GIRIJA VENKATESAN
San Jose,CA
Summary
With a dynamic track record spanning 17 years in Financial and Accounting Services, relentlessly pursued excellence across business goal setting, Finance Planning & Analysis, Business Performance Management, Risk Management & Assurance, and the strategic implementation of impactful practices. Competencies encompass financial reporting, data analysis, enriching Management Information (MI) through regular reports, data governance, compliance risks, harmonizing business objectives, risk management, and regulatory adherence, and control validations. An expert in financial data preparation, variance analysis, and providing actionable financial insights and KPI measurements to business units for informed decision-making. Excel in process reengineering, continual enhancement, team empowerment, and fostering unity to overcome challenges and achieve milestones. Well-regarded Finance Manager highly effective at analyzing data and trends to make timely, useful and effective recommendations. Well-versed in operating in complex, dynamic environments under tight deadlines.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Governance Risk Control (GRCA) Advisor
Shell Energy Americas
07.2020 - 08.2022
- Leading Assurance and Risk Management for Shell Trading & Supply business.
- SPOC for all financial queries including internal and external audit Subject Matter expert with Shell Control Framework and Governance revolving around business objective, finance reporting and decision making.
- Provided guidance and support needed on Shell wide re-organization and Change Management across globe.
- Educate organization to enable people in business to adopt key GRCA principles, adhere to control framework and deploy appropriate reporting to Business Assurance Committee (both assurance planning & tracking and incident management) and deploy appropriate systems to produce MI into Business Assurance Committee.
Business Finance Manager
Shell Oil Company
01.2013 - 06.2020
- Oversaw end-to-end financial planning, accounting (including book closure), and reporting for 800 million USD portfolio, involving critical assessment and budget negotiation with Real Estate EVPs and VPs
- Led Global Functions cost recovery process, managing change requests and engaging with cost working panel and working capital management
- Collaborated with multiple teams to ensure seamless setup of tariff and true-up activities for Global Functions cost recovery
- Identified and executed process enhancements from Continuous Improvement (CI) lens for responsible area and underlying financial processes
- Managed financial and change management aspects amid organizational changes by collaborating with business
- Supervised staff development and performance, including virtual team members, engaging in discussions concerning CI, operational excellence, and staff welfare Implemented ESSA methodology, automating monthly reports, eliminating non-value-added reports, resulting in 0.5 FTE savings at team level.
Assistant Team Manager
Accenture Credit Services
09.2005 - 12.2012
- Managed a team of forty members, handling client relations, project management, and people leadership
- Possessed hands-on expertise in Financial Reporting, Budgeting & Forecasting, Cash Flow Analysis, Acquisition/Disposition Modelling, Lease or Loan Abstraction, and Underwriting
- Ensured SLA-level quality through thorough final reviews of team-generated projects and deals
- Evaluated numerous commercial properties in New York and managed Due Diligence team for valuation support to US clients
- Supported Portfolio Management in performance analysis and contributed to capital raising initiatives through financial modelling and presentations
- Conducted property and market-level research across different geographic regions and prepared strategy memos for investment committee
- Conducted training on US real estate concepts, Argus, and Dyna for new hires.
Education
Master of Philosophy in Commerce & Finance -
University of Madras
Chennai India01.2009
Master of Commerce -
Ethiraj College For Women
Chennai India01.2005
Master of Financial Management -
Pondicherry University
Chennai India01.2005
Bachelor of Commerce -
Ethiraj College For Women
Chennai India01.2003
Skills
- Financial Planning & Analysis including Financial Modelling & Reporting, Finance Operations and Controls
- Incident Management
- Project Management
- Assurance & Risk Management
- Governance Monitoring & Statutory Compliance
- Cost Containment & Process Restructuring
- Team Management & Leadership including Training & Development
Accomplishments
- Curtailed unbilled amount from $25.0mln to $0.5mln
- Automated Incident Management process with power app and power BI
- Desgined and Implemented Blackline for manual journal automation and salesforce for assurance planning and tracking
- Off-shored multiple roles from NL to Chennai & Manila leading to approx. $5.5 mln savings
- Acquired special recognition in FO EVP Awards for restructuring the cost recovery
- Implemented over 50 kaizen ideas, resulting in significant FTE savings
- Honored with Monthly Rewards & Recognition and Best Employee Award multiple times
System Tool
- SAP
- SERP & HANA
- Quickbook
- Cognos
- Power BI
- Beast
- EasyRisk
- MetricStream
- Salesforce
- Blackline
- Argus & Dyna
Timeline
Senior Governance Risk Control (GRCA) Advisor
Shell Energy Americas
07.2020 - 08.2022
Business Finance Manager
Shell Oil Company
01.2013 - 06.2020
Assistant Team Manager
Accenture Credit Services
09.2005 - 12.2012
Master of Philosophy in Commerce & Finance -
University of Madras
Master of Commerce -
Ethiraj College For Women
Master of Financial Management -
Pondicherry University
Bachelor of Commerce -
Ethiraj College For Women
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