Wajahat Riaz

Wajahat Riaz, FCCA, CMA, CPA, MBA Executive Finance Leader | Strategic CFO | Cost & Performance Architect | FP&A ANALYST TO CONTROLLER 📧-| 📞 - | 🌐 linkedin.com/in/wajahatriaz Executive Profile Forward-thinking, cost-conscious finance leader with 21+ years of experience driving profitability, operational efficiency, and strategic growth across the healthcare, manufacturing, nonprofit, construction, and service sectors. Adept in scaling cost controls, building high-performance teams, and implementing ERP and BI systems. Proven track record in FP&A, audit readiness, and steering board-level financial strategy across USA, UK, Canada, and Middle East regions. 💼 21+ years of progressive finance experience 🌍 Global exposure: USA, Canada, UK, Pakistan, UAE, China 💡 Expert in cost optimization, FP&A, ERP, and international accounting 🧠 Led 40-member finance teams; implemented 3 full-cycle ERPs 🧾 Filed 1,000+ US/Canada corporate tax returns 📊 Built dashboards for 10+ boards and CEOs Core Competencies Cost Management Excellence Advanced Cost Accounting & Product Costing Standard Cost Development & Variance Analysis Manufacturing Cost Control & Optimization Activity-Based Costing (ABC) Implementation Strategic Financial Leadership ▸ Budgeting & Forecasting ▸ Financial Reporting & Analysis ▸ Strategic Planning & Board Advisory ▸ Multi-Entity Consolidation Cost Control & Profitability ▸ Cost Accounting & Standard Costing ▸ Inventory Valuation ▸ Manufacturing/Construction Cost Management ▸ Variance Analysis ERP & Automation Expertise ▸ SAP S/4HANA | Oracle NetSuite ▸ QuickBooks | XERO | SAGE | Yardi ▸ Power BI | Excel Dashboards | Tableau ▸ System Integrations & Workflow Design Compliance & Risk ▸ US/UK/Canada Corporate Tax ▸ Internal Controls (SOX/IFRS) ▸ Audit Management ▸ Grant Reporting (UN/NGOs) People & Stakeholder Management ▸ Leading Cross-Functional Teams ▸ Executive Communication ▸ Change Management ▸ Intercultural Stakeholder Relations KEY ACHIEVEMENTS & RECOGNITIONS Financial Impact Delivered Rs.10M+ in annual cost savings across multiple client engagements Achieved 7% COGS reduction for $3B pharmaceutical operation Reduced project cost overruns by 15% through enhanced cost control systems Improved budget forecasting accuracy by 30% through advanced analytics Operational Excellence Successfully led 5+ major ERP implementations (SAP, NetSuite, Dynamics, Quickbooks) Reduced financial close cycles by up to 5 days through process optimization Managed cost accounting for 50+ companies across multiple industries Supervised and developed 40+ finance professionals Geographic Experience Extensive international experience across USA, Canada, UK, China, Pakistan, and Malaysia Multi-currency and multi-entity consolidation expertise Cross-cultural team leadership and client relationship management TECHNICAL EXPERTISE Enterprise Systems: SAP S/4HANA, Oracle NetSuite, QuickBooks Enterprise, XERO, SAGE, Yardi, Microsoft Dynamics GP Analytics & Reporting: Power BI, Tableau, Advanced Excel, SQL, Python, ClearMatrix, COUNTABLE Specialized Modules: Cost Center Accounting, Inventory Valuation, Product Costing, Variance Reporting PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Chief Cost & Finance Officer | AlAraji Group (Dammam, Saudi Arabia) July 2024 – Apr 2025 Spearheaded comprehensive cost accounting operations across multiple business units, implementing advanced costing methodologies that reduced operational costs by 15-25% while maintaining quality standards Developed and executed strategic financial planning initiatives, including annual budgeting processes, quarterly forecasting, and long-term financial modeling for executive decision-making Designed and implemented activity-based costing (ABC) systems that provided granular visibility into product profitability and operational efficiency metrics across diverse product lines Conducted sophisticated variance analyses identifying cost drivers and implementing corrective measures that consistently achieved budget targets within 2-3% variance Established key performance indicators (KPIs) and cost control frameworks that enabled real-time monitoring of financial performance and proactive management of cost overruns Served as key financial advisor to executive leadership, providing critical insights on pricing strategies, product mix optimization, and market expansion opportunities Cost Accounting Consultant | OBOX Accounting (Canada, USA, UK) December 2023 – June 2024 Led comprehensive cost optimization initiatives for multinational client portfolio Strategic Leadership: Directed cost structure reviews and profitability analysis for 100+ SMEs across healthcare, hospitality, and construction industries Team Management: Trained and supervised 40 accounting professionals in standardized costing methodologies and variance reporting using COUNTABLE software Cost Optimization: Implemented margin enhancement strategies resulting in $1M+ annual cost savings across client base Process Implementation: Deployed customized process costing modules for manufacturing and hospitality clients using QuickBooks and XERO platforms Compliance Excellence: Successfully prepared and filed 1,000+ corporate tax returns with precise cost allocation across multiple departments and geographical locations Finance Head - Cost & Budgeting | Global Diaspora Confederation (IOM-UNO Subsidiary) October 2021 – December 2023 Managed financial operations for international humanitarian programs Grant Management: Developed sophisticated multi-year budgeting frameworks with detailed overhead allocation models for institutional donors Cost Allocation: Created comprehensive methodologies for multi-country program cost distribution, ensuring alignment with IOM donor compliance standards Cash Flow Management: Prepared detailed projections and monitored burn rates for 15+ global projects with complex funding structures Audit Leadership: Directed year-end audit processes and implemented team training programs for cost categorization and fund compliance ERP Transformation: Led successful transition to SAP S/4HANA for multi-entity cost center accounting, reducing monthly close cycle by 5 days Group Cost Controller | ProgressiveCare Inc. (USA) - Pharmaceutical & 340B Programs June 2021 – December 2023 Oversaw cost accounting operations for $3B pharmaceutical enterprise Multi-Entity Management: Directed product and service-level cost accounting across 7 subsidiaries with complex intercompany transactions System Implementation: Successfully deployed NetSuite and ClearMatrix inventory modules enabling comprehensive direct/indirect cost traceability Variance Analysis: Conducted detailed usage, labor, and overhead variance analyses, significantly improving margin visibility and pricing accuracy Cost Reduction: Achieved 7% COGS reduction through strategic re-engineering of inventory management and procurement alignment initiatives Regulatory Compliance: Ensured full SOX and FDA cost traceability compliance through collaboration with manufacturing and quality teams Cost Controller | ENOCH International - Manufacturing (China & Pakistan) July 2020 – June 2021 Managed cost accounting operations for international tile manufacturing Product Costing: Led comprehensive costing and inventory accounting for multi-location tile manufacturing operations Cost Center Development: Implemented advanced cost center accounting and variance tracking systems optimizing per-unit cost analysis Standard Costing: Introduced integrated ERP standard costing system, reducing financial reporting cycle time by 40% Project Analysis: Conducted detailed financial feasibility and margin analysis supporting strategic expansion initiatives Forecasting Enhancement: Improved budget forecasting accuracy by 30% through development of integrated reporting dashboards Manager Cost Accounting | WorldCall Telecom (Omantel Group) June 2017 – July 2020 Led cost management for major telecommunications infrastructure Framework Development: Established comprehensive cost center structures across telecom infrastructure, marketing, and support functions Automation Initiative: Deployed SAP-integrated budget vs. actual reporting systems enhancing decision-making capabilities for 5 regional operations Infrastructure ROI: Spearheaded unit cost tracking and ROI analysis for fiber optic and cellular tower expansion projects Cost Control: Reduced project cost overruns by 15% through implementation of systematic cost review checkpoints and monthly variance reporting M&A Support: Provided critical cost analysis support for merger and acquisition activities including post-acquisition integration strategies Finance Manager - Cost & Audit | MD Vision LLC (US Healthcare Group) December 2016 – May 2017 Managed healthcare cost reporting and compliance operations Healthcare Compliance: Established Medicare/Medicaid cost reporting and analysis frameworks for 69 surgical facilities across multiple states Cost Allocation: Developed shared services cost allocation methodologies for billing, HR, and administrative functions Asset Management: Implemented lease cost tracking and depreciation systems for medical equipment portfolio Regulatory Reporting: Ensured timely quarterly compliance submissions and maintained audit readiness protocols Performance Dashboards: Utilized Dynamics GP and Yardi to create comprehensive per-patient cost and facility performance monitoring systems Chief Accountant - Project Costing | BRDB Malaysia - Defense Raya Golf Club February 2012 – December 2016 Directed financial operations for $80M mixed-use development project Project Cost Management: Managed comprehensive cost reporting for large-scale golf residential development including infrastructure, residential, and retail components Contractor Analysis: Led detailed cost analysis of subcontractor invoices ensuring alignment with approved Bills of Quantities (BoQ) Budget Framework: Implemented multi-tier budget management systems for infrastructure, vertical construction, and landscaping phases Performance Monitoring: Created executive dashboards tracking unit cost per square foot and site-level profitability metrics Capital Optimization: Enhanced cost recovery through optimized capital expenditure tracking and sophisticated cash flow forecasting models Cost Analyst - FP&A | Al-Wasay Group (Construction & Infrastructure) March 2010 – February 2012 Provided cost analysis for major infrastructure and hydroelectric projects Infrastructure Costing: Developed detailed cost breakdowns for hydroelectric power and civil infrastructure projects Vendor Management: Reviewed contractor pricing models and negotiated terms resulting in improved project margins Work-in-Progress: Monitored WIP status and committed costs to minimize funding gaps in long-term contracts Performance Metrics: Implemented earned value management metrics for progress assessment and billing validation Labor Optimization: Conducted comprehensive labor rate assessments and policy recommendations resulting in 12% payroll cost savings Audit Senior - Cost Review & Assurance | Uzair Hammad Faisal & Co. (Chartered Accountants) January 2008 – February 2010 Conducted cost audits and assurance services for diverse client portfolio Cost Audit Services: Performed comprehensive audits of cost sheets, BOM pricing, and allocation practices for oil & gas, telecom, and manufacturing clients Cost Structure Analysis: Assessed fixed vs. variable cost structures providing strategic recommendations to CFOs for enhanced cost transparency Compliance Reporting: Prepared detailed costing compliance reports for statutory audits and internal management use Standards Compliance: Ensured cost apportionment adherence to IFRS standards and tax audit requirements Specialized Audits: Contributed to cost audits for government-funded organizations and NGOs requiring specialized compliance protocols Junior Accountant - Cost & Payroll | Wapping Project (UK) October 2003 – June 2007 Maintained cost accounting and payroll operations for multi-entity organization Cost Ledger Management: Maintained detailed cost ledgers tracking input/output expenses across three legal entities Payroll Operations: Prepared staff cost budgets, monitored payroll taxes, and reconciled complex intercompany recharges Operations Support: Allocated shared expenses and tracked COGS for café and gallery operations Asset Management: Managed fixed asset register and coordinated with external auditors for depreciation reporting Financial Reporting: Utilized SAGE system to produce comprehensive cost center-level financial reports PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS & EDUCATION Professional Qualifications FCCA – Fellow Chartered Certified Accountant, ACCA (UK) CMA – Chartered Management Accountant, ICMAP (Pakistan) CPA – Certified Public Accountant, ICPAP (In Progress) Academic Credentials MBA Finance – University of Central Punjab BSc Honours Accounting – Oxford Brookes University (UK PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS ACCA – Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (UK) ICMAP – Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Pakistan ICPAP – Institute of Chartered Public Accountants of Pakistan