RENÉ ROBERTS
Glen Marais,South Africa
Summary
Results-driven finance professional specialising in financial management, budgeting, and accounting compliance. Proven leadership in team management, combined with technical expertise in Microsoft Excel, SAP S/4HANA, and Power BI. Strong communicator with a solid grasp of accounting systems and performance metrics, dedicated to ensuring forecasting accuracy and IFRS compliance to achieve organisational objectives.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
4
4
years of post-secondary education
Work history
Senior Business Controller
Bunge SA. Chartering
Rotterdam
2025.05 - 2026.04
- Financial Reporting & Consolidation: Directed the monthly financial close cycle, overseeing accurate ledger postings and reconciliations to ensure 100% timely reporting into the group consolidation system.
- Merger & Acquisition (M&A) Integration: Collaborated with controllers to execute financial integration strategies following a high-profile merger with a US-based entity, aligning international reporting processes with new group-wide standards.
- GAAP Conversion Expertise: Spearheaded the technical transition from IFRS to US GAAP, maintaining data integrity and regulatory compliance throughout the cross-border reporting shift.
- Internal Controls & SOX Compliance: Managed the end-to-end implementation and testing of Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) controls, significantly strengthening the internal control framework and reducing financial risk exposure.
- Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A): Conducted rigorous P&L analysis and variance reporting, providing executive leadership with actionable insights to drive day-to-day financial performance.
- Audit Management: Facilitated internal and external audits by preparing comprehensive financial statements and documentation, ensuring seamless compliance with global accounting standards and zero material findings.
- Strategic Collaboration: Partnered with senior stakeholders on complex ad-hoc projects, including cash flow forecasting and reconciliation clean-ups, to optimize departmental efficiency.
Financial Manager
ITPreneurs Nederland B.V. (later DASA B.V.)
Rotterdam
2022.09 - 2025.04
- Financial Leadership & Strategy: Directed the end-to-end finance function, serving as a strategic partner to the CEO and executive management to drive fiscal health and operational growth.
- Financial Reporting & Consolidation: Managed the full monthly and fiscal year-end closing processes, including the preparation of consolidated financial statements and comprehensive management reporting.
- Budgeting & Forecasting: Led cross-functional collaboration to develop accurate annual budgets and rolling forecasts, enhancing financial predictability and resource allocation.
- Stakeholder Management: Acted as the primary liaison for external auditors, tax consultants, and key vendors, ensuring regulatory compliance and optimized procurement cycles.
- Operational Accounting: Oversaw day-to-day financial operations, including intercompany transactions, fixed asset management, and complex reconciliations to ensure 100% data accuracy.
- FP&A & Performance Metrics: Performed in-depth P&L analysis and variance reporting, identifying cost-saving opportunities and providing actionable insights to senior leadership.
- Process Optimization: Streamlined financial reporting workflows, reducing month-end turnaround time and improving the reliability of real-time financial data.
- Human Resources & Payroll Administration: Managed comprehensive HR functions, including review of payroll processing, policy development, contract management, and the implementation of a structured performance review system.
- Accounts Receivable (AR) & Payable (AP) Oversight: Supervised bookkeeping staff and managed cash flow, banking activities, and working capital to maintain a healthy liquidity position.
- Corporate Secretarial & New Entity Setup: Facilitated the legal and administrative setup of new business entities, managing all secretarial documentation and regulatory registrations.
Financial Accountant
Schindler Lifts (South Africa) Pty Ltd
Johannesburg
2021.08 - 2022.07
- Financial Reporting & Month-End Close: Executed end-to-end month-end and fiscal year-end closing procedures, ensuring the accuracy of financial statements and adherence to strict reporting deadlines.
- Technical Accounting & Ledger Management: Orchestrated complex reconciliations, journal entries, and intercompany transactions, maintaining ledger integrity across multiple business units.
- Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A): Conducted detailed P&L analysis and variance reporting to identify financial trends, providing management with data-driven insights to optimize departmental spend.
- External Stakeholder Relations: Collaborated with Finance Controller to manage critical relationships with tax consultants, auditors, and vendors to streamline communication and ensure accurate statutory reporting and compliance.
- Budgeting & Forecasting: Partnered with senior leadership to develop annual budgets and periodic financial forecasts, improving the accuracy of long-term financial planning.
- Audit Readiness & Compliance: Provided comprehensive audit support by preparing work papers and technical documentation, ensuring full compliance with regulatory requirements and internal controls.
- Treasury & Working Capital Oversight: Collaborated with cross-functional teams to manage daily banking operations and supervise Accounts Receivable (AR) and Accounts Payable (AP) functions to optimize cash flow.
Financial Manager
Set Point Laboratories (Pty) Ltd
Johannesburg
2016.01 - 2021.06
- Executive Leadership & Strategy: Directed the full finance function as the Second-in-Command (2IC) for the Johannesburg facility, collaborating with the MD, CEO, and CFO to align financial strategy with operational goals.
- FP&A & Performance Management: Developed rigorous annual budgets and financial forecasts, utilizing P&L analysis and variance reporting to provide management with visibility into facility performance.
- Listed Group Financial Reporting: Managed comprehensive month-end and fiscal year-end procedures within a listed group environment, ensuring strict adherence to corporate reporting timelines and standards.
- Cost optimization & efficiency: Spearheaded cost-saving initiative that identified and eliminated overhead redundancies, achieving over R1 million in annual savings.
- Audit & Statutory Compliance: Led annual external audits and managed relationships with tax consultants, ensuring zero material findings and full compliance with statutory requirements.
- Taxation & VAT Management: Oversaw the preparation, reconciliation, and submission of VAT returns, ensuring accurate tax positioning and mitigating compliance risk.
- Working Capital & Asset Management: Managed liquidity, cash flow, and fixed asset registers, including the oversight of high-value industrial assets within the fire assay department.
- Internal controls & team oversight: Supervised and mentored finance staff in daily banking, accounts receivable (AR), and accounts payable (AP) functions, ensuring high transactional accuracy.
- Payroll & Governance: Reviewed and validated outsourced payroll procedures and reporting, maintaining data integrity and confidentiality for the workforce.
- Facilities & risk management: Managed building facilities and implemented security protocols for high-value assets, integrating operational risk management with financial oversight.
Financial Accountant
Commercial Auto Parts (Pty) Ltd
Johannesburg
2013.02 - 2015.11
- Financial Leadership & Team Management: Led and mentored a finance team of seven personnel, optimizing workflows to ensure the accurate and timely completion of all departmental objectives.
- Group Audit Management: Orchestrated annual audits for multiple group entities, serving as the primary point of contact for external auditors and ensuring compliance across the corporate structure.
- Intercompany & General Ledger Oversight: Managed complex intercompany transactions, journal entries, and reconciliations, maintaining high data integrity across diverse business units.
- Taxation & Statutory Compliance: Directed VAT submissions and reconciliations, collaborating with tax consultants to ensure full adherence to statutory regulations and mitigate financial risk.
- FP&A & Management Reporting: Produced comprehensive management reports and conducted in-depth P&L analysis and variance reporting to support executive decision-making.
- Operational Treasury & Cash Management: Oversaw day-to-day financial operations, including banking, cash book management, and the supervision of Accounts Receivable (AR) and Accounts Payable (AP) functions.
- Stakeholder Relations: Facilitated professional relationships with external stakeholders, including auditors and tax advisors, to streamline reporting processes and statutory filings.
Financial Accountant
Bruce Morrison and Associates (Pty) Ltd
Springs
2006.01 - 2013.01
- Financial Statement Preparation: Compiled accurate Trial Balances and prepared full sets of financial statements from source documents in accordance with relevant accounting frameworks (IFRS/IFRS for SMEs).
- Full-Function Ledger Management: Processed and reconciled high volumes of cashbooks, accounts receivable, and accounts payable, ensuring accuracy and compliance with financial standards.
- Statutory Taxation & VAT: Managed the calculation and submission of VAT returns, ensuring strict adherence to tax regulations and filing deadlines.
- Audit Execution: Conducted end-to-end audits for diverse private companies, identifying control weaknesses and recommending actionable process improvements to enhance client operations.
- Audit Supervision & Mentorship: Led and supervised audit teams, providing technical guidance to junior staff while ensuring the quality and integrity of audit working papers.
- Professional Audit Articles: Completed comprehensive audit articles, developing expertise in financial reporting, internal controls, and statutory compliance to enhance audit quality.
Education
Bachelor of Accounting Sciences - BCompt
Unisa
Pretoria 2006.01 - 2010.05
Registered Professional Accountant - undefined
SAIPA
Johannesburg 2018.11 - 2019.01
Skills
- Financial management
- Financial forecasting
- Performance metrics analysis
- Forecasting accuracy
- Accounting compliance
- IFRS knowledge
- Technical proficiency in Microsoft Excel, SAP S/4HANA, OneStream, IMOS, Power BI, Pastel Evolution, Sage X3
- Accounting software
- Team leadership
- Time management skills
- Communication and teamwork
REFERENCES
Provided upon request
Affiliations
- READING
- ARTS AND CRAFTS
- MUSIC AND THEATRE
- TRAVEL
Accomplishments
PROMOTED TO FINANCIAL MANAGER - SET POINT LABORATORIES
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Senior Business Controller
Bunge SA. Chartering
2025.05 - 2026.04
Financial Manager
ITPreneurs Nederland B.V. (later DASA B.V.)
2022.09 - 2025.04
Financial Accountant
Schindler Lifts (South Africa) Pty Ltd
2021.08 - 2022.07
Registered Professional Accountant - undefined
SAIPA
2018.11 - 2019.01
Financial Manager
Set Point Laboratories (Pty) Ltd
2016.01 - 2021.06
Financial Accountant
Commercial Auto Parts (Pty) Ltd
2013.02 - 2015.11
Bachelor of Accounting Sciences - BCompt
Unisa
2006.01 - 2010.05
Financial Accountant
Bruce Morrison and Associates (Pty) Ltd
2006.01 - 2013.01