1. July 2013
I am seeking U.K based assignments with overseas travel. Particular interest in
non-executive roles for this Chartered Accountant with Senior level experience.
Qualifications: A United Kingdom qualified Chartered Accountant, Number: 7139974.
My Resume covers 20 years’ operational and senior corporate experience internationally
in organisations (US$15 - $300 million turnover direct management of 10 - 15 persons).
Sector Experience:
• Mining (9 years – AFRICA Finance Manager to CFO positions)
• Marketing (10 Years – 6 Years ITALY European Finance Director to CFO)
• Manufacturing (9 years – U.K & European Countries steady progress
from management accountant, European Director and CFO positions)
• Sales (2 years – U.K Financial Controller)
• Not for Profit (1 Year)
KEY TALENTS:
SENIOR INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE: Worked in 6 European countries; USA &
Brazil; Saudi Arabia & Dubai; India and 6 African Countries as Finance Director/ CFO with
responsibility for IT, HR and Procurement and Logistics.
Acting General Manager for a sales operation in U.K. Established operations and
deputised as General Manager in Dubai, Brazil and India. Deputy General Manager in
Burkina Faso and 2 operations in Congo for subsidiaries of TSX / LSE quoted companies.
PROJECT EVALUATION, INVESTMENT DECISIONS AND BUILDING
FUNCTIONING OPERATIONS: Restructured UK operations. Persevered greater
efficiency and margins by reducing from 12 branches to 6; sales and service personnel
reduced from 190 persons to 132. Feasibility of manufacturing operations resulted in
establishing just-in-time manufacturing facilities (£5,000,000) in U.K. This reorganisation
of operations from batch to just-in-time (delivering annual savings £10,000,000), and
producing higher quality products. Feasibility and set up of marketing operations in
Middle East and India ($3,000,000 investment). In Mining success included feasibility
studies costing $20,000,000 of 2 mining projects in Democratic Rep. of Congo achieving
investments of $250,000,000 and $800,000,000 for major international mining
companies; building a further mine in Burkina Faso $30,000,000.
OPERATIONAL EXPERIENCE:
FINANCIAL ANALYSIS: Implementation management accounting and of long term
corporate planning and 25 year Life of Mine plans; use of data to provide strategic long
term strategies and variances to manage shorter term performance.
MENTORING AND STAFF PERFORMANCE ENHANCED: Successful localisation of
operations and expatiates in Tanzania, Burkina Faso, Dem. Rep. of Congo, and Brazil.
Efficiency savings achieved in Procurement, IT and Finance. Centralising support services
into Dubai, Singapore, London and New York. Enhanced procurement and logistics
efficiency in mining. This reduced procurement costs by $20,000,000 p.a in Tanzania
while transferring stock holding costs/ risks to suppliers which saved a further
$10,000,000. This achievement was resulted from hands on mentoring and focused
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Firdaus T. ABBASI, A.C.A
36 Holtspur Top Lane, Beaconsfield, Bucks HP9 1DR, UK.
Tel.: +44 (0)1494 675966; Mob. +44 (0)7747 038070 - Email: fred.abassi@btinternet.com

2. training and from clinical approach to defining needs and recruitment and controls on
logistics and procurement.
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND DICIPLINE MANAGING DIFFICULTIES: I am a
strong practitioner of openness, discipline and Governance issues. Advocate of legal,
corporate and contractual engagements. I inspire pride and respect amongst government
officials, employers, employees and colleagues; particularly in emerging markets. This
also helped in successful Union negotiations and in calming employee riots in Tanzania
and in Dem. Rep. of Congo and on one occasion in Mali, successful extraction of
employees, including myself trapped 150m underground when power supply failed. I am
respectful of cultures. Implemented Sarbanes Oxley (SOX) in Tanzania and in Zambia.
HEALTH & SAFETY: Pro-actively and as part of corporate policy, implemented health
and safety Risk assessment, lost time reporting that looped as control in further
improving health and safety. At the mines I have improved employee diets and lowered
injury, absenteeism and medical bills. No major incidents/ fatalities at mines.
TAX DEFENDING: Engineered, defended and recovered several tax cases in Europe and
in Africa. Most noteworthy were in challenging Italian Tax authorities on technical criteria
that recovered €5,000,000 plus cost; challenging the National Tax Directorate, in
Kinshasa, DRC a $25,000,000 assessment and reducing the Company liability it to
$150,000 and in Burkina Faso: overturning a complex tax ruling that would have cost the
company $6,000,000.
FINANCE: Implemented and worked IFRS in parallel with OHADA/ Syscoa in West Africa
and DRC accounting rules. Managed and mentored staff and brought work planning and
controls to international timelines and standards. Eliminated audit observations.
IT: Excellent EXCEL (incl. Macros), WORD and POWERPOINT. Implemented: SUN
ACCOUNTS (4 sites), OMICRON (2 Sites), PEGASUS, MFG-Pro., Pronto (full ERP),
ACCPAC (Accounting Modules), SYSPRO (ERP). Used: MASM and HYPERION.
HR: Experience includes successful conclusion in difficult Union negotiations in Africa with
militant workforce and economically sustainable outcomes. Inspiring trust from
employees in doubled gains in Employee productivity. Clear needs and position
descriptions and employment company-wide with production incentives in line with
corporate ethos achieved employee value-added. Planned and overseen employee
reductions in U.K, Tanzania 600 personnel, Europe 30 employees, DRC 100 employees.
COMMERCIAL: Strategies for acquisition and for divesture of businesses. Divestures
included the 5 businesses for Catalin and property for £20,000,000; sale of electronic
business in Italy £500,000; sale of mining license to Chinese National Mining
$50,000,000.
Acquisitions & Contractual included acquisition of electronic radio technology £200,000 as
a sub-module in a security product; defending faulty product claim $8,000,000;
tendering and negotiating a cross border 28km power line with the Congolese Electricity
authorities, an international tender concluding a $15,000,000 contract for a 33MWH
power supply for Negotiations with Congo; negotiated Mining permits in Burkina Faso and
Ivory Coast governments. Instrumental liberalising gold to publicity and advertising in
India. Negotiated agreement with JV partners in Dem. Rep of Congo and Burkina Faso.
Contacts and agreements negotiated and drafted $30,000,000.
Instrumental in strategy, planning and execution of a successful exploration/ drilling
programme of 98,000 metres
LANGUAGES: Proficiency in languages has overcome many barriers facing expatriates.
My advantage is clear in written and spoken French (Excellent), Gujarati (Fair), Swahili
(Fair), Italian (Basic).
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3. EMPLOYMENT
09/2009 – 03/2013 Kalumines sprl. – A JV between VALE (http://www.vale.com/vale_us/media/factsheeti.pdf )
quoted on BOVESPA and NYSE and African Rainbow Minerals
(http://www.arm.co.za/a/a_i.asp) Quoted on JSE. A Copper Exploration/ Production Company
in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Exploration Budget $35 million.
Finance and Administration Manager – 10 staff and 3 contractors. My role also encompassed
Deputy General Manager.
07/2008 – 12/2008 Avnel Gold Mining plc. (http://www.avnelgold.com/ )– A Junior Gold Miner quoted on the
TSX. Avnel’s principle mining operation is in Mali. London position. Turnover $30 million.
Chief Financial Officer
11/2007 – 05/ 2008Mutanda Mining sprl. – A Democratic Republic of Congo Cobalt and Copper Mine. A JV
between Glencore International (Swiss), Groupe Bazano (DRC), and Gecamine (DRC).
Expatriate position. Turnover - $300 million.
Finance Manager – 15 staff
02/2007 – 10/2007 Cluff Gold plc. – West African Operations in Burkina Faso, Mali, Sierra Leone, Ghana and
Côte d’Ivoire. Expatriate Position. Company quoted on AIM.
Regional Financial Controller – West Africa – 10 staff. The role included Deputy General
Manager.
06/2005 to
09/2006
and
11/2006 to
01/2007
First Quantum Minerals Ltd. Frontier Project T/O – US$400 Million (90k Tonnes Copper)
Surface mine being established in the Democratic Rep. of Congo. Expatriate Position.
Company quoted on LSE and TSX.
Finance Manager – 4 reports. The role included Deputising for the General Manager
8/2004 to 03/2005 Kahama Mining Corporation Ltd. T/O – US$150 million (400k oz gold) – Inventory $18
million. Underground Gold Mine and 1 million tonne processing plant in remote/harsh location
in Tanzania (expatriate position). Subsidiary of Barrick Corporation – NYSE.
Commercial Manager – 8 direct reports.
Responsible for IT (3 persons); Finance (13 persons); Procurement and Logistics (6 persons)
and Warehousing (30 persons).
7/2003 to 4/2004 Private Consultant
6/1993 to 5/2003 World Gold Council T/O – US$70 million – 22 countries – Expatriate position to Italy
Not-For-Profit, Marketing Arm of Principal Gold Mining Companies.
International Finance Manager/
Acting Treasurer/
Regional Finance Manager for EMEA and India
2/1991 to 5/1993 Private Consultant – Main Consulting with Amersham International Plc.
5/1989 to 1/1991 Scantronic Plc – T/O £28 million – 6 countries and 2 UK sites.
Manufacture and Distribution of Electronic Security Equipment.
European Finance Director
3/1987 to 5/1989 Catalin Ltd. – T/O £8 million. Subsidiary of Tarmac Plc.
Manufacturer of Resin and Coated Paper.
Finance Director
3/1985 to 2/1987 A B Dick Ltd. – T/O £6 Million – 5 branches. Subsidiary of GEC Plc.
Sales and Service of Reprographic Equipment.
Financial Controller
2/1981 to 3/1985 Gestetner Ltd. – T/O £50 million – 4 sites. Subsidiary of Gestetner Plc.
Manufacturer of Reprographic Equipment and Ancillary Supplies.
Management Accountant  Company Accountant
10/1979 to 1/1981 Deloitte Haskins and Sells
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