Alban Fernandes

Highly-experienced financial professional with strong record of success in credit control, internal auditing. Proven leader recognized for sharp attention to detail and superior business acumen. Adaptive problem solver equipped with advanced team building, organization, interpersonal, communication, critical thinking, negotiation, letter of credit, documentary credit, billing, Collection and analytical skills.

Technically proficient in MS Office Suite, S4Hana, SAP, Salesforce, DSM, SharePoint, iScala, D base IV, Lotus 123, Word star, Cobol, Tally, IHA, and Quicken. Fluent in both English and Hindi

DAIKIN MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA FZE, U.A.E

Credit Controller / Team Leader, 2008 - 2023

Provided executive leadership over overall receivables in MENA and GCC regions, engaging with contractors, sub-contractors, hoteliers, hospitals, real estate companies, supermarkets, government, and finance counterparts. Facilitated processing of credit requests received from customer via the credit application form by requesting a report from their bankers through external bankers or credit insurers, checking their payment history with their trade reference provided and performing risk assessment of customers in line with established parameters. Closely communicated with Sales and acted as a solution provider.

Ensured compliance to all applicable regulatory guidelines and organizational standardized operational procedures. Prepared budgets for banking charges, credit insurance, and provision for doubtful debts. Introduced financial controls to optimize credit controls and minimize vulnerabilities.

Negotiated better bank charges related to LC, leading to cost saving to the company and initiated better policy terms with insurers like extended maximum extended period, retention overdue period extension, discretionary limit and bank cover, malus, extension in reporting deadline for overdue. Rolled out measures and initiatives geared to ameliorate discrepancies, delinquencies, and escalations. Successfully steered overall debtor's collections, which includes group companies, affiliates, and customers in in Middle East and Africa using tools like fortnightly receivable meeting with Sales and Services engineers, dunning, settlement plans and payment options including e-commerce, budgeting advise.

• Composed and delivered DAME credit control policy, LC guidelines in line with trade terms and monthly UAE Credit Control Committee meeting presentation. 
• Implemented group accounting policies and standard operating procedures pertaining to accounts receivable, advances, specific and general bad debts calculation, one-time customers, negative AR, insurance turnover declaration, value added tax and overdue reporting. 
• Cultivated award-winning accolades in recognition of outstanding achievements and exemplary service delivery.
• Led a key system transition from iScala to SAP and from SAP to S4Hana for Credit Control. 
• Managed a team of 7 staff for O2C operations by continuously monitoring of their progress, weekly meetings, grading performance on monthly basis, and amending standardized operational procedures periodically. 
• Integral in leading a finance seminar to entire Daikin Middle East and Africa team, providing key input regarding letter of credit and credit insurance and cash conversion cycles which led to increase in collections, sales, and reconciliation of delinquencies. Encouraged customers to open BL Letter of Credit for Delivery Duty Paid trade terms and educated the whole DAME team in corresponding processes.

DESTINATIONS OF THE WORLD (AUSTRALIA) PTY LLC., Australia

Finance Manager, 2006 - 2008

Directed budgeting and financial governance actions that adhered to introduced and existing group accounting policies and protocol. Maintained and augmented Fixed Asset Register to validate adequate controls are in place to optimize costs. Successfully steered overall debtor's collections which includes franchise offices and direct agents across Australia, prepared monthly management reports.

• Honed knowledge of GST, PAYG, and Fringe Benefit tax directives to reinforce compliance. 
• Successfully negotiated extended payment terms with suppliers and better exchange rates for Destination of the World enabling payments to suppliers in different currencies following established procedures and timelines and rendering substantial exchange gains.

DESTINATIONS OF THE WORLD LLC., U.A.E

Senior Accountant / Credit Controller, 1998 - 2005

Prepared and executed supplier payment runs, following established procedures and timelines. Oversaw and managed daily accounting activities which included debt reconciliation, invoicing, credit control, transaction processing, account management, collections, refunds, and payroll. Played a pivotal role in training, coaching, and fostering cross-functional personnel to enhance performance.

Executed account reconciliations to mitigate losses and raise bottom line. Instrumental in opening several international locations in Malaysia, Pakistan, Kuwait, and Jordan. Successfully steered overall debtor's collections, which includes franchise offices and direct agents all over the world.

WIPRO LIMITED DIVISION BIOMED, India

Regional Accounts Associate Administrator, 1996 - 1997

Managed the entire cash & bank operations, management information system, reporting, debtor’s follow-up & monitoring of the entire western region of India.

Liaison with credit card, Foreign Exchange agencies, telephone, fax, telex, courier, travel, clearing and Contracting agencies & hotels.

Handled stock of stationery by maintaining a stock book, entering the quantities of items purchased and the quantities of items given out based on the stationery requisition from received from various department and keeping a track of stationery consumption for the company and ordering accordingly.

Managed the preparation of Collection report, TDS report, Overhead report, Cash flow & Fund flow statements, Bank Reconciliation statement.

Attended a self-development, ISO Awareness and Six steps to Six Sigma training program.

Arranged Seminars, Conferences, Parties, Picnics, Excursion tours, etc. through Hotels, Tour Operators, Professional Party Organizers, etc.

M/s Mukadam & Associates, Chartered Accountants, India

Accountant Audit Assistant, 1992 -1996

Handling various type of accounts upto finalization in computerized as well as manual environment

Independently handled accounts of Private Limited companies, Credit Societies, Trust, Firms, Employee's Associations, Housing Societies, etc.

Assisted in the Statutory & internal audit of Public Limited Companies Private Limited accompanies, Credit Societies, Trust, Firms, Employee's Associations, Housing Societies, etc

Assisted in the management information system of Standard Chartered Bank (Credit Card Division) which included Stamping of customer letters, identifying the complaints, preparing an analysis report and finally typing the replies to the customers.

Handled reconciliation work for Standard Chartered Bank (Credit Card Division) which covered areas like Cash advance, Cash repayments, local cheques, transfer cheques, outstation cheques, tele-drafts and Merchant payments.

Preparing Projection report, budgets, cash flow and Fund Flow statements for customers.

Operated application packages like MS Word, WordStar, D base IV, Spread Sheets like Q pro, MS Excel & Accounting packages like Quicken, In House Accountant and Tally.

Master of Commerce in Accountancy

University of Bombay 1993-1995

Bachelor of Commerce in Accountancy

University of Bombay 1989-1992