Hello, I'm Angela A.
Details
- Professional CategoryFinance
- Location
- Years of Relevant Experience20+ years
- Seniority LevelDirector
- Consulting Rate (Hourly)100
Headline
• Strategic Finance Director | Interim CFO with 20+ years of leadership experience across EMEA, driving financial planning, EBITA performance, working capital optimization, and corporate governance frameworks. Trusted board advisor with expertise in investor relations, IFRS compliance, ERP/Power BI automation, and cross-border leadership. • Early career foundations in Romania have grounded my leadership in EU regulatory expertise and stakeholder collaboration, reinforced by later successes in the GCC region in IPOs, ERP transformations, and innovation. Passionate about team development, mentorship and stakeholders’ satisfaction.
Experience
Fractional CFO
Independent ConsultantJanuary 2024 - Current• CFO-level leadership across 240+ retail stores (MAAG, ECRU, DUB, VILET – ex-Inditex), overseeing full finance scope: FP&A, treasury, tax, and management reporting.
• Monitored key performance indicators (KPIs) and delivered actionable insights to improve business performance, leveraging strong expertise in Power BI to create real-time, data-driven dashboards.
• Redesigned finance operations for USD 500M+ turnover—automated LCs, strengthened controls, mentored and developed a 14-member finance team, fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Ensured UAE tax compliance and 2024 Corporate Tax readiness through reporting realignment, and internal training—supporting first-year CIT implementation.
• Achieved AED 5.5M in tax savings via restatement; implemented FX hedging to protect margins from currency volatility. Championed digitalisation and automation initiatives in finance operations.
• Drove 3% gross margin improvement and returned the UAE entity to breakeven. Optimized working capital and improved EBITDA through enhanced procurement visibility across regions.
• Presented board-level performance packs integrating 240-store KPIs across brands, countries, and channels—supporting strategic decisions in a volatile market.
Senior Manager - Interim CFO Services
Relevant/Notable employerKPMGMarch 2020 - December 2023• Led the division’s strategic direction, specializing in technical financial advisory services and interim CFO solutions.
• Integral Senior Management team member responsible for developing and implementing strategic, commercial, technical, and operational financial services for start-ups, and intentional IPOs through multinational and governmental organizations. Excellence in working with remote teams with cross-border deliveries.
• Acted as a strategic partner to executive leadership and business units, providing financial insights, analysis, and strategic recommendations for complex governmental and multinational projects.
• Delivered board-facing CFO secondments across post IPO preparation, ERP transition, and financial control strengthening. Achieved a 10% profit uplift through billable role optimization.
Interim CFO
• Green Energy - Abu Dhabi Shams Power - Delivered project finance frameworks and initiated refinancing for an AED 750M green energy initiative involving 12 global banks. Achieved debt covenant compliance under pressure, reduced costs by 5% through local procurement in COVID-impacted supply chains.
• Transportation & Infrastructure - Salik Dubai- Executed post-IPO strategic review for AED 2.5B+ entity. Led FP&A and strategic planning, implemented robust controls and reporting. Supported investor relations by developing automated dashboards for the board and C-suite, ensuring transparent communication and regulatory compliance. Drove the financial evaluation of new initiatives, projects, and investments, implementing best practices in financial modelling and reporting. Strengthened corporate governance policies post-IPO.
• Oil & Gas - Block 6 Oil & Gas Oman - Led the financial planning and analysis process, including budgeting, forecasting, and strategic planning for $3.3bn project, leveraging expertise in financial modelling and business intelligence; developed predictive models sensitive to 50% oil price volatility, cutting reporting closure to 2 days. Delivered sector-specific Power BI packages for real-time cash flow and sensitivity analysis.
• Pharma-Oman Pharma - Led business change management assessments, crafted strategic ERP and restructuring recommendations, aligned AR/AP cycles to close cash flow gaps, and initiated procurement restructuring.
Finance Director
AMSNovember 2018 - February 2020• Spearheaded strategic financial leadership for a +$350m/year program, managing full P&L accountability across 29 locations.
• Partnered with executive leadership to craft and implement financial strategies, aligning operations with corporate objectives while overhauling accounting policies, internal controls, and performance systems to meet IFRS/FAR standards.
• Led FP&A and monthly reporting for high-impact projects, covering P&L, forecasting, budgeting, and financial modelling, alongside full-spectrum asset analysis across balance sheets, cash flow, and Capex/Opex.
• Ensured 100% EY and DCAA audit pass. Accelerated billing cycles and cash flow management, achieving a 25% uplift in liquidity.
Senior Finance Program Manager
Relevant/Notable employerAXADecember 2017 - October 2018• Finance Excellence Team- Led enterprise-wide process re-engineering, aligning strategic and financial goals while driving change management and automation of systems and processes.
• Launched financial transformation to close reconciliation gaps across 7 systems, redesigning processes and reducing financial close time by 30%.
• Led transformation, automation, and control initiatives that enhanced transparency, operational manageability, and business value.
Senior Finance Manager
Relevant/Notable employerSercoJuly 2016 - November 2017• Public service sector-Contributed to pricing strategy and complex financial modelling for 25+ year O&M bids on Doha Metro, Doha Tram, and Riyadh Metro as part of the commercial bid team.
• Conducted risk assessments on inflation, indexation, and FOREX impacts affecting costs, revenues, and fixed asset acquisitions.
• Oversaw IFRS 15 implementation for 27 MENA projects, led IFRS 16 and VAT impact analyses, secured $1M in insurance savings, and introduced strategic dashboards for CFO-level decision-making.
Finance Director
Relevant/Notable employerWSPJanuary 2015 - June 2016• Infrastructure & Transportation: Spearheaded the financial management for high-value projects in KSA, including Riyadh Metro, King Khaled Airport, Al Madinah infrastructure development programs, overseeing projects exceeding $250 million annually. Collaborated directly with the Ministry of Transportation, delivering top-tier financial reporting, in-depth financial analysis, long-term financial planning, and annual budget.
• Drove financial performance optimization by analysing key KPIs, identifying 42% revenue uplift opportunities and cost-saving measures; led first-time WPS system implementation. Enhanced cash collections by 42%.
• Developed and executed strategic financial plans and transfer pricing initiatives to enhance profitability, optimize revenue recognition, and achieve a 7% tax reduction.
Finance Director
Relevant/Notable employerWSPMay 2008 - December 2014• Oversaw financial operations across 12 countries, ensuring regulatory compliance and corporate/regulatory reporting alignment. Collaborated with parent company finance teams to align reporting and strategies.
• Delivered ERP rollout in <90 days across 12 European and CIS jurisdictions, specifically customizing systems for complex EU tax, VAT, and regulatory reporting rules, supporting 60+ projects under unified control.
• Engineered the financial strategy to integrate and align results for over 60 projects across the division, achieving a 15-day reduction in reporting time and a 4% cost reduction.
• Held full P&L responsibility, led forecasting and financial consolidation, and aligned reporting with Group standards across diverse tax regimes to ensure control and operational efficiency.
• Aligned taxation and implemented transfer pricing strategies, reducing tax profit by 18% across 18 Romanian projects; managed European treasury operations, introducing cash pooling and liquidity strategies.
• Orchestrated financial management strategies for major governmental projects in Romania, successfully securing and managing funding from key European Union (EU) and World Bank (WB) initiatives.
Industry
- Oil, Gas, and Mining
- Professional Services
- Retail
Specific Jurisdictions That I'm Qualified In or Can Cover
United Arab Emirates
Romania
Saudi Arabia
Language(s)
- English
- Romanian
Your Skills
Financial modellingStrategic LeadershipStrategic Growth & ModellingSystems Scalability
Professional Interests
Scaling Finance for GrowthDigital Transformation LeadershipMentorship & Team DevelopmentData-driven Governance
I am interested in
- Professional / Business Networking
- Career Opportunities
- Providing Services based on my Expertise
- Having my dedicated digital space on the world wide web
- Building my online Brand / Presence