Christopher (Chris) Szeto's Email Addresses & Phone Numbers

📖 Summary

An accomplished finance and accounting professional with a proven track record in managing enterprise-wide projects, financial analysis, financial reporting, forecasting, financial modeling, strategic planning, budgeting, and Sarbanes Oxley compliance. Proven quantitative competence, with the ability to evaluate and advise to the financial and business side of an organization for P&L impact.Consultant / Finance Manager @ Granted $13K by UCLA Anderson School of Management's Global Access Program to consult for a New Zealand based marine navigation technology company, in a six-month project to develop an investment quality, comprehensive market entry strategy into Chinese marketplace, which would enable the company to move in to the next stage of their corporate development. Assumed role of researcher and consultant, traveling to Shanghai and Hong Kong, and interviewing key stakeholders to determine demand and challenges of entering China. Documented research findings and developed a detailed five-year strategic business plan, which was successfully delivered in a presentation to client executives and a panel of Angel Investors, including members of Tech Coast Angels. RESEARCH, PROJECT MANAGEMENT, AND FINANCIAL ANALYSIS • Led 228 hours of interviews with 136 unique stakeholders (customers, end users, competitors, industry specialists, attorneys, and professors) from Shanghai and Hong Kong • Managed a team of five consultants in the administration of reimbursable expenses incurred during research trips, and completion of milestone project deliverables due to client (reporting of research findings, preliminary and final written reports containing recommendations, financial projections, and final PowerPoint presentation) • Analyzed current company financials, built financial model to forecast return on investment and constructed pro forma financial statements to support recommendations provided to client executives From 2014 to 2014 (less than a year) Greater Los Angeles AreaSenior Business Analyst @ Assumed oversight and project management of company-wide (operations, HR, trading, legal, and 20+ remote regional sites) records management compliance review and re-evaluation including quarterly compliance audits. Oversaw the coordination of Sarbanes Oxley risk assessments and testing within the Accounting & Finance organization. COMPLIANCE PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND BUSINESS ANALYSIS • Achieved 100% compliance with corporate policy, after leading and supervising a cross-departmental business team of 15 in the completion of the annual records retention review engagement across legal, HR, operations, trading, and remote sites; presented findings to the VP of Accounting and Finance • Managed a matrix team of Business Cycle Coordinators in completing the risk assessments and test plans of critical and significant spreadsheets of the Expenditure, Revenue, and Fixed Asset cycles (SOX 404 compliance) • Assisted with the identification of internal controls for COSO Framework and proposed accounting processes • Reviewed and provided recommendations for approval or rejection of proposed company policies, and provided guidance on the interpretation of current policies for internal clients • Led management policy training workshops for Executive Assistants From 2012 to 2014 (2 years) Staff Accountant @ After immigrating from Canada, was recruited into the Accounting and Finance business unit of SoCal Gas Co. Assignments included quarterly and year-end financial close, SAP process improvement, Sarbanes Oxley testing, and financial reporting and analysis. ACCOUNTING AND ACCOUNTING SYSTEMS • Built forecasting scenarios to assist with overhead rate setting and to better manage monthly overhead rate volatility, so as to provide a more consistent P&L and budgetary impact • Managed the month end financial closing process; collaborated closely with the SAP Shared Software Development Services to identify areas of improvement, resolve issues and assist with the testing of system enhancements • Ensured 100% SOX 404 compliance by completing and thoroughly reviewing annual SOX tests, including revisions of audit test plans and flowcharts, and providing complete audit documentation to internal auditor • Reconciled monthly intercompany billings between Southern California Gas Company and Sempra Energy (parent company); worked closely with counterparts at Sempra Energy • Streamlined and improved the process of analyzing financial data used in an annual report for the California Public Utilities Commission by refining and removing analytical inefficiencies through the use of SAP ERP and BW From 2006 to 2011 (5 years) Master of Business Administration (MBA), Finance @ University of California, Los Angeles - The Anderson School of ManagementCompetitive Advantage from Operations, IBM Big Data and Analytics @ HEC ParisDoing Business in Hong Kong and China @ The Chinese University of Hong KongDoing Business in Korea @ Seoul National UniversityBachelor of Commerce (B.Com.), Accounting @ Alberta School of Business, University of Alberta Christopher (Chris) Szeto is skilled in: Project Management, Strategic Planning, Financial Analysis, Business Analysis, Cross-functional Team Leadership, Strategy, Market Research, Financial Reporting, Financial Modeling, Forecasting, P&L, Process Improvement, Accounting, Compliance, Sarbanes-Oxley Act