An enterprising professional with strong acumen in Accounts / Auditing / Information Systems; In quest of managerial assignments in Finance & Accounts / Auditing with an organization of high repute
_________________________________________________________________SUMMARY___________________________________________________________________
A goal oriented Chartered Accountant (CA) and Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) with over 20 years of diverse experience in all aspects of internal / external audit and risk management in Middle East with reputed organizations like Ernst and Young, J Ray McDermott, Petrofac and Overseas AST); proven capability of leading large team for attaining strategic organizational objectives; presently working with Overseas AST, Dubai, UAE as Internal Audit Manager.
_____________AREAS OF EXPERTISE______________________________________________________
• Leading large internal audit teams and developing risk based annual audit plans, audit work plans designed to accomplish audit objectives in compliance with requirements, planning, executing, coordinating, tracking audits, limited reviews, etc. in accordance with various requirements of law, follow-up of implementation status of audit recommendations
• Setting up of Internal Audit Department for a medium sized company;
• Evaluating internal control systems / procedures, preparing audit reports with a view to highlight the shortcomings and implementing necessary recommendations
• Defining processes, sub-processes & activities, reviewing flowcharts, risk control matrix, testing of design and operative effectiveness as well as remedial solutions
• Preparing principles for identifying, assessing, monitoring and controlling or mitigating corporate risk
• Handling effective business continuity management through simulation, business impact analysis from internal & external data, analysis and projections
• Managing SOX Act compliance efforts entailing handling appropriate documentation, adequate testing & reporting on financial control
ORGANIZATIONAL EXPERIENCE___________________________________________________
Overseas AST LLC, Dubai since April 2015 – Internal Audit Manager reporting to the Board of Directors and Shareholders
Role: As Internal Audit Manager
• Set-up and manage the Internal Audit Department for the company.
• Establish and realize goals, objectives and budgets for the Internal Audit Department.
• Design and implement Internal audit plans and programs (operational and financial).
• Plan and conduct reviews of internal controls of the Company.
• Determine whether processes, procedures and internal controls exist, are adequate, documented, understood and adhered to by all relevant parties.
• Evaluate audit findings; prepare and present the results of audit work and recommendations to the Shareholders, Board of Directors, Chief Executive Office and Senior Management in the form of oral and written communications.
• Recommend changes in policies or procedures to increase efficiency of operations or to improve safeguards over assets.
• Pro actively advise the CEO and other key Senior Management on any risks / opportunities for the company’s businesses.
• Follow-up to determine adequacy of corrective actions.
• Keep abreast of relevant professional developments for providing optimal client support.
• Conduct special studies and/or assignments.
• Undertake such other duties as may from time to time be agreed with the Chairman and Managing Director to accomplish specific projects.
Achievements
• Set up the Internal Audit Department Charter and IA procedures;
• Drove the setting up of the Audit Committee (reporting to the Board of Directors)
• Drove the setting up of Ethics & Compliance function
• Facilitated the management in closing out pending audit action items _ There were over 300 open since 2016 (brought down to under 30)
• Prepared COSO Internal Controls Roadmap detailing the current state and future state of internal controls for the company.
Petrofac Limited, Sharjah since Nov’13 to April 2015
Role:
As Senior Audit Manager
• Preparing risk based annual audit plan in coordination with the business
• Designed Risk Control Matrices to be aligned with the revised COSO 2013 framework
• Mentoring a team of Internal Auditors to perform audits across areas like financial and operational audits
• Preparing audit committee packs to be presented to the audit committee
• Managing audits and special assignments on Project Life Cycle, Procurement, Subcontract management, Finance, HR and Proposals to assess the effectiveness/ adequacy of controls
• Liaising with external auditors for taking inputs on audit plans and latest trends in internal control practices in the industry
McDermott Middle East Inc. from Jun’05 to Oct’13 and
Joined as SOX Compliance Coordinator, East Hem and rose to the post of Senior Audit Manager – Group Internal Audit
Role:
As Assistant Manager, Internal Audit (East Hemp)
• Mentoring a team of internal auditors to perform audits across areas like financial, operational & information technology
• Conducting:
o Audits on Finance, HR, Materials, Project Life Cycle and Bids to assess the effectiveness/ adequacy of controls
o Information system audits focusing on information security, disaster recovery, applications control and systems development initiatives
• Liaising with external auditors for taking inputs on audit plans / latest trends in internal control practices in the industry
• Verifying books of accounts to detect frauds; ensuring preparation of accounts in accordance with GAAP / IFRS standards
As Accounts Payable Supervisor (Middle East & India)
• Guided a team of over 10 Accounts Payable Processors and ensured correct and timely payment of all invoices
• Reported progress relating to process improvements and clearing of invoice backlogs to the management
As Principal Business Process and Risk Analyst (Middle East & India)
• Spearheaded designing & development of business continuity plans for 15 departments
Significant Contributions:
As Senior Audit Manager (Corporate)
• Successfully designed control risk matrices to be aligned with the revised COSO framework 2013
• Actively involved in implementing the matrix for categorization of audit observations for highlighting significant issues in the audit report to the executive management
• Effectively articulated the internal audit manual and provided training to the audit team during its implementation
As Internal Audit Supervisor (East Hemp):
• Successfully mentored the team on complex operational audit related to fabrication, marine operations, project life cycle, software implementation reviews, proposals and estimation reviews
• Instrumental in delivering suggestions on the improvements regarding:
o Trainings of internal auditors, thereby enabling the team members to share their experience and lessons learnt
o Internal audit process for value addition which facilitated the orientation of audit recommendations towards management action plans
As Accounts Payable Supervisor (Middle East & India):
• Holds the credit of clearing huge backlog of overdue invoices and automating the logged invoice accrual process leading to great efficiencies in logging and accrual process, thereby:
o Minimized the payable balance of over USD 18 million (Jul’09) to less than USD 5 million (Dec’09) and less than USD 1 million (May’10)
• Played a pivotal role in driving process improvements activities, obtaining consolidated invoices, appointing sub-process coordinators, etc.
• Actively involved in implementing new procedures in finance to receive approvals which minimized the approval turnaround time from over two months to15 days
• Recognized for the efforts and received merit bonus for the team
__________________________________________________PREVIOUS ASSIGNMENTS______________________________________________________
Ernst & Young, Dubai from Sep’96-May’05
Joined as Accountant / Senior Accountant and rose to the post of Audit Supervisor
S.B. Billimoria & Co., Mumbai, India as Audit Senior from Jul’90-Jun’91
__________________________________________________ENTREPRENEURIAL EXPERIENCE__________________________________________________
Private Practice, Mumbai as Proprietor from Jul’91- Aug’96
__________________________________________________WORKSHOP /CONFERENCE__________________________________________________
• Audit Technical Workshops conducted by Ernst & Young, Dubai (2000 to 2004)
• ISACA Annual Conference in Dubai on Information Security in 2004
_____________________________________________________________TRAININGS ________________________________________________________________
Attended:
• Asia Pacific CACS-ISACA Dubai in Dec’04
• IT Audit Advanced Training conducted by Ernst & Young, Bahrain in 2002
• Train the Champions (Train the Trainers)-Caseware Audit Tool in 2003
• Annual Technical Training-Auditing conducted by Ernst & Young from 2000 to 2005
• Training on IT Auditing from Ernst & Young, Bahrain in 2002
• Annual Training on Accounting Standards- IFRS and US GAAP-PwC from 2006 to 2012
• SAFE – ISACA UAE Chapter symposium of Cybersecurity - 2013
• SAFE – ISACA UAE Chapter symposium of Cybersecurity - 2016
Imparted:
• Audit procedures to the audit team in 2014
• Caseware to audit staff of Ernst & Young from 2003 to 2005
• Accounts Payable to McDermott accounting staff in 2011 & 2012
• ACL provided to client of Ernst & Young
__________________________________________________ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS__________________________________________________
• Certified Information Systems Audit from Information Systems Audit and Control Association, Illinois, USA in 1999
• C.A. from ICAI, Mumbai in 1989
• ICWA (Inter) from Institute of Cost and Works Accountants of India, Kolkata in 1987
• Bachelors in Accountancy, Auditing and Economics from Podar College of Commerce and Economics, Matunga Mumbai University in 1987
_______________________________________________________PERSONAL DETAILS________________________________________________________
Date of Birth: 1st December, 1964
Present Address: 601, Al Noor Building, Bur Dubai, Dubai, UAE, P.O. Box - 350
Permanent Address: 11/116, Dwaraka, Sion (East), Mumbai - 400022
Languages Known: English, Hindi and Tamil
Location Preferences: UAE / GCC Countries / Singapore
Nationality: Indian
Passport Status: Z1990995 (Valid upto 2029)
Marital Status: Married
No. of Dependants: 2
Driving License Details: UAE Driving License
Visa Details: UAE Resident Visa