Martin Lew FCPA

Experience

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  Touche Ross, now Deloitte Australia

  Jan 1983 - Aug 1989

  Senior Accountant, Insolvency

  I worked in audit and then insolvency, starting as a school leaver undergraduate and working with the firm through my university and chartered accountant studies.

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  Knight Ferrier Hodgson

  Sept 1989 - May 1991

  Assistant Manager, Insolvency

  This firm was the market leader in insolvency services in Brisbane, with the most interesting administrations. The firm specialised in businesses trading through financial issues as they were sold on.

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  Hyatt International (EAME) and Regency Casinos Ltd., Cyprus

  Sept 1991 - Dec 2005

  Regional Finance Director - Hyatt International

  Hyatt International (EAME) manages 5* hotels in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. During my 14-year career I worked mostly as a Hotel Finance Director, with additional regional responsibilities in Dubai and London. I was also Finance Director for the opening office of Regency Casinos in Cyprus, supporting the opening of casinos in Baku and Thessaloniki.I was part of the 6-month pre-opening team for the 674-room Grand Hyatt Hotel & Residences Dubai and supported the opening of the Park Hyatt Dubai. The opening of Grand Hyatt was an enormously challenging project, working with the most experienced and qualified hoteliers in Hyatt EAME. We introduced the Grand Hyatt brand into Dubai and successfully established the hotel as one of the premier hotels there.We created a shared accounting office with an extremely efficient finance function covering Accounts Payable, Payroll, Credit Management and Balance Sheet. The hotels each had their own Director of Finance and retained small teams to handle income audit, cost audit, accounts receivable and cashiering. I was responsible for setting the finance operating standards for the 3 Dubai hotels. Show less

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  The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited

  Jan 2006 - Apr 2016

  VP Finance - Operations

  HSH is a public company listed on the HKEX (#45), principally engaged in operation of luxury hotels that strive to be the finest hotel in each city. Other business included 2 residential apartment complexes, commercial arcades, 2 golf courses, The Peak Tram and The Peak Tower. The areas where I brought most value were:- supporting the opening of new hotels in Tokyo 2007, Shanghai 2009 and Paris 2014, with all of the intense team building and business development work needed;- supporting the operating GMs and improving the relationship with head office;- lifting the quality of financial information across the Group and moving the Finance Directors from a controlling and reporting focus to business partnering.One of the most challenging and rewarding roles was when I was sent to Tokyo and then Shanghai 6-12 months after opening to find ways to improve profits whilst maintaining cherished luxury standards. This included:- adjusting departmental P&Ls to give a clearer picture of all expenses- holding individual meetings with departments heads to review performance and find ways to generate more revenue, make better use of resources and improve profitability- joining meetings with external ownership partners, supporting the GM and the direction- reporting back to the CEO, COO and CFO on what was being done Show less

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  The CFO Centre Hong Kong

  Jul 2016 - Feb 2019

  The CFO Centre provides a platform that links ambitious business owners with a suitable, experienced CFO to help achieve the business's objectives. I worked with the National Director to establish The CFO Centre in HK, with a whole range of business development activity and relationship building. This included finding new leads, winning clients, maintaining client and partner relationships and developing the CFO team. I met with 140 business owners over two years, with one-third deciding to engage a CFO from The CFO Centre. Show less As a shared CFO, I worked with the owners of 9 businesses in a variety of industries to help them achieve the business's objectives. This usually starts with clarifying the financial results and position, as well as the strategic direction and exit planning, and then:- determine the key business drivers and business risks + how to mitigate these- help drive efficiency and better performance across the company- obtain working capital funding through invoice factoring and loans- develop banking relationships- improve accountabilityThe companies ranged from start-ups to established companies operating for 20+ years. The companies are in a variety of industries and sectors - engineering services, frozen food distribution, Asia-sourcing solution, project management, component manufacturer, event production, personal effects storage. Most of my work was in 2-4 hours blocks amounting to 1-2 man-days per month, while a more intense engagement might be up to 6 man-days.One of the longer and more demanding roles was to support a business owner through the sale of his company to a NASDAQ listed company, followed by the successful fulfilment of the earn-out provisions. Show less

  • Regional Director - Hong Kong

    Nov 2016 - Feb 2019

  • Shared CFO for separate companies

    Jul 2016 - Feb 2019
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  M L Business Advisory Limited

  Mar 2019 - Jun 2021

  Business Financial Advisor

  I worked with different companies and our local church in various capacities in this period.

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  Fresh Accounting

  Mar 2020 - Mar 2021

  Client CFO

  Fresh Accounting provides outsourced management accounting and reporting, which facilitates proper financial review and oversight. Once this is in place, some clients then need higher level finance support, and I provide this as a Client CFO. This includes finding ways to improve profitability; looking into financing options to reduce borrowing costs and free up working capital; reviewing the company structure and accounting processes and making them more efficient; setting up a solid budget process and 3-year plan; preparing the company for sale; etc.Please use this link to go to the Fresh Accounting website to find out more:https://www.freshaccounting.biz/services Show less

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  Advisory Board Centre

  Jul 2020 - Jun 2021

  I work with businesses that need outside support to push through some kind of growth barrier, or position themselves for the next phase of growth. Together with the CEO, we’ll determine what needs to be addressed and in what order in a highly focused and effective manner. The Chair then guides the process and creates a for-purpose, problem-solving forum (the advisory board) to support the CEO.The advisory board can be comprised of existing internal leaders and have only the Chair as an external resource. Or, we might introduce up to two outside Advisors to join a quarterly half-day Advisory Board meeting, to get the benefit of their independence and to have someone who has successfully worked through what we are facing. This forum is an environment where critical thinking, robust discussion and value transference occur, which is why having independent Advisors is so beneficial.Typical engagements for Advisory Board would be a) project based Advisory Boards with 90-day programs, perhaps to address personnel issues like culture or management development; or maybe to develop a comprehensive brand management / marketing / e-commerce program.b) Company realignment programs over an 18-month periodc) Preparing for and executing a successful exit over a 3-year periodThe Chair ensures the advisory board has a clear scope and measurable outcomes are identified. The Certified Chairs have been carefully selected by the Founder of The Advisory Board Centre, Louise Broekman. We have all worked through a focused executive development program and have access to a range of specially designed resources.The Advisory Board Centre has a network of over 400 professional Advisors from all fields of expertise that can help, no matter what the challenges are.For more information about Advisory Boards, please visit our website:https://www.advisoryboardcentre.com.au/business-advisory-boards/ Show less

  • Business Advisor and Partner, specialized in Finance

    Jul 2020 - Jun 2021

  • Certified Chair

    Jul 2020 - Jun 2021
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  Noosa Cove Resort Management Trust T/as The Cove Noosa and Little Cove Court Noosa

  Jun 2021 - now

  Chief Financial Officer
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  Laguna Capital Group Family Trusts

  Jun 2021 - now

  Chief Financial Officer
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  Aspire Property Management

  Jun 2021 - now

  Chief Financial Officer

  Aspire Property Management has an impressive portfolio of luxury holiday and residential accommodation, of which approximately 10% are owned by its shareholders. This creates a unique dynamic where the manager is also a customer, and one which requires the highest levels of service.The broader company structure of which Aspire is a part has almost two decades of Noosa property management and investment experience, operating a number of luxury resorts and investing in quality residential and commercial assets. Show less

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  Success Digital Marketing

  Jul 2021 - now

  Chief Financial Officer

  Success Digital Marketing is a boutique agency specialising in website design and how to drive traffic onto your website and generate incremental income. They work very closely with Aspire Property Management and are specialists in the holiday and permanent rental accommodation. They also have clients in the trades and retail sectors.