Thilina Shenal Kothalawala

Name Address Mobile Visa Status : Thilina Shenal Kothalawala : 72, Nelson Street, Auckland, New Zealand : - : Open work permit (Full-time rights) Email Availability :-: Immediately Professional Summary Results-driven Finance Manager / Management Accountant with over 9 years of international experience in finance leadership roles across the Middle East, and Sri Lanka. Expertise spans financial reporting, reconciliations, insurance management, budgeting, forecasting, and process improvement. Adept at working in fast-paced environments and partnering with operational leaders to enhance performance. Recognised for a collaborative leadership style, mentoring teams, and delivering insights that support strategic decision-making. Professional and Academic Qualifications ● ● ● ● M.Sc. in Data Science (Merit) - Liverpool John Moores University (2025) Masters of Business Administration - University of Wales, UK (2015) ACMA - Chartered Institute of Management Accountants - CIMA UK (2017) B.Sc. (Hons) in Applied Sciences (Second Upper) - University of Sri Jayewardenepura, SL (2015) Key Skills, IT Skills and ERP Systems ● ● ● ● ● Team leadership and management Certified public speaker Mentoring young professionals Conducting corporate trainings Budgeting and forecasting • Internal controls and audit support • Month-end closure: reconciliation, analysis • Advanced Excel, Power BI, Python & SQL • ERP Systems - MS Dynamics NAV, SAP • Process automation Experience summary Organisation Position Muscat Duty Free, Oman Management Accountant AMW, Sri Lanka Business Analyst MAS Holdings, Sri Lanka Business Analyst Period 7 years 6 months 9 months 1 year 3 months Industry Travel Retail Automobile Apparel, Manufacturing Detailed Career History Muscat Duty Free Position Period Reported to Staff reported to me Organisation size : Ireland based (ARI) MNC and exclusive operator for Duty Free in Muscat : Management Accountant : From December 2017 to June 2025, 7 and half years : CFO : Accountant, Cash office manager and 8 cash office team members : Large size, 450 staff, Annual revenue NZD 170 million Duties and responsibilities ● Led month-end close, reconciliations, and management reporting for a high-volume turnover organisation. ● Partnered with retail and commercial managers to support budgeting, forecasting, and quarter revisions. ● Proposed new project CAPEX approvals, project accounting and WIP tracking to ensure financial reporting. ● Analysed budget variances, provided commentary, and advised management on corrective measures. ● ● ● ● ● ● Analysis of daily sales by category, locations, destinations, and passenger demographics and provide dashboards to the retail team and top management for further decision-making process. Implemented process automation that reduced AR invoicing turnaround by 3 days and improved reporting accuracy. Supported internal/external audits and ensured compliance with corporate policies and IFRS standards. Monitor trends in exception handling and report deviations to the management. Take corrective, preventive measures, review and update SOP to include best practices. Mentored a finance team, fostering a culture of collaboration, accuracy, and accountability. Achievements ● Nominated for Quarterly star awards conducted by ARI Ireland in the years 2022, 2023. ● Nominated as employee of the month in several months within Muscat Duty Free. ● Process automation - Improvements in AR to reduce time taken for invoicing by 3 working days. Automation of manual preparation reports to improve efficiency and reduce human error. ● Reduction of fake note acceptance by 10% and 15% reduction in cash shortages through continuous training programs and induction training. ● Reduction of aging receivables from 33% to 8% from NZD 1.5m to NZD 100k. ● Introduction of new reporting structure for daily sales analysis and location wise profitability. Associated Motorways Position Period Reported to Organisation size : Dubai based (Al-Futtaim) automotive company with exclusive dealerships : Business Analyst : From March 2017 to November 2017, 9 months : GM Business Development and GM Brand sales : Large size, 1000 staff, Annual revenue NZD 300 million Duties and achievements ● Prepared annual budgets, quarterly revisions, and flash reports, providing timely financial insights for decision-making. ● Introduced a stock ordering process that reduced costs by NZD 100k, improving working capital efficiency. ● Partnered with sales teams across multiple brands (Nissan, Yamaha, Renault) to support initiatives, campaigns, and promotions. ● Delivered analytical insights to General Managers, monitoring overheads and supporting profitability improvements. MAS Holdings Position Period Reported to Organisation size : Largest apparel manufacturer in Sri Lanka : Business Analyst : From January 2016 to March 2017, 1 year 3 months : General Manager : Large size, 80,000 staff, Annual revenue NZD 3.4 billion Duties and responsibilities ● Prepared the annual budget and supported long-range forecasts and monthly plant reviews to track operational and financial performance. ● Prepared efficiency reports and maintained the KPI database, enabling data-driven performance monitoring. ● Coordinated manufacturing plant readiness for VIP buyer visits, ensuring compliance with client and audit expectations. ● Partnered with operational managers to analyse cost drivers and recommend process improvements.