Werner Coombe

CA(SA) with over 20 years of senior finance experience across asset-intensive, multi-site and high-growth organisations, including Royal Dutch Shell, Brit Insurance, Suitsupply and MediaMonks. The last ten years as head of reporting and senior finance manager for an international group operating across seven countries. My work has consistently sat where finance meets the business: acting as sparring partner to CFOs and leadership teams, owning the budget and forecast cycle, and turning operational and financial information into decisions people can act on.

I enjoy complex technical work, but the focus is always clarity, sound judgement and getting the basics right.

Head of Finance / Technical Accounting - Akvo Foundation - Netherlands & International

(2016-01)

• Ran the finance function for a group of 5 legal entities across the Netherlands, USA, Singapore, India, Kenya and Mali, with combined annual income of approximately €5 million.
• Fully responsible for the annual budget and the forecasting cycle across all entities, and for the monthly reporting built on it.
• Monitored performance against budget, produced management reporting and cash flow forecasts for the leadership team, and flagged risks and trends as they emerged.
• Designed and implemented the group transfer pricing policy covering the Netherlands, India, USA, Kenya, Mali, Singapore and Burkina Faso.
• Set group accounting policies and reporting structures; lead contact for external auditors, delivering 10 consecutive unqualified audit opinions.
• Managed funder reporting and compliance for institutional funders including the World Bank, UNICEF and USAID.
• Currently retained one day per month for review and complex non-standard accounting matters.

Interim Head of Finance & Tax - Circle Economy - Amsterdam

(2024-04 - 2025-03)

• Full interim responsibility for finance and tax through a leadership transition, concurrent with the part-time Akvo role.
• Reviewed and re-documented accounting positions, and carried the statutory audit through to signature.

Interim and contract assignments - Freelance Finance Consulting - Netherlands

(2013-01 - 2015-12)

Senior Controller (freelance) - MediaMonks Group

(2015-07 - 2015-12)

• Direct sparring partner to the group CFO on the finance, legal and tax issues facing the business through rapid growth.

Finance Director (interim) - Suitsupply Group - Amsterdam

(2013-07 - 2013-12)

• Interim finance lead for a multi-site international retail group during a period of rapid store expansion.

Senior Contractor, Audit - EY - Netherlands

(2015-01 - 2015-05)

• Year-end audits for asset management and insurance clients.

Finance Manager, Europe - Brit Insurance - Amsterdam

(2011-08 - 2013-05)

• Responsible for all budgeting, forecasting and reporting for the European business.
• Statutory reporting and technical accounting across multiple European jurisdictions in a regulated environment.

Internal Audit / Assistant Treasurer - Royal Dutch Shell - Global

(2005-08 - 2011-07)

• Assistant Treasurer in one of the world's most capital- and asset-intensive groups: cash management, cash flow forecasting, funding and financial instruments.
• Internal audits across global operations, assessing controls, cost structures and operational performance across multiple sites and countries.

Audit & Technical Accounting - PricewaterhouseCoopers - Netherlands & South Africa

(2000-01 - 2005-12)

• External audit and technical accounting, with a focus on IFRS and financial instruments.

BCom - Accounting - University of Johannesburg

BCom Honours - Accounting (CTA) - University of Johannesburg

IAC II Management Development Programme - IMD Business School

Alexander Technique Teacher Training (2019-01 - 2024-12)