Lai Yen Leong

• Spearheaded the initiation of comprehensive programs for the finance function end to end, and system readiness to ensure seamless standalone operations from day one
• Collaborating closely with internal and external stakeholders, focusing on problem-solving, standardizing business processes (ie, rebates, marketing spend, AP & AR), strengthening internal controls, and ensuring compliance
• Actively engaged in communication and change management efforts
• The establishment includes setting up a new regional services hub (O2C) and enhancing cash flow through a strategic financing program.
• Partnered with project team members to identify and quickly address problems.
• Mentored junior team members, fostering professional growth and increasing overall team efficiency.

• Partnering with CEO to develop, analyze, and critic strategies of Health care and consumer industries, turnover Eur 100m
• Led budgeting process, collaborating with department heads to allocate resources strategically and ensure alignment with organizational goals.
• With agile strategy adopted during the Covid19 year 2020, country sales growth +6%. Implementing more direct business models and secured financial modeling for large scale healthcare projects resulted in +1% step-up in profit
• Enhanced cash flow management through the development of robust forecasting models, ensuring optimal liquidity for business operations.
• Optimized working capital and cash management, by achieving target efficiency of 10% collections year on year. Optimized working capital and cash management, by achieving target efficiency of 10% collections year on year
• Successfully driving global Merger &Acquisitions strategy in conjunctions of pruning business portfolio, diversified 5 consumer businesses and acquire 3 Healthcare business portfolios, including due diligence, cutover activities, and integration into the operation stream
• Part of Asia pacific region finance leadership team, in providing policy & internal control settings, to strengthen compliance & risk management control and cost leakages
• Continuous improvement in Transformation projects (achieved finance cost targets savings 7%) and people coaching.

• Hands-on business partner driving business performance by partnering with GM driving better product mix, synchronized with right marketing investment direction and stop inefficient activities leakages
• Resulted in double-digit sales growth since 2012, with profit, step up +2%
• Head & manage warehouse sales in Spore and Malaysia, in terms of process and cash collection & reconciliation, contributed additional sales RM7m Sales & EBIT 30%
• Achieved finance cost savings target RM 1m for successfully onboard finance transformation outsourcing project, increasing productivity back office.
• Improved financial reporting accuracy by streamlining and automating data processing tasks.
• Streamlined accounts payable and receivable processes for improved efficiency, resulting in reduced outstanding debts and increased cash flow availability.

Project II: Business Expansion for Avent – Msia (1/2011-7/2011)

• Growth Avent business with the ambition to triple the business in 3 years with 25% IEBIT.
• Worked with AC Nielson to drive a market sizing & consumer spending patterns study to map the market opportunity.
• Mapping distributor coverage and deployed plan to expand the coverage with the distributor sales force.
• Sales growth 3x from RM10m to RM 30m. Driving distributor management and building it onshore.

Project I: Cash flow improvement for Buy-Sell model - Amsterdam (2/2010-12/2010)

• Bring the Buy-Sell TV panel process to stabilize the condition. Build internal team capabilities/knowledge & operation efficiency.
• Identified key root cause to stabilize operation process - contract & delivering.
• Reconstruct deliverables of role in HP to Buy Sell team. Standardized & upgrade F&A site competency. Actual savings MYR 4.8m vs target of MYR2.5m

• Responsible for the innovation site accounting, reporting, and control (RM220m).
• Oversaw all aspects of the month-end close process, ensuring timely completion of accurate financial statements for executive review.
• Planned budgets, authorized expenditures, monitored accounting processes, established service rates and coordinated financial reporting to oversee all fiscal procedures.
• Improved financial reporting accuracy by streamlining processes and implementing efficient financial controls.
• Standardized the R&D man-hours tracking and resource management reports
• Set up man-hours and deployment of new tracking tools (Clarity) with IFRS compliance
• Phase-out R&D TV Spore site, restructured 500 employees by phases.

• Responsible for the overall financial communication and target alignment of 4 regions (Sales turnover RM8b)
• Managed fixed assets accounting process, including asset additions, disposals, transfers, depreciation calculations, and reconciliations.
• Improved financial reporting accuracy by streamlining the month-end close process and implementing new accounting procedures.
• Provided support during annual budgeting cycles by preparing detailed variance analyses and explanations for senior leadership review.
• Support licensing tools auditing & royalty income reporting (Magnavox)
• Assist in business censure of DVD recorder business, end to end impact estimation
• Involved upstream planning with Industry blueprint setting, R&D, supply & transfer pricing set up.

• Delivers margin management to heads of marketing & sales
• Establish cost accounting analysis by model profit level to help marketing improve margin mix portfolio
• Factory cost price comparison, deal margin simulation, and top 10 model profit/loss tracking
• Prepare financial reporting & consolidate region review pack to Headquarters, Amsterdam.
• Mentored junior finance team members on best practices in accounting principles.
• Managed fixed assets accounting process, including asset additions, disposals, transfers, depreciation calculations, and reconciliations.
• Worked closely with operations teams to improve inventory management practices, resulting in reduced carrying costs without impacting service levels or customer satisfaction.
• Enhanced profitability through comprehensive reviews of product pricing strategies and cost structures.

• Consolidate results and prepare the strategy review, budgets, and forecasting (Sales RM1.2b), including management of Global Planning Tool for 16 countries
• Participate in the business planning team processes, focusing on the financial aspects and management reports.
• Conducted detailed financial analysis to identify and evaluate changes in operations, trends and potential areas of improvement.
• Determined pricing, margins and risk factors for active and proposed projects.
• Collected data and developed detailed spreadsheets to identify trends and create revenue, profitability, and expense forecasts.
• Streamlined financial reporting for better decision-making with clear, concise analysis and presentation.

• Responsible for timely month-end closing, planning, budgeting & reporting
• Prepared forecasts to gain understanding of measures needed to grow business.
• Attended monthly sales meetings and quarterly sales trainings.
• Developed detailed reports analyzing account performance data, providing valuable insights for future strategy adjustments or improvements.
• Boosted client satisfaction by developing and maintaining strong relationships through effective communication.
• Assisted in finance shared services implementation and standardization
• Key contact & executor for SAP implementation project
• Assisted in financial audits schedules, data findings, and ad hoc projects.