SERGIO AUGUSTO WUENSCHE DE SOUZA
São Paulo
Summary
CFO | FINANCE DIRECTOR | SR. CONTROLLER Motivated Director of Finance promoting more than [Number] years of proficiency in identifying and analyzing trends and partnering with other departmental leaders. Action-oriented individual with experience tracking actual business results against plans, including acquisitions. Offering exceptional issue resolution and staff training skills.
Overview
33
33
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Head of Finance
BUNDY REFRIGERATION
São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
09.2021 - Current
- Heading Finance area (Accounting, Controlling, Tax, Treasury, FP&A), responsible also for IT and Legal areas
- Restructured Finance/Controlling area, implementing new processes and procedures in the Finance area, including management reports and KPIs that were lately adopted by the Bundy Group globally
- Collaborated with Global IT to successfully implementing new servers to support local Infrastructure and deployed Global MS 365 environment
- Successfully renewed bank facilities and monitored cash needs to support the business, opening/renewing R$50m in credit facilities
- Led financial due diligence for the potential acquisition of a strategic target to expand the business portfolio
- Maintained cash availability to enable purchase of strategic raw materials in a lower price
- Led direct actions to resolve audit issues and to improve ERP system functionalities.
- Oversaw annual audit process, ensuring accurate representation of financial position in accordance with GAAP standards.
- Implemented risk management practices to mitigate potential losses and safeguard company assets.
- Managed debt financing activities, negotiating favorable terms to minimize borrowing costs.
- Enhanced financial reporting accuracy through the development of comprehensive internal controls.
- Developed finance team talent through targeted training programs and regular performance evaluations.
- Optimized cash flow management through efficient working capital strategies and investment decisions.
- Managed budgeting process, ensuring accurate forecasting and timely adjustments to meet business needs.
- Strengthened communication between finance department and other business units, fostering an environment of collaboration across the organization.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to align financial goals with overall company objectives.
- Streamlined vendor payment processes, improving relationships while reducing processing time and errors.
- Implemented a robust budget variance analysis process to identify discrepancies early on and improve future planning initiatives.
- Provided senior management with strategic financial insights for informed decisionmaking.
- Ensured compliance with all regulatory requirements by staying abreast of industry changes and updating policies accordingly.
- Analyzed financial statements against forecasts to prepare high-level variance analysis.
- Improved resource utilization with data management systems, reducing costs through strategic coordination and contract analysis.
- Managed day-to-day operations within [Number]-person finance department for [Type] organization.
CEO & CFO as a Service
ASW SERVIÇOS
São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
02.2016 - Current
- Led projects with focus on Management level, including Interim Management and Consulting, preparation of strategic business plans, budgets (ZBB) and forecasts
- Performance management, including restructuring, turnaround, and financial modelling, process review/automation, including cost reduction, using Lean tools, and negotiation with stakeholders (customers, vendors, and banks)
- Review and implementation of policies and procedures, preparation of financial projections, organizational structures, compensation structure, and ad hoc analyses.
- Achieved company growth by implementing strategic plans and streamlining operations.
- Managed partnerships and strategic business relationships by negotiating contract terms and handling conflicts.
- Developed key operational initiatives to drive and maintain substantial business growth.
- Streamlined business processes, resulting in increased operational efficiency across all departments.
- Developed a high-performance executive team for improved productivity and efficiency.
- Implemented cost-saving initiatives to reduce operational expenses without sacrificing quality.
- Secured financing for critical projects through negotiation of favorable loan terms with financial institutions or investors.
- Ensured regulatory compliance by developing robust policies, procedures, and internal controls.
- Drove profitability with thorough financial analysis and strategic decisionmaking.
- Cultivated forward-thinking, inclusive, and performance-oriented business culture to lead industry in innovation and push progress.
- Optimized supply chain operations for reduced costs and increased efficiency.
- Led successful turnaround efforts for underperforming divisions or subsidiaries, restoring profitability within tight timeframes.
- Improved organizational structure by reallocating resources and redefining roles for greater efficiency.
Interim Management - Group CFO and Board Member
Dânica Soluções Termoisolantes Integradas S.A.
01.2021 - 04.2022
- Supported the preparation of financial reviews for Board presentation
- Implemented Finance Controlling area, with a turnaround, generating a positive EBITDA within 6 months, starting from margin analysis that led to price realignment and annualized cost/expense reduction of R$4m
- Implemented ZBB and forecasts to monitor P&L and cash flow performance
- Opened R$55m of credit lines and saved R$66m to support extrajudicial and judicial recovery payments
- R$190m of debt renegotiation with suppliers and banks, extending the payment terms and lowering interest costs.
Interim Management - Controller
Sullab Diagnósticos
06.2020 - 08.2020
- Preparation of individual and consolidated financial statements
- Supported the preparation of financial reviews and presentation for the Board Meeting
- Reviewed the month-end closing process and schedule, recommending changes.
Interim Consultant - Finance Controller
Grupo VDA
Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
06.2019 - 04.2020
- Implemented a Financial Controlling area, helping Company's restructuring and turnaround
- Implemented Zero-Base Budget (ZBB) methodology and rolling quarterly financial and cash forecasts
- Prepared recommendations to improve processes and internal controls in HR area.
Interim Management - VP of Finance
Trilogy Enterprises, Inc.
07.2018 - 04.2019
- Improved sales orders and collection through workflow automation
- Reduced bank accounts from 230 to 118, implemented 'cash pooling' and automation of global payment process
- Developed a global multicurrency/country Treasury Management System (TMS) to consolidate cash position.
Interim Management - Chief Operating Officer
Felsberg Advogados
10.2016 - 05.2018
- Led a team of sixty-five people in three sites
- Implemented policies and procedures and budget/forecast review, reducing R$300k in Capex and Opex
- Recovered R$850k in legal fees through direct negotiation with customers
- Generated R$600k in savings due to negotiation with vendors and office rental renewal with landlords
- Implemented SMART goals for performance appraisal of Legal and Back Office teams.
CFO Brasil
Westcon Group
06.2015 - 01.2016
- Led a team of thirty people in three sites
- Implemented a new tax analysis tool, providing tax and margin support to the business, with savings of R$1,5m
- Recovered R$48m in overdue receivables and outsourcing of collection, achieving DSO reduction in 18%.
Director, Finance Operations, South America
Harsco Environmental
06.2010 - 05.2015
- Led Finance Operations in South America, with a team of fifty-two people in twenty-seven sites and four countries (AR, BR, CL, PE)
- Implemented IFRS and Tax Reporting, reducing one day in month-end closing, performed internal control reviews and SOX testing/audit
- Leadership in FP&A, implementing Hyperion Planning and reporting to the HQ in the UK
- Led the implementation of Oracle EBS R12 in Brazil, executing the rollout, CoA adherence, centralization of AP ad Tax in Brazil and Reporting and FP&A for South America
- Offshored back-office activities to the Global SSC in India.
Controller
FLUKE ENGENHARIA
01.2009 - 01.2010
Controller LATAM
ELSEVIER BRASIL
01.2008 - 01.2009
Controller and Cost & Accounting Manager
DENTSPLY SIRONA
01.2005 - 01.2008
Executive Director
SW CONSULTING
01.2003 - 01.2005
CFO, NUEVOSUR (Talca, Chile)
THAMES WATER GROUP
01.2002 - 01.2003
Finance Manager, THAMES WATER DO BRASIL
THAMES WATER GROUP
01.2000 - 01.2002
Controller
KEMWATER BRASIL
01.1999 - 01.2000
Chief Accountant
SHELL BRASIL
01.1998 - 01.1999
Audit Manager
KPMG
01.1991 - 01.1998
Education
Associate of Science - Business Administration And Management
Fundação Dom Cabral
São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil11.2023
MBA - Finance And Controllership
Universidade Federal Fluminense
Niterói, Brazil07.2001
Bachelor of Science - Accounting
Universidade Cândido Mendes
Rio De Janeiro07.1997
Skills
- SAP
- Oracle
- Hyperion (HFM, Planning)
- BPCS
- JDE
- Logix
- Datasul
- Alterdata
- MS Office
- Google Suite
- PDCA
- Kaizen
- VSM
- WorkSmart
- Agile
- Scrum
- Kanban
- Cash Flow Management
- Financial Process Improvement
- Financial Strategy Development
- Regulatory Compliance Knowledge
- Financial policy creation
- Project Finance Management
- Preparing financial statements
- Staff Management
- Audit preparation
- Financial statement review
- Risk Assessment
- Audit Documentation
Accomplishments
- Achieved [Result] through effectively helping with [Task].
- Achieved [Result] by introducing [Software] for [Type] tasks.
- Collaborated with team of [Number] in the development of [Project name].
Languages
Portuguese
English
Spanish
German
French
Italian
Competencies And Achievements
- Leadership and Management - Strategic advice to Shareholders, Executive Committees, Board of Directors and peers, leading teams of up to sixty-five people in different Latin American countries.
- Financial Reporting and Controlling - Led ERP and Reporting implementations, implemented IFRS, SPEDs and improved accounting processes, reducing closing deadlines by one day. Established/evaluated internal control structures, defining new procedures, and optimizing tax routines, generating savings of more than R$15 million and reducing the risk of fines. Recovered more than R$50 million in overdue accounts receivable. Trained in global Compliance rules (FCPA, UKBA).
- Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A) - Implemented FP&A structures, creating budgeting/forecasting cultures, including zero-based budgeting. Defined and monitored KPIs, reporting Real/Forecast abroad. Prepared Capex feasibility studies and financial modelling of budget scenarios/forecasts.
- Financial Transformation - Automation of routine tasks and application of Lean concepts (Kaizen/VSM) to improve processes, accelerating delivery of reports and analyses. Led business analysis and due diligence to improve performance. I implemented CSC for Brazil and centralized Reporting and FP&A for South America.
- Communication and Negotiation - Maintained open communication channels with stakeholders. I participated in professional events in the Americas and Europe.
- Turnarounds and Restructuring - Reorganized and restructured Finance areas, reducing structures and expenses, renegotiating with stakeholders, reducing/lengthening debts and ensuring the company's operational continuity.
- Other back-office leadership roles - Responsible for back-office activities, with direct management and support to business areas. Implemented SMART goals for performance evaluation, complete IT infrastructure, monitoring of legal actions, supplier management, brand repositioning and promotional materials.
Prior Experiences
- Controller, FLUKE ENGENHARIA, 2009, 2010
- Controller LATAM, ELSEVIER BRASIL, 2008, 2009
- Controller and Cost & Accounting Manager, DENTSPLY SIRONA, 2005, 2008
- Executive Director, SW CONSULTING, 2003, 2005
- CFO, NUEVOSUR (Talca, Chile), THAMES WATER GROUP, 2002, 2003
- Finance Manager, THAMES WATER DO BRASIL, THAMES WATER GROUP, 2000, 2002
- Controller, KEMWATER BRASIL, 1999, 2000
- Chief Accountant, SHELL BRASIL, 1998, 1999
- Audit Manager, KPMG, 1991, 1998
Prior Achievements
- Identified R$6m of potential tax credits in the acquisition of raw materials - FLUKE ENGENHARIA.
- Saved R$1,5m in printing paper, recovered R$3,5m from delinquent customers and implemented Hyperion (FDM/HFM) - ELSEVIER BRASIL.
- Recovered R$9m in tax credits, generated a pipeline of R$35m in future credits and implemented Hyperion (FDM/HFM) for eight legal entities - DENTSPLY.
- Implemented the full back-office structure - IT, Policies & Procedures and ERP - KEMWATER and THAMES WATER.
- Functioned as Lead Accounting key user at SAP R/3 implementation - SHELL BRASIL.
- Key member of due diligence teams in the M&A processes of EMAQ/VEROLME/ISHIKAWAJIMA, GE/CELMA and GE/DAKO - KPMG.
Courses And Workshops
- Board Member Program - Board Academy BR (2023)
- Board Member Program - ASW - CELINT - São Paulo (2021)
- Emotional Intelligence - ASW - Escola Conquer - São Paulo (2021)
- Certificate in Turnaround - ASW - FIA/USP (2020/2021)
- Leadership Trends - ASW - FIA/USP (2020)
- Agile Mindset - ASW - Aliança Brasileira pela Educação (2020)
- Global Planning Process - Harsco - Luxembourg (2013) and Terni, Italy (2014)
Skill Summary
Finance and Operations Executive with 30+ years of extensive management experience developed in Manufacturing, Services and Technology, with LATAM responsibility (AR, BR, CH, MX and PE). Strong knowledge in Operations, Financial Analysis, KPIs and Process Improvement using technology. Solid execution in Management, Finance Transformation, Process Implementation and Automation, focusing in problem-solving and business support. Highly skilled in Strategic Finance, Accounting/Controlling, Tax, Treasury, FP&A and Turnarounds, spearheading multifunctional teams in the execution of impactful and process-oriented changes, delivering results with high engagement levels. Direct leadership in other back-office areas (HR, IT, Legal, Supply Chain, Contracts, Marketing and Facilities), allowing a consolidated view of risks and their impact on results. International experience as CFO/COO in Chile and as student in Germany.
Affiliations
- Brazilian Chartered Accountant - CRC-RJ
- Part-Qualified Accountant - ACCA
- Certified CFO-BR - IBEF-SP
Certification
- Certified [Job Title], [Company Name] - [Timeframe]
Volunteering
Finance Advisor - Mini-Enterprise Program - Junior Achievement Rio de Janeiro - 2008-2015
Timeline
Head of Finance
BUNDY REFRIGERATION
09.2021 - Current
Interim Management - Group CFO and Board Member
Dânica Soluções Termoisolantes Integradas S.A.
01.2021 - 04.2022
Interim Management - Controller
Sullab Diagnósticos
06.2020 - 08.2020
Interim Consultant - Finance Controller
Grupo VDA
06.2019 - 04.2020
Interim Management - VP of Finance
Trilogy Enterprises, Inc.
07.2018 - 04.2019
Interim Management - Chief Operating Officer
Felsberg Advogados
10.2016 - 05.2018
CEO & CFO as a Service
ASW SERVIÇOS
02.2016 - Current
CFO Brasil
Westcon Group
06.2015 - 01.2016
Director, Finance Operations, South America
Harsco Environmental
06.2010 - 05.2015
Controller
FLUKE ENGENHARIA
01.2009 - 01.2010
Controller LATAM
ELSEVIER BRASIL
01.2008 - 01.2009
Controller and Cost & Accounting Manager
DENTSPLY SIRONA
01.2005 - 01.2008
Executive Director
SW CONSULTING
01.2003 - 01.2005
CFO, NUEVOSUR (Talca, Chile)
THAMES WATER GROUP
01.2002 - 01.2003
Finance Manager, THAMES WATER DO BRASIL
THAMES WATER GROUP
01.2000 - 01.2002
Controller
KEMWATER BRASIL
01.1999 - 01.2000
Chief Accountant
SHELL BRASIL
01.1998 - 01.1999
Audit Manager
KPMG
01.1991 - 01.1998
Associate of Science - Business Administration And Management
Fundação Dom Cabral
MBA - Finance And Controllership
Universidade Federal Fluminense
Bachelor of Science - Accounting
Universidade Cândido Mendes