Regional Financial Controller

VISTRA; Kuala Lumpur; On-site; MYR 420,000 - 660,000; Full time

Job summary

Vistra is seeking a Regional Financial Controller to drive financial reporting, policy setting, and robust controls for South East Asia and Australia. You will lead the regional controlling team, ensure regulatory compliance, and partner with senior management and external auditors.

The role emphasizes strategic finance, risk management, and delivering timely insights to support mergers, acquisitions, and corporate finance activities across multiple entities in a diverse region.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field with strong academic record.
• Professional accounting qualification (CFA/ACCA/CIMA/CPA) or MBA is highly desirable.
• Minimum 3 years in a similar role in a comparable organization; extensive regional/global exposure preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead preparation and consolidation of regional financial statements and management reporting.
• Ensure compliance with applicable financial regulations and internal controls.
• Direct and mentor the financial controlling team with strong leadership.
• Collaborate with senior management, external auditors, and regulatory bodies.

Skills

Financial reporting

GAAP knowledge

Internal controls

Stakeholder management

Leadership

Financial analysis

Strategic thinking

Education

Bachelor's degree

Accounting qualification (CFA/ACCA/CIMA/CPA)

MBA (desirable)

Tools

SAP S/4HANA

SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC)

Job description

The Regional Financial Controller (GFC) is responsible for providing financial information and reporting, setting policies and controls for financial operations and ensuring the financial health of the organization within the defined region. This role involves managing the financial controlling team, implementing financial strategies, and ensuring compliance with financial regulations.

Scope

This is a regional role and will cover all entities within the associated region. The associated region is South East Asia and Australia.

Key Responsibilities

• Financial Reporting: The RFC is responsible for the preparation and presentation of accurate and timely financial statements and historical financial information. This includes among others the consolidation of financial reports from various subsidiaries and business units. Key outputs are the monthly management reporting, quarterly reporting and the annual audited financial statements.
• Compliance and Regulatory Reporting: Ensuring that the organization complies with all financial regulations and standards. This includes preparing and submitting regulatory reports and ensuring that financial practices adhere to legal requirements.
• Manage the financial controlling team and provide leadership and guidance.
• Internal Controls: Implementing and maintaining robust internal controls and policies to safeguard the organization's assets and ensure the integrity of financial information. This includes overseeing internal audits and addressing identified weaknesses.
• Risk Management: Identifying and managing financial risks to the organization. This includes assessing the impact of financial risks and implementing strategies to mitigate them.
• Stakeholder Management: Collaborating with various departments and stakeholders to ensure financial alignment and support business objectives. This includes working closely with statutory board members, senior management, external auditors, and regulatory bodies.
• Financial Analysis and Insights: Providing financial insights and analysis to support decision-making. This includes analyzing financial data to identify trends, opportunities, and areas for improvement.
• Strategic Financial Initiatives: Supporting strategic financial initiatives such as mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, and other corporate finance activities. This includes conducting financial due diligence and integrating acquired entities.

Attributes/Technical Skills

• Expertise in technical accounting and financial reporting, GAAP, and internal controls.
• Ability to partner with a broad range of stakeholders, including majority shareholders, senior and middle management, and the broader Finance function.
• Capability to juggle multiple initiatives and issues simultaneously, including shifting priorities and timelines.
• Strategic and long-term thinking, with the ability to get into the detail as required.
• Driven by natural curiosity, a passion for analysis and insight, and a desire to effect enduring structural improvements.
• Commitment to resolving problems and delivering high-quality outputs expediently.
• Open, honest, and collaborative leadership and people management style, leading by example and modeling best behaviors.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, able to explain complex matters in simple terms and convey confidence and gravitas.
• Familiarity with industrial-grade consolidation and reporting tools and capabilities, with experience in SAP S/4 HANA and SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC) being an advantage.
• Technologically savvy and data-centric approach to achieving objectives and driving greater financial accountability and discipline across the business.
• Candidates must have at least 3 years’ experience in an equivalent role within a comparably sized organisation.
• Vistra globally operates across 50 different countries with significant operations across the region, and the RFC must have a demonstrated track record of success working across a similarly geographically and culturally diverse organisation.
• Experience within a corporate services or fund administration business, or similar professional or financial services organisation.
• Experience working in a similarly sized Private Equity (PE) portfolio company
• Experience with cost management and value creation initiatives.
• Likely to have at least 20 years’ professional experience.

Education and Professional Qualification

Demonstrated academic and professional achievement, likely including a bachelor’s degree following by one or both of an accounting qualification such as CFA, ACCA, CIMA or CPA and/or an MBA or equivalent.