Project description

As part of a major transnational project with the aim of integrating and centralizing banking processes, I was responsible for project management and external consulting in Finance & Risk. The short-term goal of the project was the transfer of assets and liabilities of a French subsidiary to the German parent, as well as the future central processing.

Deliverables / Results

• Successful goal achievement: Implementation of short-term project goals and ensuring “operational readiness” in accordance with defined objectives and “target operating models”.

• Increased efficiency through structuring and control: Improving project transparency and efficiency by implementing a structured project plan, using dashboards and regular reporting.

• Proactive risk mitigation: Early detection and active management of risks and dependencies, resulting in smoother project execution.

• Valuable support through expertise: My experience in setting up foreign branches was recognized by the division manager as extremely valuable and contributed significantly to streamlining the future organization.

• Positive collaboration and fulfillment: Throughout the project, the division manager and all project participants appreciated my professional project management and my in-depth expertise, which contributed significantly to the successful outcome. My open communication style encouraged a consistently constructive and effective collaboration.

Project management and consulting in the area of “Finance & Risk” for a major transnational project at a leading bank in Frankfurt am Main

(2 years)

Responsibilities / Key aspects

• Cross-border project management: Responsible for managing the workstreams Accounting & Consolidation, Regulatory Reporting, Controlling, Risk Controlling Management, Credit Risk Management and Treasury.

• Consultancy and facilitation: Proactively providing functional advice and support in the design and implementation of short-term objectives ('operational readiness deliverables') considering the target operating models.

• Collaboration and Coordination: Worked closely with the internal workstream leaders and IT to align infrastructure, technical requirements, resources, and budget planning.

• Project Planning and Structuring: Established a comprehensive project organization, defined goals, procedures, scope, and timelines, and created a detailed project structure plan including task distribution.

• Management and monitoring: Milestone and task management using JIRA, including the use of Kanban boards for efficient control. Monitoring and coordination of work packages, activities and results.

• Reporting and communication: Dashboard creation and updates at micro and macro levels, preparation and execution of kick-off meetings and regular steering committee meetings (project and steering committee). Creation of multi-project reports and progress reports.

• Risk management and Governance: Proactively identified and communicated discrepancies, new issues, dependencies and risks, and defined and implemented mitigating actions.

• Continuous dialogue and guidance: Regularly coordinated and consulted with German and French department heads and worked closely with the Head of Finance & Risk regarding status, operations, new issues and risks.

• Organizational optimization: Using the experience I gained in the organizational set-up of foreign branches to support and optimize the integration of these branches into future head office functions.

Project description

As Head of Finance, I managed a team of 13 employees, including the regulatory reporting department. In this role, I was responsible for developing and implementing measures to optimize financial processes, as well as overseeing cross-departmental projects focused on efficiency and process improvement.

Deliverables / Results

• Successful team building: Through focused team development and improving collaboration, a positive working environment was created, which led to increased productivity.

• Outstanding Management Recognition: Collaboration with divisional management was excellent and led to a very positive perception of my performance, which reached all the way to general management. As a result of successfully achieving the targeted results, the company was so satisfied with my performance that I was offered a permanent position as a department head.

• Improved collaboration with Controlling and Risk Management: By implementing targeted optimization measures and open communication, interface processes and joint results with Controlling and Risk Management were significantly improved. This led to greater recognition of the Finance team within the organization and strengthened its position as a reliable partner in collaboration.

• Efficient Project Management: Successful implementation of cross-departmental and strategically important optimization projects that had a significant impact on internal business areas and processes. Through targeted measures, service delivery was ensured and strengthened even in challenging times such as the Corona pandemic.

Head of Finance & Regulatory Reporting – Project management and process optimization at a leading securities service bank in Frankfurt a.M.

(8 months)

Responsibilities / Key aspects

• Strategic and operational responsibility: Managing the Finance department in accordance with defined objectives, including budget responsibility and the creation of annual plans and projections.

• Leadership and team development: Setting an example through effective personnel management and fostering collaboration. Disciplinary and professional leadership of employees through clear performance targets, regular feedback meetings and continuous development of all team members.

• Improving collaboration and productivity: Establishing a positive working environment and improving team dynamics, which led to increased productivity and a better working environment.

• Optimizing processes during the pandemic: Improving communication and decision-making processes during the coronavirus pandemic and ensuring the transfer of knowledge and skills to all employees.

• Transformation and process management: Planning and steering of transformation projects and processes with bank-wide impact. Clarification and improvement of interfaces and the internal control system.

• Collaboration with external parties: Effective collaboration with tax advisors, auditors, internal audit and service providers to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.

• Regulatory Reporting: Conducting a detailed analysis of data and processes for all regulatory reports, including Bundesbank statistics, solvency and liquidity reports, CoRep/FinRep and other relevant reporting requirements. The main focus was set on the review of a possible outsourcing. In close cooperation with the service provider, initial negotiations were conducted and the basis for a possible project plan was developed.

• Streamlining accounts receivables management: Implementation of an automated collection process and enhancement of the international invoicing functions in SAP to increase efficiency and improve control of payment processes.

Project description

As Interim Head of Finance, I was asked to continue the optimization projects that had already been started following the recruitment of a new Finance Director. My tasks involved developing and implementing measures to increase efficiency and improve financial processes, as well as managing cross-departmental projects. Through precise analysis and the introduction of proven best practices, I was able to significantly increase transparency, considerably reduce process times and ensure a sustainable increase in productivity.

Deliverables / Results

• Improved financial statement quality: Successful enhancement of accounting quality and external reporting processes, which led to a noticeable improvement in monthly and annual financial statements.

• Increased invoice processing efficiency: Introduction of the “SmartInvoice” solution and the “IRMA-Provisions Manager” SAP module, which automated and accelerated invoice processing and better integrated bank-wide processes.

• Optimized billing processes: By providing expert advice and developing new cross-departmental processes, efficiency in invoicing and end-to-end billing error processes was significantly increased. Cross-departmental responsibility was successfully transferred to the Finance department through coaching and knowledge transfer. An electronic invoice retrieval module was implemented in accordance with legal requirements and internal Finance guidelines.

• Compliance and process optimization: Successful implementation of a separate invoicing process for 'buy-in' auctions to comply with CSDR requirements, resulting in improved compliance with regulatory requirements and increased process security.

Project management and realization of various optimizing and compliance projects at a leading securities service bank in Frankfurt am Main

(2 years)

Responsibilities / Key aspects

• Finance & Controlling Project “Banksteuerung 21”: Optimization of the booking quality in financial accounting to increase the quality of monthly and annual financial statements. Comprehensive analysis and conception of actual and target processes, evaluation of business, regulatory and accounting issues as well as review of existing work processes and development of optimization measures

• Project management “SmartInvoice”: Introduction of an automated solution for processing incoming invoices and implementation of the bank application “IRMA-Rückstellungsmanager” for provisions in the subledger to SAP-FI. Development of an integrated workflow for various departments, communication of bank-wide process changes and organization of online trainings.

• “E2E Faktura Process Optimization”: – Creation of business concepts to optimize billing processes, documentation of target and actual processes in the event of disruptions, development of a new SAP master data process and introduction of the role Function Owner Faktura. Management and technical implementation of an internal electronic invoice retrieval functionality.

• CSDR Implementation Requirement Art. 7, 'Settlement Discipline': Design and implementation of a new CSDR-compliant processes, including the development of a daily invoicing process for future 'buy-in' auctions in accordance with the requirements of CSDR settlement discipline. Planning and introduction of a new master data process in SAP for a specially defined group of debtors to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.

Project description

In my role as an Interim and Project Manager in Finance and Controlling, I represented and supported the 'Head of Expenses, Statutory Reporting and Transformation'. I was responsible for advising and guiding operating Finance functions, reviewing audit processes and optimizing finance and accounting processes. I played a key role in various projects to increase efficiency and transformation within the company.

Deliverables / Results

• Defining a Treasury Policy: Successfully defining and designing the first 'EU treasury policy for bank accounts', which serves as the basis for standardized and optimized treasury processes throughout the entire company.

• Optimization of managing Travel Expense processes: Efficient improvement of processes in the global travel and expense management software 'SAP Concur' by enhancing and optimizing legal and tax audit queries, resulting in significant resource savings and error reduction.

• Internal Guidelines: Development of internal guidelines and instructions for reimbursements of benefits in kind and other services to employees or third parties, including flat-rate wage tax and the calculation of social security contributions, to ensure tax and legal compliance.

Interim and project management in Finance / Controlling & Transformation at a leading global investment firm in Frankfurt a.M.

(5 months)

Responsibilities / Key aspects

• Deputy and Support: Representing the Head of Expenditure, Accounting and Transformation on new initiatives and projects.

• Consultancy and Guidance: Supporting operational Finance functions, such as Treasury, Costs and Expenditure, Corporate Taxes, as well as advising on current projects in Global Transformation.

• Monitoring and Control: Ensuring compliance and control of audit processes with Finance.

• Sparring partner for Finance managers: Supporting and strategically advising global Finance managers of important subsidiaries and branches belonging to the group.

• Professional Point of Contact: Handling specific accounting matters, accounting and intercompany issues.

• Guidance on Business Assessments: Advice on creating business assessments and analyses for reporting and preparing annual financial statements in accordance with the German Commercial Code (HGB) and IFRS/IAS.

Project description

As part of a major transformation project, I was responsible for the project management and operational implementation of the Finance Target Operating Model for the purposes of integrating a new business area, “Wealth Management”, into the existing system landscape of Corporate International Banking in Germany, for the European market. My responsibilities included the implementation of specialized systems, interface management, the development of additional core banking systems, the alignment with German accounting requirements and ensuring regulatory compliance for the new private banking business. I worked closely with global project members and the provider of the financial software solutions Olympic Banking.

Deliverables / Results

Successful Integration of a new Business Unit: Development and successful integration of the new business unit “Wealth Management” into the existing IT and business process organization, including the implementation and optimization of the necessary systems and processes.

Efficient Implementation of Olympic Banking Systems: Successful Implementation and customization of the Olympic Banking Systems according to HGB/IFRS, including the development of new booking schemes and specific customizations for new banking products.

Optimization of additional Finance and Controlling Applications: Effective configuration and integration of the required wealth management systems into the global core banking system, resulting in seamless integration into group-wide reporting.

Ensuring Regulatory Compliance: Setting up and optimizing additional local and EU-wide reporting requirements, resulting in full compliance of all regulatory requirements for the new Wealth Management business.

Project management and operational implementation of the Finance Target Operating Model for the integration of Wealth Management into Corporate and International Banking at a leading European bank in Frankfurt am Main.

(16 months)

Responsibilities / Key aspects

• Design and implementation of IT and Business requirements: Developing and creating concepts for technical and business implementation of IT and business requirements in close collaboration with the relevant parties.

• Project organization and coordination: Coordinating and communicating with global project participants in Asia and Europe, defining the project organization, creating work packages, and conducting kick-off meetings, workshops, steering committees, and status meetings.

• Risk Management and Prioritization: Determining the priority of project activities, identifying and communicating risks, development processes, results, and decisions.

• Implementation of Olympic Banking System: Specification, test and validation of accounting schemas in the Olympic Banking System according to corporate guidelines and German GAAP, including the amendment of VAT calculations and a new fees module (MiFID).

• Development of IFRS accounting schemas: Supporting the IFRS accounting schema development based on the results of accounting tests performed for various new banking products in Private Banking.

• Integration of additional Wealth Management Finance (WM) systems: Configuration, validation and testing of the WM banking applications (CP2A for customer profitability analysis and ALIAS – Automated Liquidity and Accounting Solution) and their integration into the global core banking system OFS (One Financial System), including the review of regulatory data for local reporting.

• Development of Regulatory Reporting Requirements: Coordination and guidance regarding local and EU-wide regulatory reporting requirements for the private client business, including analysis and implementation of solutions for additional reporting processes and the development of a new mandate for daily reporting in accordance with KWG §24c.

Project description

As part of a cross-border merger and the transformation of a German subsidiary into a European bank headquarters, I took over a workstream project management in Finance. My main responsibility was to ensure the timely transfer of balance sheet items and financial instruments from a foreign core banking system by the end of the year. In addition, I was responsible for ensuring smooth financial and regulatory reporting, implementing multi-GAAP accounting, timely data migration and supporting the integration of new banking products and systems.

Deliverables / Results

Accurate and timely data migration: The migration for the cross-border downstream merger was successfully completed on schedule on the last business day of the year.

Successful integration in accordance with accounting requirements: Migration of the general ledger and fixed asset accounting in compliance with German accounting principles and regulatory requirements.

Optimization of financial processes: Efficient implementation of new banking solutions and general improvement of financial processes, resulting in enhanced data quality and higher standard of reporting.

Responsibility for the cross-border data migration of balance sheet positions and the integration of additional banking products and financial instruments as part of a cross-border downstream merger at an international bank in Frankfurt am Main

(10 months)

Responsibilities / Key aspects

• Multi-GAAP Accounting: Implementation of a multi-GAAP environment for adapting to different accounting requirements, including testing and documentation of accounting scheme, logic and posting processes.

• Data Migration: Analysis and design to migrate balance sheet positions from two different core banking systems (France and Austria) to 'FusionBanking Midas' (FBM). Assessment and classification of general ledger accounts and new bank products for migration to the German Headquarter, as well as extension of the local chart of accounts for new financial instruments.

• Development of a Mapping Tool: Excel-based mapping tool to ensure a correct and error-free data migration by the merger date (31 December) after theend-of-day technical processing.

• Data migration of new banking products: Integration and transfer of new banking products such as commodities, derivatives and bonds, which are to be traded for the first time via the new head office in Germany.

• Support with implementation of a Trading Solution: Participation in the introduction of the UK Trading Solution 'Calypso Application‘.oll-out

• Roll-out of two new FBM modules: Technical specification and implementation of the 'Syndication' and 'Past Dues' modules in 'FusionBanking Midas‘ core banking system, including advice and guidance of possible business transactions and postings in the context of loan syndication.

• Account and balance reconciliation: Performing account reconciliations and adjustment postings between the data warehouse and the core banking system after data migration.