Zeeshan Shafi

Finance professional with over 10 years of progressive experience in Finance operations including Treasury & Trade Operations and Accounts Payable, having worked with leading multinational and local organizations including Syngenta, K-Electric, and Siemens. Demonstrated expertise in liquidity management, foreign exchange (FX) rate negotiations, trade finance optimization, and end-to-end payment and collection processes. Proven ability to manage and maintain strong banking relationships for both operational and trade finance needs.

Adept at leveraging SAP, Power BI, and interactive dashboards to streamline financial workflows, ensuring efficiency, compliance, cost savings, and data-driven strategy across all treasury and payables functions.

Senior Payables Officer - Syngenta Pakistan Limited

(2022-12)

Subsidiary of Syngenta Participations AG, Basel, Switzerland. Directed end-to-end invoice clearing and payment operations, spearheaded process automation and digitization initiatives, structured supplier financing solutions, managed substantial trade portfolio, negotiated trade finance cost reductions, and optimized borrowing costs.

• Vendor Disbursement Management: Directed end-to-end invoice clearing and payment operations for 500+ local and strategic vendors, managing annual disbursements exceeding PKR 10 Billion.
• Process Automation & Digitization: Spearheaded the transition from manual processing to secure electronic channels and invoice digitization platforms, reducing payment turnaround time by 35%.
• Supplier Financing & Discount Optimization: Structured and implemented bank-backed Supplier Financing / Reverse Factoring solutions, facilitating early payments to key vendors while capturing substantial cash discounts and maximizing working capital liquidity.
• Trade Portfolio Management: Managed an annual import trade volume exceeding USD 100 Million, facilitating Letters of Credit (LCs), bank contracts, and open account transactions.
• Trade Finance Cost Reduction: Negotiated LC commission charges with banking partners, achieving a 32% reduction in overall trade finance commission expenses.
• Borrowing Cost Optimization: Negotiated a 75% reduction in Short-Term Loan (STL) markup spread (from KIBOR + 1.00% to KIBOR + 0.25%), resulting in substantial financial cost savings.
• Supply Chain Billing & PO Verification: Oversee vendor billing accuracy, conducting rigorous 3-way matching (PO vs. GRN vs. Invoice) to ensure strict alignment with issued Purchase Orders and contract terms.
• Invoice Digitization Projects: Support the testing and implementation of automated Invoice Management Systems to digitize approval workflows and reduce manual entry errors.
• Management Dashboards & Reporting: Prepare and present executive management reports detailing Open POs, Vendor Advances, Unbilled Liabilities, and AP Aging metrics for strategic decision-making.
• Debit Notes & Cost Recovery: Issue and track debit notes for rejected material lots, short supplies, quality non-compliances, and late delivery penalties to protect company financial interests.
• Advance Payments & Import Clearances: Process advance payments for projects, raw & packaging materials, and non-inventory requisitions, including pay orders for customs duties, taxes, and shipping/clearance charges.
• Supplier Financing Management: Coordinate with banking partners and strategic vendors to execute Supplier Financing / Early Payment Discounting programs, leveraging bank credit lines to secure maximum early payment discounts from vendors.
• AP Mentorship & Guidance: Provide mentorship and technical guidance to the Accounts Payable team on three-way matching verification, adherence to internal controls, and resolving complex vendor billing disputes.
• Trade Operations & Banking: Managed annual import trade volumes exceeding USD 100M across LCs, Bank Contracts, and Open Accounts while maintaining partner bank KYC compliance.
• FX & Cash Flow Management: Executed foreign exchange rate negotiations, daily liquidity monitoring, short/long-term cash flow forecasting, and intercompany reconciliations with Syngenta Global Treasury.

Senior Commercial Officer - K-Electric Limited

(2019-12 - 2022-11)

Power Utility Company. Responsible for the full Accounts Payable cycle, financial data analysis, KPI performance analysis, inventory management, and participation in commercial committees.

• Responsible for the full Accounts Payable cycle, including invoice processing, verification, and three-way matching reconciliation.
• Executed payment balancing in strict accordance with rolling cash flow forecasts.
• Performed financial data analysis for future forecasting and strategic commercial decision-making.
• Conducted KPI performance analysis and provided actionable recommendations for continuous workflow improvement.
• Supported commercial disposal and inventory management departments across various business activities.
• Monitored perpetual inventory counts of materials across multiple plant locations as per Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Active member of scrap assessment and formal tender opening committees.

Senior Commercial Officer - Validus Engineering Pvt. Ltd.

(2015-07 - 2019-11)

Formerly SIEMENS. Managed all Accounts Payable processing, clearing agent invoices, vendor account setup, payment forecasting, inventory controls, and audit support.

• Responsible for managing all Accounts Payable processing and payment verification.
• Processed clearing agent invoices and managed commercial activities related to logistics and import clearing.
• Set up vendor accounts, reconciled vendor statements, and prepared monthly A/P accrual schedules.
• Prepared monthly payment forecasting packages for executive management aligned with company liquidity targets.
• Settled service reimbursements for both employees and third-party commercial vendors.
• Facilitated internal and external auditors during interim and annual audit cycles.
• Reviewed and controlled open Goods Receipt / Invoice Receipt (GR/IR) for local and imported materials in coordination with raw material stores and quality inspection.
• Organized perpetual physical inventory counts of raw materials and performed book reconciliations.

Commercial Officer - SIEMENS (Pakistan) Engineering Co. Ltd.

(2010-01 - 2015-06)

Managed fixed asset accounting, raw material inventory controls, Accounts Payable processing, GR/IR accounts, vendor setup, cost reduction strategies, and physical asset verification.

• Managed Fixed Asset accounting and raw material inventory controls.
• Responsible for end-to-end Accounts Payable processing.
• Reviewed and controlled open GR/IR accounts (Local & Imported) with store and inspection teams.
• Set up vendor accounts, reconciled statements, and recorded monthly A/P accruals.
• Recorded fixed asset acquisitions, transfers, and dispositions in SAP.
• Implemented cost reduction strategies and efficient asset procurement procedures across business units.
• Investigated and reported potential obsolescence of fixed assets.
• Conducted periodic physical verification counts of fixed assets.

M.B.A - Finance & Supply Chain Management - Institute of Business & Technology (2013)

Master's in Arts - International Relations - University of Karachi (2011)

Bachelor's - Commerce - University of Karachi (2009)