Irene Rico

Chartered Accountant, specialized in IFRS with a strong background in business finance and analytics with 17 years of work experience. I completed my training and qualifications at different companies and have exposure working in Governmental and MNCs. I am a self-motivated individual, diligent, adaptable and quick to rise to new challenges.

I have a strong ability to contribute to solving problems in the financial and accounting management areas. Skilled in team collaboration and guided by ethical principles and moral values. Proven track record in leading cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality results aligned with company goals.

Skilled in developing and implementing financial strategies that maximize project objectives. Experienced in influencing senior stakeholders through data-driven insights, collaborating within matrix structures, and working effectively with virtual expert teams. Resilient under pressure and recognized as a positive role model with strong stakeholder management skills.

Operational professional at BT COLOMBIA LIMITADA (2024-11 – Present)

• Review, ensure, and control the updating of service inventory within the LELIS system, aligning with existing processes.
• Prepare and update detailed reports and documentation for inventory pricing adjustments.
• Address and resolve operational issues quickly and effectively, supporting contingency plans to mitigate risks and ensure business continuity.
• Establish and maintain relationships with suppliers, supporting contract negotiations alongside Procurement.
• Support operational data analysis to identify risks and improve actionable insights for the company.
• Coordinate special projects aimed at enhancing operational efficiency or implementing new processes as requested by the Line Manager.
• Lead projects, manage commercial operations performance, and develop and implement operational policies.
• Allocate resources, foster cross-department collaboration, and manage workflow across the company to optimize daily activities and overall performance.
• Financial Support: Assist with internal and external audits, support Accounts Receivable and Payables by suggesting improved reporting formats to summarize transactions using SAP reporting.

Business services professional Finance at BT (2021-04 – 2024-10)

Result driven seasoned finance expert with experience ranging through multiple roles within Finance function – Audit, Financial Planning and analysis, Investor Relations, Reorganization & Restructuring and Leadership. Recognized for consistent success in developing and implementing systems, processes and procedures to streamline operations and enhance performance. Keen understanding of business priorities committed to managing teams in delivering seamless service while contributing to continuous improvement of the company process.

• Attend the requirements of the compliance team at BT LatAm (South Cone countries, Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua), presentation of month-end reports.
• Maintain aligned accounting by performing constant analyses to avoid possible mistakes.
• Carry out and keep updated the monthly recharges between entities.
• Review of the Argentina payroll.
• Preparation of reports required by the control entities.
• Approval of payments jointly with the Treasury area.
• Review of P&L in general of the related countries.
• Manage the relationship with BT's local auditors and audit teams at Global Services.
• Responsible to the financial requirements locally and globally of any area that requests it.
• Support to review the business cases for Global customer to impact in LatAm.
• Supported to merge the entities between Canada to US (Radianz project).

Project Manager - Group Transformation at BT (2017-07 – 2021-03)

Uses strong knowledge of appropriate financial processes to assist implementation of the Business Unit financial goals / pan-BT specialist function goals. Gives financial guidance (including guidance on specialist area if appropriate) to senior leadership teams and guides more junior roles and advises and coaches on financial policy and practices that support BT's long-term goals. Provides analytical business insight/support or responsibility for operation of a process for large business area (specific business unit) or complex specialist function or finance programme or project.

Supports senior members of finance team (e.g. SFM, Finance Controller, Head of Finance). Works primarily under supervision but prioritises work stack and adapts to changing priorities. Responsible output with autonomy to plan and execute own work.

Decision making mainly according to established solutions but handles new challenges and looks to make improvements to existing processes or and suggest alternatives to problems/issues before escalation.

• Create and manage plans, dependencies, risks, and problems with a continuous focus on the results / deliverables / benefits delivery in the inventory cleaning project and costs of terrestrial, satellite and other links.
• Report on progress and manage change control according to the standards required within the project.
• Conduct post-implementation reviews to continually improve our methodology and reorganize the inventory of telecommunications services.
• Identify and develop trustworthy relationships with program stakeholders and sponsors to obtain the support of the areas involved such as inventory manager, service contracting area, service installation, validation area, finance, and accounting to improve program execution.
• Alignment and standardization of inventory processes in the Americas, improving the impact of recording services in inventory for each client throughout the region.
• Support in the project and migration process in separation of domestic and global customers, according to the transformation of the company at the Latin American level, generating a process to not impact financially and operationally the clients involved in the separation of services from the domestic and global network.

Finance Professional at MERCADEO Y SERVICOS ASOCIADOS SERVICES TO BT LATAM COLOMBIA SA (2015-01 – 2017-07)

• Leadership in the Accounts Payable migration project to the Finance Share Services Centre located in Argentina.
• Three countries of the Andean region were aligned and standardized, improving the impact of recording costs, taxes, and reconciliation of accounts by client.
• Support in the development of the reorganization project of the Inventory of Circuits of the Andean Region, ensuring the management in favour of the fulfilment of the proposed objectives, channelling the effectiveness, detail, implementation, and design of the strategic plan.
• Support and preparation of annual and consolidated Financial Statements for Andean Region (Colombia, Peru), reports to control entities, analysis of accounts for the company transactions, accounts reconciliations, bank – tax reconciliation, control of supports, manage, and update the inventory of assets and financial reports for the corporate area and corporate accounts.

Professional Public Accountant at ICA - INSTITUTO COLOMBIANO AGROPECUARIO (2011-10 – 2015-01)

• Support in the project of implementation of the ICA National Collection System Billing together with the IT Area, allowing users to exercise control and facilitate the generation of online invoices to make payments through different means (invoice with code of bars and PSE).
• Coordinate the different areas in the registry of the basic budget chain, obligations, payment orders, national offices, through the preparation of massive loads of accounts payable and the registry of Payroll, suppliers and contractors, through the Integrated Financial Information System (SIIIF).
• Creation of a general Matrix for the inclusion of income in a more automated way of each section of the Institute in the SIIF NACION system.
• Support in the gathering of information, statistical analysis and development of financial model verification tests, as well as the design and structuring of final reports according to the methodologies used by clients and users who use the Institute's tools.
• Preparation of debit notes and proof of discharge in the Novasoft application, preparation of reports for control entities and the Ministerio de Hacienda.
• Support in the preparation of annual Financial Statements, analysis and preparation revenue information for all subsidiaries in Colombia.
• Follow-up in the development of projects for updates in the financial systems and internal processes.

Professional in Public Accounting in Public Accounting – University Cooperativa de Colombia (2012)

Specialization in International Standards of Accounting and Auditing – University Jorge Tadeo Lozano (2014)

Training in Obligations, bulk orders, payment of budgetary expenditures, Deductions of Payroll, charge, and liquidation Payroll in the system SIIF NACION II – Ministerio de Hacienda y Crédito Público