Simon Pantaleo

Experienced Finance and Administration Manager, over 20 years of financial experience, with 17 years in managerial roles covering banking, accounting, auditing, tax, logistics, trading and engineering industries. Successfully managed multiple CAPEX projects. Extensive experience from one of the Big4 global auditing firms in audit practice.

Certified Public

Accountant CPA(T) in Public Practice (CPA-PP) with a comprehensive skill set spanning in banking, accounting, auditing, finance, administration, and project management.

Cluster Finance Manager at GSM Group Tanzania Ltd (2023-10 – 2025-12)

• Focusing in achieving operational excellence in all corporate accounting and reporting matters of the company, developing financial systems processes and controls necessary to enable the company to meet its objectives.
• Participate in preparing planning and implementing the strategy for the company, consistent with the strategy of the group.
• Directs and control production of financial plans, reports, and budgets to give the management adequate insight into the financial situation of the company.
• Coordinate need for long-term financing in keeping with group guideline in order to ensure sufficient funding for the long/short term needs and manages contact with local banks.
• Liasing with group treasury office in order to guarantee effective short-term working capital requirements.
• Provide expert advice and supporting financial controllers and finance team for cluster entities.
• Train, coach, mentor and provide other development support initiative to finance team on an ongoing basis to enable them to grow.
• Ensure the company is complying with all tax requirement and other regulatory, timely submission of all returns as per the law.
• Preparation of the performance reports which include set of financial statements with remarks on variances compared to last year, last month and budget

Country Finance & Administration Manager at ABB (T) LTD (2012-04 – 2022-06)

A subsidiary of Asea Brown Boveri – ABB Switzerland. Organization Type: Electrical Engineering & automation products. Reason for leaving: Closure of business operations

• Develop and implement financial strategy, collaborating on annual budgets and ensuring strict control.
• Prepare and analyze monthly financial reports, identifying significant variations and proposing corrective actions to management.
• Maintain compliance with group reporting deadlines, overseeing day-to-day operational finance processes.
• Manage internal controls, ensuring compliance with tax laws and regulations, and facilitating internal and external auditing.
• Handle banking relationships and hedging strategies to mitigate interest rate risks.
• Oversee general ledger reconciliation, payments, trading inventory, fixed assets, payroll, and HR matters.
• Attend purchasing committee pre-award reviews, perform periodic financial reviews of ongoing projects, and evaluate supplier performance and cost-effectiveness.
• Maintaining relations with local banks to ensure working capital requirements are honored and also maintain optimal cash flow management for operations and projects purposes.
• Working closely with project staff to make sure that they are well trained on the project reporting guidelines, collecting date and reports from project team for analysis and feedback reports.
• Managed extensive greenfield capital expenditure (capex) initiatives, encompassing budget allocation, financial analysis, and assessment, with a focus on timely and cost- effective project completion.
• Resolving HR issues including staff welfare, relations, recruitment and selections, maintaining employment contracts, etc.
• Representing the company in all matters concerning tax, legal and compliance issues, maintaining relationship with government authorities and external bodies including lawyers, TRA, Ministry of work, licensing bodies, etc.
• Negotiating on behalf of the company on staff welfare issues including staff medical insurance and rental agreements
• Integral member of the management team during the transition to ERP systems, including SAP.
• Strengthened analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Gained negotiation skills with key suppliers and sub contractors.
• Advanced knowledge of MS Office applications.
• Expertise in ERP systems: SAP (FI, MM, CO, SD), Sun Systems, SYSPRO.
• Gained extensive experience in managing big project cash flows and monitoring projects expenditure.
• Developed proficiency in human resources management and people management, and exposed to local labor laws.
• Exposed in dealing with government officials, government Institutions and other regulatory authorities e.g. Ministry of labor, TRA, TANESCO, BRELA, CRB etc.
• Expanded skills in analyzing financial data and interpreting financial information.

Finance Manager at DHL Express (T) Ltd (2007-03 – 2011-07)

Industry: Logistics

• Played a pivotal role in budget preparation and presentation.
• Forecasted revenue and managed cash flow projections.
• Prepared and uploaded monthly management accounts.
• Oversaw bank reconciliations and balance sheet accounts.
• Reviewed cost analysis and aging analysis.
• Coordinated external audits and ensured timely returns.
• Managed payroll calculations and tax matters.
• Oversaw fixed asset register and capital expenditure.
• Conducted annual performance appraisals.
• Supervised and trained junior finance staff
• Resolving HR issues including staff welfare, relations, recruitment and selections, maintaining employment contracts, etc.
• Representing the company in all matters concerning tax, legal and compliance issues, maintaining relationship with government authorities and external bodies including lawyers, TRA, Ministry of work, licensing bodies, etc.
• Negotiating on behalf of the company on staff welfare issues including staff medical insurance and rental agreements
• Gained valuable experience logistic industry particularly business operations
• Gained experience in dealing with external parties, especially banks and regulatory authorities
• Acquired expertise in managing junior staff, mentorship and training.
• Expanded skills in financial reporting, especially group reporting.
• Exposure in working in international environment through secondments, meetings and trainings

Senior Audit Associate at Deloitte & Touché (2002-01 – 2007-01)

Industry: Audit & Consultancy

• Led audit teams and managed various audit assignments in various organizations and various projects including international donor-funded projects in NGOs, Banks & Financial Institutions, Government development projects.
• Reviewed internal controls and financial statements of various organizations.
• Ensured compliance with IFRS and relevant standards.
• Maintained auditing standards and procedures throughout the audit process.
• Developed junior staff and capacity-building.
• Conducted financial audits for various clients and various industries
• Gained extensive exposure to accounting for non-profit organizations.
• Acquired experience in project accounting and review of project financial statements
• Exposed to accounting policies for international donor-funded projects, plus reporting requirements and standards as I was using the policies as benchmarks for audit review of projects.
• Gained new exposure to project planning and budgeting during my review assignments
• Gained new skills in project management
• Gained valuable experience and exposure in grants management.
• Acquired expertise in managing donor-funded projects, particularly during the audit review process and reporting
• Expanded skills in project planning and budgeting.
• Gained experience in project monitoring and evaluation through the audit programs
• Exposed to, and learned different business processes of various industries including banking, manufacturing, engineering, etc.
• Gained insight into various financial accounting tools and software.
• Improved analytical skills and critical thinking which were needed to analyze financial data and form an opinion on the implication of the financial position of the organization being audited.
• Built up taxation knowledge as it was a crucial and sensitive part in our audit process
• Improved skills in detection of errors in financial statements using various financial audit tools & techniques
• Conducted annual performance appraisals.
• Supervised and trained junior finance staff

Treasury Officer at NMB Bank Plc (2000-04 – 2001-12)

Industry: Financial Institution

• Managed daily liquidity and investments: Management of the local and foreign investment portfolios, ensure that interest earned on Treasury bills and other securities and maturities are monitored
• Arranged interbank placements: Arrange and compile the paperwork for the day-to-day interbank placement
• Prepared reports: Prepare the weekly, monthly statutory reports for submission to the Central bank
• Oversaw the bank's liquidity position and insurance coverage: Management of the bank's liquidity position, organize for insurance cover for excess cash above limit held at branches
• Gained experience in investment in treasury bills and other securities.
• Expanded financial skills in banking industry
• Acquired customer service skills in dealing with bank customers and micro-credit business.
• Enhanced communication skills in dealing with multiple financial institutions including BOT
• Gained valuable experience and exposure in grants management.
• Acquired expertise in managing donor-funded projects, particularly during the audit review process and reporting
• Expanded skills in project planning and budgeting.
• Gained experience in project monitoring and evaluation through the audit programs

Advanced Diploma in Accountancy – The Institute of Finance Management (IFM) (1996 – 1999),Certified Public Accountant – CPA (T) in Public Practice (CPA-PP)