Ruwan Tissera

Trinity College London is an International Examination Board, which delivers more than 800,000 examinations worldwide and has an annual turnover of £56m.

Finance Tax and Systems Lead (2020 to date)

· Implementation of sound financial controls across the business and work with company’s internal auditors.

· Check compliance to various regulations and accounting standards. (UK GAAP, IFRS 102, IFRS 16 etc)

· Overall responsibility to accounting for company’s subsidiaries and consolidation of accounts. Dealing with external auditors to complete statutory accounts for parent and subsidiaries.

· In charge of all tax compliances and filling, this includes Indirect taxes, digital taxes, employee taxes, withholding taxes for UK and all countries that TCL operates.

· Work with various project teams to support company’s digitalisation strategy. This includes product digitalisation and e-commerce projects.

· Support finance and non-finance staff on all systems, technical accounting, and tax issues.

· Periodic balance sheet accounts review with process owners.

· Update all finance/treasury policies and procedures.

· Responsible for upgrading all finance, banking, and other systems. Currently working towards upgrading Sun System version 6.2 to 6.4.

Head of Finance (2006 to 2019)

• Managed team of 6-9, responsible for Accounts receivable, Accounts payable, Banking administration, Management accounts functions.
• Represented finance department on implantation of new Oracle base CRM System (Siebel) and responsible for all financial activities in CRM system and integration to Sun Accounting system.
• Administers Sun system and generates various reports using Microsoft Access and Vision Q&A. Ensures accuracy on data imported from Trinity Online (CRM) to Sun Accounting System
• Responsible for planning and adherence to internal controls of the company
• Responsible for planning, calculations, and filing of VAT returns, PAYE and compliance to various tax regulations of foreign subsidiaries and branches. (eg GST-Australia & New Zealand)
• Reviews all UK and foreign bank reconciliations, and authorisation of all payments. Perform and review balance sheet reconciliations.
• Assists Management Accountant in preparing annual budgets, re-forecast and monthly management accounts pack,
• Assists Treasury Manager in preparing cash flow forecast, setting up foreign exchange contracts and investment decisions,

Achievements

• Successfully implemented various systems to enhance productivity of finance department to cope with significant growth of the company. (Oracle Siebel, E-commerce, SUN, Vision Q&A, B4B, Infor OS, PA Collect, PA Eremit, Middleware interfaces, Shopify, Cybersource etc)
• Implemented sound internal control system.
• Introduced new business models for overseas markets.
• Successfully implemented online booking and payment systems and backend reconciliation process.
• Reduced bad debts significantly and improved debt collection process.
• Implemented UK GAAP and IFRS 102 to the company.
• Helped system developers to implement real time interface between CRM system and Sun Accounting system.
• Managed to resolve various tax issues and foreign exchange issues in countries where company operates in.

Authorised Nokia phone distributor for Southern Africa

Finance Manager

• Overall in charge of Management Information System and responsible to provide information for management decisions
• Preparation of budgets, Cash flow forecast and monitor over actual performances
• Risk management which involves Foreign Exchange risk, Credit risk and market risk
• Administers Accounting system and preparation of management Accounts for Board of Directors
• Represents Board meetings and involves in strategic decision-making process

Audit Supervisor reporting to Manager/ Partner

• In charge of audits and directly responsible for proper planning, review and timely completion of fieldwork
• Review progress of audit team and keeping line managers and partners up to date with progress throughout the course of the assignment
• Develop and coaching junior members of staff
• Carried out audit assignments according to PriceWaterhouseCoopers audit methodology using ‘My Client’ audit software

Industry – Banking and Finance Sector

Audit Supervisor/Senior reporting to Manager/ Partner

• Attached to banking and finance sector assurance team and carried out various assignments. (Eg. External audits, IAS and Banking Act compliance reviews, banking regulatory reporting process, preparation of consolidated accounts, control testing of treasury and credit departments, Credit reviews etc.)
• Supervised Banking and Financial sector audits and directly responsible for the proper planning, review and timely completion of fieldwork
• Identifying client’s strategic business risks, business controls available to mitigate them and residual business risks and finally deciding the financial statement implications
• Preparation of reports of different types eg., Audit Reports to shareholders, Management Reports to the Board of Directors on evaluations carried out on the accounting systems and operations, Memoranda to the Audit Manager / Partner on audit issues, for their attention and consideration, etc

Audit Trainee reporting to Supervisor/Senior

• Performed Analytical and substantive testing
• Test Internal Control Systems and highlighted weaknesses in the system
• Verified valuation of non-performing loans and valuation of investments
• Attended training programmes (KPMG Audit Methodology)

Key Assignments

• Participated in merger activities between Standard Chartered & ANZ Grindlays Bank Colombo Sri Lanka to verify compliance to Standard Chartered accounting and operational policies.
• Participated in liquidation process of The Bank of Nova Scotia Colombo Sri Lanka branch. This assignment included preparation and updating of liquidation accounts, transfer of assets and liabilities to another commercial bank, dealing with the Inland Revenue and Central Bank of Sri Lanka to get required clearance certificates.

Audit Trainee/Senior reporting to Manager/Partner

· Performed Analytical and substantive testing

· Carried out detail audit procedures

· Test Internal Control Systems and highlighted weaknesses in the system

· Checked compliance to International Accounting and Auditing standards and other statutory requirements (Company’s Act, Inland Revenue Act etc.)

Key Assignments

• Conducted post implementation audit at Shell Gas Lanka Ltd to verify their new Sun Accounting system. It included verification of account balances, identification of weaknesses in accounting system and stock control system.
• Conducted special social compliance audit for Walt Disney franchising manufactures. It ensures adherence to labour standards, health and safety standards and Walt Disney code of conduct.

Practice Sector clients

Performed various assignments of Seylan Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, Nova Scotia Bank, Bank of Ceylon, Ericson Telecoms, Shell etc

Merchant Bank established under Banking Act of Sri Lanka

Junior Officer reporting to Manager

• Administered some of the investment properties