist in completing tax schedules and tax filing
- Assist in preparation of audited financial statements and dealing with internal and external auditors (SOX & US GAAP)
Senior Auditor
Deloitte & Touche
07.2006 - 09.2008
- Completing entire audit process from audit planning to finalization of financial statements for companies in various industries including financial institutions (including regulatory reporting), offshore vessel chartering & transportation of dry bulk(local listed with parent listed in India), oil trading(headquarter in Japan), sand reclamation & dredging joint ventures(responsible for reclamation works in Tuas), manufacturing & construction
- For every engagement, required to assess the nature of the business and also business risks faced by the client and ultimately through the application of Deloitte’s specialized financial audit methodology
- Performing detailed analysis on fluctuation of individual account in client’s financial statements using various financial ratios.
- Gathering sufficient evidence to gain reasonable assurance that any material figures or drastic fluctuations are accurately accounted for and valid.
- Reviewing the design and implementation of client’s internal controls on significant risk areas such as revenue, inventory and other financial cycles. Any deficiency detected will eventually be highlighted and recommendation made for improvisation on internal controls.
- Ensuring clients’ financial statements are issued in accordance to Financial Reporting Standards. For some engagements whereby the subsidiaries required to report to its parents incorporated in USA, ensure financial statements are issued in accordance to US GAAP. Eg: In 2008, assigned an engagement whereby I travelled to Boston, USA to audit a listed company, Venture Corp’s subsidiary, GES International.
Senior Audit Assistant
BDO Raffles
01.2005 - 06.2006
- Completing entire audit process from audit planning to drafting of financial statements for various industries (construction, property, wireless solution providers, and other retail industries, etc).
- Preparing system documentations and flowcharts on clients’ revenue, purchase, operating and payroll cycles.
- Observing stock take procedures of clients and test for existence before doing up reports, performing valuation and quantity tests on inventories, a risk area.
- Performing detailed analytical review of clients’ financial statements.
Education
Advanced Data Analytics Bootcamp
Vertical Institute
10-2023
RISE Business & Data Analytics (BDA) Program
Boston Consulting Group (BCG)
08-2023
Advanced Tax Program Level III
Tax Academy
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Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Australia
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Association of Taxation Technicians Singapore (ATTS)
Bachelor of Business - Accountancy
Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University
01-2005
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Catholic Junior College
01-2000
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St Gabriel’s Secondary School
01-1997
Skills
- Knowledge
- Nielsen Green Belt LEAN Six Sigma (for high performers only)
- GE Green Belt LEAN Six Sigma certification
- Class 3 driving licence
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office software (MS Words, Excel, Access, Powerpoint, programming as well as various accounting software (SAP, Hyperion, One Stream, Oracle Netsuite, Qliksense, Power BI)
- Communication
- Proficiency in English and Chinese (both written and spoken)
- Outgoing and Energetic
- Involved in various Extra Curricular Activities throughout my academic life Gained recognition through awards from my participation in various competitions and school events
- Strength and Interest
- - Ability to take initiative to learn and to carry out assigned tasks efficiently and meticulously
- - Considerably versed in auditing and Financial Reporting standards through self-learning and various workshops(eg Practical Audit Training, Cashflow Statements, Presentation of Financial Statements, etc)
- - Strong interest in analyzing financial markets as well as individual companies using technical and fundamental analysis (price earning ratio & return on equity, company management style etc)
- - Ability to work independently or as a team under pressure and tight datelines
Timeline
Head of Finance, Singapore
Exclusive Networks Singapore Pte Ltd
01.2021 - Current
Business Controller
Orange Business Services Singapore Pte Ltd
02.2018 - 12.2021
Associate Director – Finance
The Nielsen Company Singapore Pte Ltd
10.2014 - 01.2018
Lead Controller
GE Aviation Services Operation LLP
10.2008 - 09.2014
Senior Auditor
Deloitte & Touche
07.2006 - 09.2008
Senior Audit Assistant
BDO Raffles
01.2005 - 06.2006
Regional Controller
The Nielsen Company (S) Principal Pte Ltd
Financial Analyst
GE Aviation – ATI (Acquired by GE in 2009)
RISE Business & Data Analytics (BDA) Program
Boston Consulting Group (BCG)
Advanced Tax Program Level III
Tax Academy
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Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Australia
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Association of Taxation Technicians Singapore (ATTS)
Bachelor of Business - Accountancy
Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University
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Catholic Junior College
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St Gabriel’s Secondary School
Advanced Data Analytics Bootcamp
Vertical Institute