Nelson Otieno Ougo

NELSON OTIENO OUGO +254 -/ - | - CREDIT MANAGEMENT LEADER ~ CREDIT ANALYSIS Debt & liability reduction and performance innovation & improvement to drive results Game-changing and integrity-driven Credit Management Leader possessing over 10 years of impressive track record carrying out high-quality credit analysis and collections management of multimillion-dollar, nationally and internationally based companies. A reputation for developing and improving policies and procedures that enforce customer credits, ensure high percentages of on-time collections, and optimize cash payments flow. A determined, results-driven leader who excels at tackling significant change initiatives and is masterful at collaboration, readily able to adapt to any situation. Visionary and Strategic Credit Leadership Bandwidth Strategy, Planning and Management: Applies a structured approach to capturing perspective of the credit management functions inclusive of, conceptualizing programs and loan structures that will draw customers to apply for loans and credits, while providing hands-on leadership, direction, and contributions to the growth of intellectual capital. Credit management and Analysis: Expert at carrying out high-quality credit analysis in order to monitor the payment timeliness of clients. Recognized for maintaining credit control and interpreting all customer business models. Collections Management: Exceptional knowledge in ensuring high percentages of on-time collections, and optimizing cash payments/cash flow for the operation. Credit Due Diligence Management: An enormous amount of experience in carrying out credit due diligence appraisal missions in subSaharan African countries. Proven ability to identify, reach out and pitch to prospective investors and manage the related processes of due diligence, deal closure, among others. AREAS OF EXPERTISE  Credit Risk Management  Enhanced Investments Due Diligence  Investment Management  Portfolio/Credit Management  Relationship Management  Financial Performance  Portfolio, and Client Relationship Management  Credit Evaluation Debt Recovery  Debt Consolidation & Analysis  Business Value Propositions  Business Analysis  Asset Based lending  Collections Management  Credit Applications  Risk Reviews  Credit Policies  Regulatory Compliance PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Team Leader Credit Control Wananchi Telecom Limited February 2023 to Date Accountable for delivering targeted performance for the Credit Control Section within the group (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Mauritius & Malawi), taking charge and proactively driving the attainment of the Key Performance Indicators of the section, managing the credit and collections function, ensuring timely and accurate collections of outstanding invoices, and minimizing bad debt losses. Key Achievements: • Supervise a team of 5 credit controllers within the Wananchi Group Limited. • Drive collection & strategy planning of debt control, particularly mitigating roll over of debt past the 90-day category. • Built a robust credit control structure for the organization by developing credit control policies and procedures. • Optimized cash flow by opening debtor accounts per month, reviewing bad debts and provisions, and coordinating aging of debtors’ ledger. • Developed an ECL model for the group entities for Bad Debt Provisions (IFRS9) Calculation. Key Contributions and Results:  Reviewing the Credit Management process to drive attainment of overall target DSO.  Reviewing and advising on the current level of Risk Management & exposure and championing strategies to minimize the credit risk  Credit analysis & preparation of progress reports.  Reviewing and following up on a daily basis team’s updates of daily KPIs like cash tracker, disputed accounts, escalations log, and taking needful action  Enforcing the credit policy and assuring adherence to accepted standards  Proactively driving improvements in business processes and procedures, e.g. invoicing, follow-up, and query/dispute management  Spearheading escalations and ensuring prompt stop service on inactive accounts.  Actively managing and attaining reduction of company bad debt provision.  Improving company cash cycle and enhancing cash conversion.  Maintaining, and retaining principal information ownership and accessing the Company debtor’s database/portfolio and ensuring proper safeguards are in place in line with information confidentiality IT policies.  Allocating and re-allocating as needed the debtors’ portfolio to respective Credit Controllers on a monthly basis  Actively motivating the Credit Control Team and providing effective guidance and leadership  Proactively enlisting the concerted support of the teams from other departments, especially service operations in driving debt collection activity in their own capacity.  Reviewing and following up on a daily basis team’s updates of daily activities like cash tracker, disputed accounts, escalations log, and taking needful action.  Actively following up and reviewing collection progress by the external debt collectors, including the lawyers, noting to monitor their activities. Credit Controller Wananchi Telecom Limited – Kenya & Mauritius May 2021 to January 2023 Key Achievements: • Reduced Ageing book from $2M to $500k FY 2022 • Reduced Bad debts provision IFRS9 from $700k to $150k FY 2022 • Streamlined the departments operations i.e. regular meetings, reconciliation, improved relationships with Account Managers and this as a result improved collection to an average of 98% FY 2022 • Improved the Days Sales Outstanding from 60 days to 33 days FY 2022 • Designed and implemented the dunning matrix that has helped in collection and customer follow-ups. • Promoted to Team Leader Position to oversee the Group Credit Control function because of great performance. Key Roles and Results:  Validated sales revenue, managed invoicing within established deadlines, audited invoices and performed end-of-month reconciliation with the MRR (Monthly recurring revenue).  Prepared daily collection reports with details of the age of the outstanding balance settled.  Checked to ensure all deposits received were correctly accounted for and allocated on the billing systems and to respective customer accounts.  Handled client complaints as well as negotiated settlement terms for balances which were overdue.  Conducted reconciliation of customer accounts and ensured customers received their statements on a monthly basis.  In liaison with legal, consider recommending the listing of bad debtors to credit reference bureau or debt collection agencies.  Generated list of non-payers for stop orders on services.  Coordinated daily coordination of collections by the agencies in liaison with the Legal Officer.  Ensured adequate justification of issuance of Credit Notes and followed up for posting within 24hrs.  Obtained customer creditworthiness from Credit Reference Bureau (CRB).  Maintained customer directory.  Ensured periodic circularization of customer balances (Statements).  Ensured credit policy was followed by all account holders.  Developed and maintained strong working relations with the sales, CRM and operations departments.  Carried out credit checks on new customers- Credit rating.  Monthly Aged Receivable Position Report supported with 3rd party balance confirmation. Head of Credit Control Geminia Insurance Company Limited October 2019 – April 2021 Key Achievements: • Managed six staff, KES 6.6 Billion in budgets, and KES 1.6 Billion in outstanding premiums. • Improved cash flow for impaired accounts through combination of auctions and collections. • Reduced disputed accounts to less than 1% of my portfolio through expeditious and timely reconciliation and effective communication to the customer. • Improved customer relationships in the allocated portfolio by tracking the unresolved issues and collaborating with the relevant authorities to achieve resolution and quick turnaround time. Key Roles and Results:  Built a robust credit control structure for the organization by developing credit control policies and procedures.  Liaised with underwriters on premium collections and account reconciliations, oversaw collection of outstanding premiums from agents, brokers, and direct clients, and reconciliation/review of broker and client debtor accounts.  Managed intermediary accounts and ensured timely payment of agent commissions.  Facilitated timely allocation of receipts and prompt issuance of cancellation notices on policies with outstanding debts.  Directed statutory compliance through timely payment of Withholding Tax.  Paved way for strategic decision-making by preparing and presenting credit control reports to the credit-control committee, management meetings, and auditors, and submitted debtor accounts progress reports to management.  Minimized credit risk by ensuring credit extended was authorized, analyzed debtor information and data, debtor ageing process, and negotiated repayment plans with clients for quick recovery of outstanding amounts due. Accountant- Credit Control APA Insurance Limited May 2015 – September 2019 Key Achievements: • Significantly trimmed outstanding branch premium from KES 700M (2015) to KES 300M in 2019, and renegotiated debtor days from 90 days to 55 days. • Oversaw KES 1M in monthly debtor account reconciliation and developed and updated credit control reports for submission to management, the credit control committee and auditors. • Reduced loan portfolio at risk by nearly 40% by tracking loan repayments through computation of direct salesforce and agents’ loan balances. • Revitalized staff performance with training of 10 employees on premium collections, client statement reconciliation, processing of commissions, filing of Withholding Tax, and use of TurnQuest. Key Roles and Results:  Steered the opening and intermediary accounts, processing of intermediary payments, authorization for Insurance Premium Financing (IPF), and followed up on payments.  Enabled claims processing through confirmation of policy details and premium position and liaised with the treasury for timely receipt and transfer of all collections.  Maintained regulatory compliance with processing and remittance of statutory payments to KRA and IRA.  Teamed with the IT department to develop user reports including client statements, production vs. collection reports, allocation reports, aged debtors reports, and provision for bad debts reports.  Improved monitoring and follow-up of delinquent accounts through provision of tailored reports to suit branch and officer performance.  Initiated recovery process in line with company policies and commercial policies.  Maintained a quality loan book of the allocated portfolio by maintaining the lowest P.A.R. possible. Acting Credit Controller Key Achievements: Resolution Insurance Company Limited June 2014 – May 2015 • • Slashed debt down to KES 50M from KES 100M and escalated problem accounts to profit centre managers, and defaulting accounts to legal department and debt collectors. Optimized cash flow by opening 20 to 30 debtor accounts per month, reviewing bad debts and provisions, and coordinating the ageing of debtors’ ledger. Key Roles and Results:  Led financial accountability with daily review of receipts and payment postings to debtors’ ledger, ensuring they balanced with the cashbook, and through daily identification of unallocated cash (receipts) and payments in the debtors’ ledger.  Maintained a solid accounting structure while reviewing monthly ledger statements, preparing exceptional reports, and identifying write-offs and overdue premiums.  Maintained statutory compliance through timely preparation of Withholding Tax and annual returns.  Enhanced client and customer experience by conducting broker and client visits and meetings and instituting follow-up action plans.  Teamed with underwriters to handle producer queries on wrong booking amounts.  Facilitated reconciliation and confirmation meetings with producers (clients/intermediaries).  Checked and verified agents’ commissions on a monthly basis, ensuring only licensed agents received commissions. Accounts Assistant – Credit Control 2014 Resolution Insurance Company Limited November 2013 – June Key Achievements: • Boosted revenue gains by contacting an average of 30 customers per day for debt collection and working out payment plans when necessary. • Delivered demand letters to defaulting customers and facilitated debt recovery by providing documentation (statements, demand letters, correspondence) for accounts set for legal action. • Reduced delinquent accounts by 30% through monthly follow-up and collection of bad debts. OTHER PROFESSIONAL ROLES HELD Claims Administrator Resolution Insurance Company Limited Feb 2012 – October 2013 Accounts & Human Resource Assistant Ministry of Higher Education, Science & Technology June 2010 – January 2012 EDUCATION & TRAINING  Master’s in Business Administration (MBA): Strategic Management | Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology – JKUAT | In Progress.  Certified Credit Professionals -4 (CCP-4) | KASNEB | In Progress.  Certified Public Accountant-2 (CPA-2) | KASNEB | 2015.  Bachelor of Business Administration & IT: Finance | Maseno University | 2012. PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP AND AFFILIATIONS  Associate Member | Institute of Credit Management Kenya ( ICM –K) ; AICM/22/059 PROFESSIONAL TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION      Member of the Institute of Credit Management (KENYA) - ICM (K) Public Speaking Training – Dress To Impress Group (October 2020). Fundamentals of Credit – Corporate Finance Institute (April 2020). Forms of Business Structure - Corporate Finance Institute (April 2020). Customer Service – Premier Training Services (June 2016).     Executive Certificate of Proficiency (ECOP) - College of Insurance (April 2014). Performance Management Training – Altima Africa (March 2014). Government G-Pay System – Ministry of Higher Education, Science & Technology (June 2011). Integrated Financial Management Information System – Ministry of Higher Education, Science & Technology (June 2011). REFERENCES  John Pope Aleri | Group Finance & Operations Manager | Wananchi Group (K) Limited | Tel:- | Email:- Beth Nyambura Wambugu | Head of Credit Control | Crown Healthcare (K) Ltd | Tel:- | Email:- Lilian Wachira | Manager- Credit Control | Heritage Insurance Company Limited | Tel:- | Email:-