Melissa Stanton

Experience

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  Arthur Andersen

  Feb 1993 - Dec 1996

  Senior Accountant, Insolvency

  Unconventional entry into the chartered accounting profession. Ran businesses that were in receivership, usually in distressed conditions. Sold businesses and assets within strict legislative guidelines and with prescribed communication requirements. Managed workloads under often difficult conditions.

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  GE Capital

  Mar 1997 - Sept 2000

  Finance Manager

  This role introduced me to management accounting, Big Data, and allowed me to hone a variety of communication styles. The card insurance division had a revenue budget of approx. $600M; I was responsible for spotting worrying trends for the CFO and creating higher value sales (or “future revenue streams” as I got the team to think of them as). Key achievements:Gained Six Sigma qualification (Green Belt projects focused on reducing client churn, and improving month end close processes - reducing close from 15-22 days down to 1-2 days).My team developed an innovative card insurance product – my role was to pay close attention to the details. I identified pricing and risk issues, modelled alternative profit share arrangements with venture partners, designed reporting KPIs, liaised with underwriter’s actuaries to agree claims reserves. And then held my breath at product launch, trusting that our new offering would be profitable and successful! Overall, this product added an estimated $50M to revenue in its first full year, lifting net profit of GE Capital (GCF UK) by approximately 9%.When I arrived at GE’s card insurance division, I noticed some weaknesses in internal controls. Almost as soon as my controls were in place, my team spotted an IT upgrade error with a $1.5M implication – we were able to take action immediately, with no loss to the bank. Show less

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  RSM Bird Cameron

  Dec 2000 - Apr 2002

  Manager, Corporate Services

  RSM is the world’s sixth largest international accounting organisation. My role was to keep satisfied clients returning to the firm, as we built up our consulting practice in Perth.Key achievement:• Built a complex costing model for WA’s Department of Education $360M IT project, at the time the largest IT project the agency had ever undertaken. As soon as we submitted to Treasury, this number made front page headline in The West Australian newspaper.

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  AXA

  Jun 2002 - Dec 2002

  Change Management Consultant

  This was an opportunity to work again with some of my ex-GE Capital mentors, whilst I needed to live briefly in the UK for family reasons. Based in the strategy office in London Aldgate, I worked on "The AXA Way" customer-focused change project, and drove a process improvement project that reduced AXA's UK mobile telephony costs by approx 7%.

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  King & Wood Mallesons (formerly Mallesons Stephen Jaques)

  Mar 2003 - May 2008

  Senior Business Analyst

  Mallesons Stephen Jaques (as it was known when I worked at the firm) created my role to provide business intelligence to the “small centres” (ie all offices apart from Sydney and Melbourne), who felt a need for focused financial guidance. One of the most enjoyable aspects of my role was building advisory relationships with senior staff and partners across the firm. I also found my niche supporting Marketing and HR teams. Key initiatives:- Built a large costing model, which enabled profitability analysis at matter/client/product level. - Developed reporting systems to produce key client analysis. - Facilitated monthly partner and senior manager forums to focus on improving profitability of top 20 clients. - Coached many staff individually and via workshops to understand the key profit drivers of the firm, and to drive improved profitability of the firm. Show less

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  Allion Partners

  Jun 2010 - Oct 2015

  Financial Controller

  Allion Partners is a boutique corporate law firm with offices in Perth and Sydney. I was brought into the firm following the 2009 merger of two small firms, my objective being to introduce governance, processes and business intelligence to match that found in top tier law firms. Key initiatives:• Streamlined accounting processes, reporting and forecasting, via intelligent use of SQL queries to directly interrogate data warehouse.• Identified risks to business, implemented controls to monitor these risks. • Offshored processes. • Liaised with banking partners to implement new equity funding model for firm.• Beta user and product development adviser to Allion's practice management software provider. Show less

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  Clever Counting - your data : explained

  Nov 2015 - Apr 2022

  CFO and Productivity Improvement Consultant

  Clever Counting is my freelance consulting entity. I partner with SMEs to better integrate their data into their forecasting, reporting and decision making. I train staff on advanced features of Excel and data management (eg Power Query, database structures). I mentor staff to improve processes, strengthen internal controls and better serve clients. I facilitate process mapping workshops. I supply benchmarking analysis. I train non-accountants on profit margin and cash management fundamentals.

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  The College of Law Australia

  Jul 2016 - now

  Adjunct Lecturer

  Adjunct Lecturer in Financial Management and Workflow Systems modules of the Legal Practice Management Course - assisting legal practitioners to transition to being successful business owners and to obtain their unrestricted WA Practising Certificate (aka the "Principal Practising Certificate").

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  Kott Gunning Lawyers

  Sept 2016 - Dec 2021

  Chief Financial Officer

  Kott Gunning was an independent commercial law firm founded in Western Australia in 1919, specialising not only in services to large institutional clients but also to local business and private clients. The firm closed its doors in Dec 2021, after the partners resolved to go in different directions.My role at Kott Gunning was to support the partnership team with clear insights into the business, as we strove to deliver superior service to our clients. I made recommendations for improvements, I stayed informed about technology solutions that may add value to our clients, and I oversaw the delivery of corporate services to our client-facing staff, ensuring that everything 'non-law' was running smoothly. I also oversaw our QA process, as well as our continuing professional development training program. Show less

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  FilePro

  Oct 2016 - May 2018

  Trainer - Bookkeeping

  FilePro is focussed on providing law firms with an innovative well-priced legal practice management system. As a FilePro Trainer, I assisted employees and partners to master the bookkeeping modules of FilePro.

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  Leach Legal

  May 2018 - Nov 2018

  CFO (part time)

  During this short term project, I oversaw the implementation of a new practice management system at family law firm Leach Legal, and worked with the principal of the firm to ensure governance controls, processes and management reporting were put in place.

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  LogiKal

  May 2022 - Nov 2023

  Group Financial Controller

  Logikal is a global project management consultancy that was recently acquired by Assystem SA (a large French engineering group). We provide an agile and people-focused service, while also being able to deliver infrastructure projects and programmes of any scope and size; we specialise in PMO, project controls, enhanced business intelligence, and BIM solutions.I joined the business at a time when the majority shareholders were going to market to sell their shares. Whilst supporting the detailed due diligence process confidentially, I also fulfilled my role as global head of finance, particularly focusing on mapping and improving existing financial processes to ensure that we would be well placed to easily integrate with a purchaser.Post-merger, I am the Group financial controller for Logikal APAC, and report into Assystem Group. Show less

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  Nexia Perth

  Nov 2023 - now

  Financial Controller