Santiago Varela
Finance Manager
London,ENG
Summary
Finance professional ready to drive financial strategies and optimize performance. Expertise in budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting. Strong focus on team collaboration and flexibility to meet changing needs. Reliable, analytical, and results-oriented with keen eye for identifying opportunities for improvement. Forward-thinking team leader skilled at operating departments efficiently to meet goals. Successful background matching employees with roles for maximum performance. Proactive and hardworking individual focused on continuous operational improvement.
Overview
12
12
years of professional experience
4
4
Certifications
Work History
Finance Manager
Ineos Automotive
07.2024 - Current
- Streamlined month-end close process, reducing time spent on manual tasks and improving data accuracy.
- Fostered culture of continuous improvement by training team members on financial best practices and software enhancements.
- Spearheaded annual budgeting process, ensuring alignment with strategic goals and facilitating smoother departmental operations.
- Prepared internal and regulatory financial reports, balance sheets and income statements.
- Collaborated with C-level executives and stakeholders to develop long-term financial plans.
- Trained new and existing staff members in various financial procedures to prepare for job requirements.
Project Cost Controller
Ineos Automotive
02.2023 - 07.2024
- Responsible for the preparation and analysis of monthly financial reports such as financial performance, P&L debrief, and various ad hoc report for functional areas.
- Delivering key information and advice to C-level leadership to take decisive action.
- Creation of the financial project tracker, business case model and presentation pack for C-level on key projects for the company, with investments over € 600 M.
- Lead the budget and forecast process (creation, revision and consolidation) covering variable and fixed costs (~€ 100 M) and CAPEX (~€ 600 M).
- Preparation of business cases to support new investments, strategic plans and other business decisions including support with the gathering of key inputs, model creation, sensitivity analysis.
- Responsible for the creation of the financial structures in SAP to track series spend, model year spend and different core projects for each area.
- Lead the budget improvement task-force which led to a more standardized, accurate and transparent budget process than previous years resulting in a reduction of 2 weeks overall for the consolidation and content creation after submission
- Responsible for OPEX and CAPEX monthly closing process. Streamlined the process, significantly reducing time required for financial reporting preparation.
Sr. FP&A Analyst
Ineos Automotive
12.2021 - 02.2023
- Preparation of financial statements and monthly rolling forecast with all departments, collecting inputs and insights on the deviations to plan
- Analyse variances in actual results, working closely with accounting to ensure accurate financial reporting
- Providing accounting guidance to non-financial partners and being the key point of contact for any financial topic
- Responsible for the consolidation of the budget and the 5-year business plan for the entire company, including two lines of product and 12 entities
- Promoted to Senior FP&A within 6 months in the role
- Facilitated cross-functional collaboration, sharing insights from financial analysis with key stakeholders to drive business growth.
- Prepared reports analyzing specific aspects of department structures, functions and operational procedures and recommended ways to improve productivity.
- Increased financial accuracy by reviewing and analyzing budget variances on a monthly basis.
- Enhanced forecast reliability through the development of robust financial models and scenario analyses.
Upstream Analyst
GlobalData
10.2020 - 09.2021
- Analysed and modeled economic valuations for upstream assets in the MENA region
- Managed large volumes of data to create key reports such as Expert Insights and Sector Reports which help companies maximize growth potential, identify new markets and shape their strategies
- Headed the research and analysis of complex data to forecast supply and demand production and estimate companies' and countries' investments within the MENA region
- Worked alongside clients for specific consultancy projects and M&A deals
- Worked in the team in charge of delivering the first wind farm economic model
- Implemented predictive analytics techniques that enabled proactive adjustments to business strategies based on emerging trends.
Sr. FP&A Analyst
PS Energy
02.2019 - 03.2020
- Spearheaded annual budget and 3-year forecast business plan, aiming USD 50 M in revenues by 2022
- Developed a financial management reporting system that provided information for C-level decision-making
- P&L deviations, forecasts, updated and redesigned KPIs and ad-hoc reports
- Directly report to CEO and CFO, supporting the monthly presentations to shareholders
- Headed discounted cash flow valuation to support strategic planning for future investments, among them: drilling and workover campaigns
- An Oil & Gas company, part of IF Group, with over 25 years of experience in Argentina and Colombia
- Produces above 9500 bpd in 10 fields
- Became a fundamental piece in the merge of 4 fields bought from YPF with +2500 bpd
- While the operation grew 3 times, we successfully managed the entire administration and finance processes with the original team
- Carried out the economic and financial evaluations of a drilling campaign of USD 2.75 M and 20 workovers of USD 3.75 M, which resulted in a production growth of more than 28%
- Secured USD 2 M loan from banks to support the drilling initiatives, being responsible for the creation and defense of the business case and all supporting documents needed to obtain the funds
- Started paying back the stakeholders a year ahead than expected thanks to the exceptional results
- Evaluated and analyzed variety of financial results and indicators such as capital expenditures, depreciation, proposal and investment opportunities to improve financial results.
Sr. Project Manager Specialist
Farmacity
03.2018 - 02.2019
- Chaired 4 different projects among them: M&A, Franchisee and 2 business development
- Coached and coordinated cross-functional teams of 10 members from different areas of expertise for each project to determine timely delivery and compliance of project requirements.
- Prepared and executed the budget for each project of over USD 1 million
- Monitored project progress, identified risks and implemented corrective measures to acquire success.
- Capitalized the first M&A deal of the company, and bought a small company with 2 pharmacies
- Launched the Farmacity franchise and negotiated the first franchise partnership deal as leader of the project
- Adapted quickly to unexpected challenges or obstacles encountered during project execution, devising creative solutions without compromising objectives.
- Mentored junior project managers and team members to enhance their skills and career growth.
Senior Financial Planning Analyst
Farmacity
02.2013 - 03.2018
- Created the Balanced Scorecard for the Chief Supply Chain Office and kept KPIs up to date for close monitoring
- Built the P&L and BS-Capex monthly reports for deviation analysis
- Prepared the annual budget and 2-year forecast business plan, intending to reduce 0.3 share points of sales for the Supply Chain office
- Planned the annual CAPEX budget for the whole company, USD 40m in investments
- Built a business model that could predict, based on simple assumptions, sales and investment requirements for new stores
- The “New Stores Business Model” was the basis to open more than 100 stores in the company
- Reduced the cost of Supply Chain by decreasing the share of sales from 3,1% to 2,6%
- With the help of the Balanced Scorecard, we decreased the number of contractors by 80% improving the workflows and the production planning
- Streamlined financial processes by implementing automated systems (HFM - Oracle Hyperion Financial Management) to improve efficiency.
Strategy & Business Developer
Animana
01.2013 - 10.2013
Education
Master of Science - Finance
UCEMA
Buenos Aires, Argentina 04.2001 -
Bachelor of Science - Industrial Engineering
UADE
Buenos Aires, Argentina 04.2001 -
Bachelor of Science - Production Organisation
UADE
Buenos Aires, Argentina 04.2001 -
Skills
Business partnering
Financial management
Budget forecasting
Strategic planning
Proficient in SAP
Skilled in HFM
Proficient in Microsoft Office
Verbal and written communication
Certification
CIMA – Certificate in Business Accounting
Timeline
Finance Manager
Ineos Automotive
07.2024 - Current
Project Cost Controller
Ineos Automotive
02.2023 - 07.2024
Sr. FP&A Analyst
Ineos Automotive
12.2021 - 02.2023
Upstream Analyst
GlobalData
10.2020 - 09.2021
Sr. FP&A Analyst
PS Energy
02.2019 - 03.2020
Sr. Project Manager Specialist
Farmacity
03.2018 - 02.2019
Senior Financial Planning Analyst
Farmacity
02.2013 - 03.2018
Strategy & Business Developer
Animana
01.2013 - 10.2013
Master of Science - Finance
UCEMA
04.2001 -
Bachelor of Science - Industrial Engineering
UADE
04.2001 -
Bachelor of Science - Production Organisation
UADE
04.2001 -
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