Okemena Edionhon

Senior Finance business partner with 10+ years' experience delivering financial strategy and decision support across large-scale transformation programmes (£100m+) and operational functions. Proven experience in budgeting, forecasting, financial modelling, partnering C-suite stakeholders to drive cost optimisation, performance insight and strategic decision making. Experienced in finance project implementations as well as reporting and month end processes within complex organisations

Programme Finance Lead (Contract) - Tokio Marine HCC

(2023-10 - 2025-12)

• Finance partner responsible for the cost management of the multi-workstream transformation programme (total spend £108m) owning the annual budget/forecast updates, cost allocation, capitalisation and monthly variance analysis
• Owned/developed integrated financial models that tracked headcount planning, purchase orders and adhoc spending
• Converted financial data into actionable insights that shaped decision-making and enhanced stakeholder accountability
• Provided oversight on cash spend against the approved business case and any subsequent change requests
• Partnered the Transformation Director to deliver board-level reporting on capital spend enabling proactive risk identification and cost control and prepared the monthly update all journal updates for submission to Finance
• Proven experience identifying process inefficiencies within finance processes and embedding automation to improve accuracy and auditability and acted as a finance representative across governance forums and stakeholder committees
• Developed a culture of continuous improvement training PMs to adopt planning methods that enhanced transparency
• Implemented a standard forecasting template for all PMs to improve process and ensure consistency of cost recognition
• Led overhaul of balance sheet and aged debt analysis improving financial transparency and risk visibility

Snr Finance Business Partner - SThree

(2022-01 - 2023-09)

• Finance business partner leading on planning the cost profile and performance analysis for all head office functions
• Delivered financial insight and tracked trends acting as the strategic advisor enabling effective decision making
• Created a commercial conscious culture challenging stakeholders to be efficient and seek value for money
• Produced monthly management accounts with insightful commentary for inclusion of executive board packs
• Established business partnering cadence and regular stakeholder engagement lifting the profile of Finance
• Improved cost ownership and clarity of financial performance through performance dashboards and engagement
• Led implementation of Vena FP&A tool including scoping requirements, end user build/testing and reconciliation checks
• Managed variance analysis, journal postings, month end close and management accounting reporting
• Developed suite of management reports that improved budgetary control and stakeholder engagement
• Streamlined forecasting process reducing the reporting cycle by 20% (1 day) improving efficiency

Finance Business Partner/PMO Programme manager - Direct Line Group

(2016-05 - 2022-01)

Finance Business partner for IT/Cyber Security and Change directorate with combined spend of £70m+

• Delivered budgeting & forecasting, financial modelling and investment decision support
• Managed capitalisation, benefits tracking and financial governance of the cost base
• Integral to Functional Org Design by devising the chart of accounts structure that fed into the Transformation programme
• Led knowledge transfer to EXL (offshore outsource partner) through developing training resources and producing SOP documents that fed into the finance wide transformation programme
• Led PMO governance including milestone tracking, RAID management, financial forecasting and reporting
• Provided key stakeholder updates, Board reporting packs and supporting delivery alignment across programme teams
• Supported year-end audit and resolved complex audit queries on cost allocation and depreciation assumptions
• Implemented project accounting framework that successfully passed year end audit
• Supported delivery of major regulatory transformation programmes including GDPR, Operational Resilience and Oracle Finance transformation
• Mobilised PMO function for Operational Resilience Programme

Finance Business Partner - Lloyds Banking Group

(2015-11 - 2016-03)

• Managed IT licences cost portfolio within Commercial Banking
• Delivered month end processes including journals, intercompany recharges and balance sheet reviews
• Rationalised spend, improved reporting and automated prepayment processes
• Supported Finance director and Head of Commercial IT Finance on ad hoc projects
• Delivered cost savings through supplier consolidation and contract renegotiations in collaboration with Procurement

Finance Manager - PwC Consulting

(2014-05 - 2015-10)

• Provided financial, commercial and pricing guidance to Consulting Partners
• Delivered financial analysis, reporting and profitability insight
• Supported pricing strategy and working capital management

HR Finance Manager - PwC

(2011-05 - 2014-04)

Corporate Accounting Analyst / Graduate Finance Trainee - Transport for London

(2005-09 - 2011-05)

BSc (Hons) - Management & Tourism - University of Surrey