If you are interested in this candidate, please contact Richard Lalchan via email rlalchan@cerfinancial.co.uk or call on 0207 626 6065.

00356267

PROFILE:

I am a qualified professional, with over a decade of experience in accounting and auditing and advisory in accounting practice. I currently serve as an Assistant Manager specialising in statutory auditing, particularly for large, complex, and often FCA-regulated entities and international groups. Worked with a wide variety of clients, from FTSE listed entities to medium sized (group) in various industries encompassing asset management, funds and private equity, FCA registered broker dealer, private social housing portfolio entities, Hospitality industry, retail, media, architects, properties, Health care, Hair care, construction and technology. Proficient in Audit automation software (APT & APT Next Gen), NetSuite (Oracle), CaseWare, Pro-Audit, CCH, Sage Line50, Xero, QuickBooks, Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint coupled with excellent communication and interpersonal skills. My passion lies in supporting organisations to achieve fiscal accountability and operational efficiency by streamlining processes and ensuring rigorous adherence to regulatory standards. I am committed to empowering businesses with meticulous financial oversight and strategic insights. I believe I possess a can-do attitude that drives me forward and encourages me to focus on personal development every step of my journey. I am always on the lookout for challenges that can further my knowledge and experience.

CAREER HISTORY:

July 2023 - Present

Tax Services

Assistant Manager

• Responsible for leading planning and oversee the execution and completion of statutory and non-statutory group and standalone audits, and CASS audits (limited assurance), in line with ISAs (UK), IFRS, UK GAAP, the Companies Act, LLP, SORP, the FCA framework and the FCA Client Money Rules, including preliminary research into each client's business, industry and environment, assessing business risk, and setting the audit strategy and approach in response.
• Responsible for coordinating the project often liaising with fund administrator/external management to deliver assignments effectively, on time and within budget, managing audit deliverables across multiple jurisdictions and working with Audit, Tax, Valuations and Advisory to meet deadlines. I allocate tasks based on team members' experience and provide team briefings, budget monitoring, and supervision of work delivery. Additionally, I manage job coaching to support team development.
• Responsible for identifying & evaluating internal control weaknesses client general ledgers and records and business risks in financial reporting, including reviews/assess of NAVs, investor statements and financial reports, partner capital statements, management fee calculations, drawdowns and distributions.
• I assess their impact on the audit, design and implement testing, guide colleagues, and review management letters with practical recommendations. I present findings to those charged with governance, including the Board and Audit Committee, and I audit liquidity and capital requirement calculations for Investment Firms, reviewing ICARA frameworks, governance and stress testing, and challenging data, methodologies and reporting controls to deliver simple, pragmatic improvements.
• I have a proven ability to collaborate cross-functionally to deliver accurate and compliant financial results, while fostering robust client relationships. Act as the daily client contact, handle ad hoc enquiries, prepare audit reporting, status updates and issue logs, shape client service plans, calendars and timelines to keep delivery on track, and contribute to Firm-wide initiatives and client projects alongside core audits.
• Standardisation of audit procedures and sharing examples of good quality documentation to contribute towards achieving high-quality audit files and sharing best practice examples with other teams.
• I contributed to finance management, negotiated fee increases, and communicated overruns with audited entity management, and I supported identifying potential target clients through market research and helped prepare draft tenders for new engagements.
• I maintained professional communication and relationships with those charged with governance at the audited entity, involving them throughout the engagement and serving as a trusted adviser prepared and presented reports to the Board and Audit Committee and reported directly to the Director and Partner Group.
• I have extensive experience reviewing corporation tax computations, consolidating financial statements with balance sheet reconciliations, budget forecasts and management accounts, assessing payroll including share-based payments, and reviewing VAT.

September 2024 – Present

Education

Member of Board of Trustee

• Assisting the board of trustees with smooth running of the local primary.
• Advising the board of trustees with compliance and strategic review.

November 2021 - June 2023

Accountants

Audit senior

• Successfully built and managed client relationships, ensuring the timely delivery of the audited financial statements and Funds’ annual returns and addressing audit issues to meet management’s expectations and regulatory deadlines FRS102 & IFRS-conversion only).
• Successfully lead the group audit from planning, execution and completion of all the areas of the audit (including preparing consolidated financial statements) for review (turnover up to £110m). Roles split 95% audit and 5% accounts.
• Actively managed a client portfolio of circa 59 statutory accounts & audit assignments (non-statutory) with annual fees totaling £45k (on top of other audit engagements where I lead the team).
• Effectively managed internal client invoicing deadlines to meet management’s expectations ahead of the firm’s
• financial year-end.
• Successfully provided advice on the UK tax consequences and the necessary accounting entries of an overdrawn director’s loan account, as well as recommendations on a UK tax efficient manner of extracting profits from UK companies.
• Effectively supervised, developed and trained teams of audit juniors, enabling the completion of the audit field work allocation plan and the communication of all audit queries to clients on a timely basis.

July 2017- November 2021

Accountants

Audit senior

(RFL: -To take on more responsibility & handle a client portfolio at a larger firm).

• Effectively lead statutory audits under FRS 102 from planning and risk assessment to completion for clients/groups (including UK and foreign subsidiaries and single entities) in various industries (e.g. software development companies, hair care, properties, car dealerships, recruitment agencies, food retailers, FCA registered commodity trading companies), supervising teams of audit juniors, ensuring that the audit work was finalised according to the audit completion deadline and within budget.
• Thoroughly reviewed the audit work of component auditors outside the UK for EU subsidiaries, ensuring the group’s statutory audit was completed within budget. Roles split 60% audit and 40% accounts & corporation tax.
• Personally presented and advised management on potential savings on taxable fx gains of £120k by highlighting alternative accounting options of using hedge accounting (fx derivative contracts for purchase).
• Designed & performed audit test, gathering evidence & analysing data to ensure compliance with internal (audit methodology and risk management) and external (regulatory) requirements are met (according to IFRS and UK GAAP and ISA).
• Ensuring standards and procedures are maintained by whole team and present audit file with review points cleared.
• Preparing and reviewing statutory annual accounts, consolidated accounts & corporation taxes for limited & group companies using CaseWare, ensuring all accounting standards have been applied correctly and Making Recommendations to clients on tax savings within guidelines. Identified potential issues (e.g.-fraud), keeping manager informed and resolving matter.

January 2016 - June 2017

Accountants

Accounts Assistant

(RFL: To join a larger firm & conduct audit work).

• Preparing year end statutory final accounts & corporation tax and Self-assessment tax returns for resident and non-resident clients. Roles split 20% audit and 40% accounts & corporation tax, 40% bookkeeping, management accounts, VAT and payrolls.
• Reviewing the bookkeeping performed by juniors and interns for a wide range of clients and preparing & reviewing monthly & quarterly management accounts.
• Preparing & reviewing & submitting quarterly VAT returns to HMRC for domestic and overseas clients.
• Liaising with clients both over the phone and face-to-face regarding queries and ensuring deadlines are met.
• Running monthly payroll and processing other forms including P60s, P45s, P35s and P11D.
• Dealing with HMRC tax enquiries and planning and advising clients – both accounting and tax.
• Assisting small to medium businesses to integrate with receipt bank using Xero/QuickBooks software

EDUCATION:

February 2019

ACCA Member

Fully qualified Association of Chartered Certified Accountants

September 2010 – June 2013: University

BSc in Applied accounting

Grade: Second Class Lower Division

INTERESTS:

I regularly play football and cricket. Organised and participated in football matches for Comic Relief. I also enjoy Pool, Snooker and Tennis.

References Available Upon Request

If you are interested in this candidate, please contact Richard Lalchan via email rlalchan@cerfinancial.co.uk or call on 0207 626 6065.

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