1. Alan C. Argall MBA, FIPA
17 Barossa Place, Edensor Park NSW 2176
0403 247 478 argall55@bigpond.com //au.linkedin.com/pub/alan-argall/70/793/362
SUMMARY:
A professional and energetic Financial Controller with extensive knowledge and experience
in the fragrance and cosmetics industry in Australia and USA (primarily import and
distribution organisations). More recently I have had extensive experience with a Not-for-
Profit company in the disability sector. A hands-on leader who motivates, trains and guides
finance teams to provide a high level of service that exceeds expectations of all levels of the
organisation. During my career I have been instrumental in adding value to the organisations
I have worked with as a key member of senior leadership teams and strategic planning
teams providing financial analysis and advice.
CORE COMPETENCIES:
• Strong leadership skills which have produced committed teams able to focus on the task at
hand and the requirements of senior management. Achieved by establishing and
maintaining good team relationships and communication.
• Strong mentoring skills with experience in guiding younger inexperienced team members
both in business and in a personal capacity.
• Change management skills whereby I have successfully implemented change by achieving
team commitment and “buy in” on the way forward.
• Team player who works well with all staff and stakeholders, relating well to others
regardless of position. In particular have always maintained a very positive working
relationship with peer group managers.
• Adaptable to changing circumstances and flexible in rearranging work schedules as the job
dictates. Very much a ‘roll-up the sleeves’ person.
• Driver of budgeting and forecasting processes which provide a solid financial basis for the
organisation’s strategic plans.
• Demonstrated ability to review finance team’s work processes and systems, implementing
changes to ensure organisational objectives are achieved.
• IT Skills: Technology One, Attache, SAP, BPICS, Microsoft Excel (V-Lookup, Pivot Tables) and
Word.

2. CAREER SUMMARY:
Ability Options Ltd
A not for profit company with funding and revenues exceeding $37 million and more than 600
employees. Ability Options provides people with a disability and/or their families with
accommodation and living assistance, case management services, respite services, management of
individualised funding, NDIS, employment at its wholesale nursery and assistance in finding
employment. These services are covered by seven business units.
Financial Controller October 2010 to May 2015
Reporting Structure:
• Financial Controller and Commercial Manager report directly to Chief Financial
Officer/Company Secretary
• Direct reports to Financial Controller: Senior Accountant and Accountant individualised
funding, Assistant Accountant/Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable clerk and Balance
Sheet Reconciliations clerk.
Key Responsibilities:
• Review monthly Board Paper with commentary and accompanying dashboard.
• Review monthly financial summaries and business unit results, analyse variances to budget
and forecast, and review commentaries prepared by accounting team partners before
submission to Chief Executive Officer.
• Review annual budgets and quarter forecasts. Work with managers as needed to aid
completion of their operating and CAPEX budgets and forecasts.
• Partner with business managers to provide analysis and solutions to improve business
performance.
• Review financial viability of projects and tenders before lodgement.
• Review accounting processes with team members to improve operating and reporting
efficiencies. Liaise with consultants on appropriate modifications to the system.
• Review and recommend updates to policies and procedures to reflect the changing needs of
the organisation whilst maintaining effective internal controls.
• Ensure funds held are managed effectively to maximise interest earned within policy
guidelines. Includes ensuring foreign exchange forward hedging is in place for nursery
transactions.
• Supervise and mentor accounting team of 5.
• Manage year end audit and prepare Annual Reports.
• Maintain relationships with bankers.
• Review GST and FBT returns before lodgement.
Key Contributions:
• Improved monthly reporting to Senior Leadership Team and Board.
Reduced reporting from previous practice of two weeks to four days. Achieved by motivating

3. and guiding the team to achieve our agreed goal. Quality of reporting improved dramatically
providing Senior Leadership Team with tools to better manage and report on their business
units.
• Manage Final Accounts and Annual Reports
The audit report to the Board was reduced from several pages in the year 2009/10, to 3
minor points for the 2010/11 audit and clean reports in 3 subsequent years. Auditors are
provided with full reconciliations and schedules to agreed timelines to enable this. This
reduced the time spent on site by the audit team and time spent finalising annual reports.
• Implemented Technology One
Technology One (General Ledger, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable and Fixed Assets
modules) was implemented in five months (initial consultation to fully operational) replacing
Attache. Have now implemented Purchasing Module along with attendant time saving
processes such as barcode scanning which has simplified accounts payable invoice
processing halving the time spent processing each invoice.
• Established proper Budgeting process
Implemented an effective budgeting and quarterly forecasting process which requires full
ownership by senior leaders. Budgets and forecasts are now prepared by senior leaders and
their line managers. Accounting team members now liaise with the leader of their allocated
business unit to contribute where practical (as part of their growth as a team member). This
has reduced the time spent on the budget and forecast process by 15 hours each quarter
and has moved the focus to reviewing the end product.
• Managed self-managed clients’ funds
Managed transformation of management and reporting of clients funds received initially as
part of a funding pilot scheme. Provided clients with clear and concise monthly statements
of remaining funding which had the benefit of reducing the significant number of phone
queries from clients re unspent funds.
• Implementation of process for National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
Involvement in the NDIS trial in The Hunter necessitated the ability to invoice weekly for
services provided (to facilitate prompt payment for services provided) and to establish
appropriate accounting treatment to enable analysis of service profitability. By improving
the process and utilising technology available with existing partners we reduced the process
from 7 hours per week to 2 hours.
Incolabs Pty Limited / Soda Brands Limited
A cosmetics and skin care importing and wholesaling company (having transformed from local
manufacture during my tenure) with revenues exceeding $30 million and more than 50 employees.
By the very nature of this kind of business a very strong emphasis was placed on marketing, with
very close scrutiny and control of marketing expenditure.
Financial Controller/ Company Secretary November 1999 to October 2010
Reporting Structure:
• Financial Controller/Company Secretary reported directly to the Managing Director and the
Board.

4. • Direct reports to Financial Controller: Management Accountant, Paymistress, Accounts
Receivable clerk and Accounts Payable clerk.
• Key Responsibilities:
• Managing a team of 4 in finance and administration (had been as many as 9), overseeing all
accounting and other financial processing activities.
• Build and maintain relationships with bankers and key suppliers.
• Liaise closely with auditors (Statutory Accounts and Tax Returns) and legal advisors.
• Preparation of monthly and annual P&L, Balance Sheet & Cash Flow forecasts for local
management and overseas parent management, developing and improving reports as
necessary.
• Prepare commentary analysing monthly operating results and liaise with management team
colleagues to identify remedial action as required.
• Driving annual Capital and Operating Budget process, regular reforecasting thereof and 5
year financial plans.
• Review financial viability of sales journey cycle promotions, which were significant
profitability drivers for the business.
• Maintain SAP financial system.
• Ensure compliance with internal controls, company policies, procedures and instructions,
accounting standards and ASIC requirements. When necessary establish accounting
principles, practices and policies.
• Preparation of monthly BAS, and annual FBT & Income Tax returns.
• Oversight of debtors and payroll, and payment, reconciliation and management of creditors.
• Ensure monthly reconciliations were performed on all general ledger balance sheet accounts
and corrective action taken as necessary.
• Negotiation of insurance renewals and mobile and fixed line phone and photocopier
contracts.
• Management of cashflow within availability.
• Management of motor vehicle fleet.
• Management of $1.2million administration department budget & company secretarial
matters.
• Established and maintained asset registers for both book and taxation purposes, ensuring
authorisation compliance and protecting assets as appropriate.
Key Contributions:
• In later years worked closely with new owners, who were much more strategic and
entrepreneurial than previous owners, learning much along the way.
• Consolidation of financial operation through the implementation of SAP Finance database
(conversion from AS400 BPICS), thus enjoying cost savings exceeding $300,000.
• Implemented improved cash-flow forecasting practices which resulted in better financial
management.
• Cost savings of $50,000 through the negotiation of photocopier and mobile and fixed phone
agreements (new/renewals).
• Establishment of financial reporting to enable financing facilities and address ownership
requirements.

5. • Improved fleet management costs and management time and effort.
• Worked closely with Administrators through a Voluntary Administration and subsequent
Deed of Company arrangement which ultimately lead to acquisition of Incolabs by Soda
Brands.
Yardley of London (Australia) Pty Limited
A fragrance and cosmetics importing and wholesaling company with revenues exceeding $25 million
and more than 60 employees, with a very strong emphasis placed on marketing strategy. This
necessitated very close scrutiny and control of marketing expenditure.
Finance Director / Company Secretary January 1992 to October 1999
Key Contributions:
• Managed integration of sister company from Melbourne into the Sydney operation
achieving the expected synergies of using only the existing Sydney infrastructure. Savings in
administration costs alone exceeded $1 million.
• Responsible for managing transition of the operation from Auburn to North Ryde in 1995.
• Yardley Australia was a profitable operation. We were very effective at controlling debtors
so cashflow was always good with only pressure being requirement to remit funds to
England on a regular basis.
• English parent was wound up by banks in late 1998. I managed the closure of the Australian
operation in mid 1999 paying all employees their entitlements in full and paying all creditors
in full before remitting surplus funds to the UK administrators, which were far in excess of
the administrator’s expectations.
Yardley North America Inc.
Vice President Finance April 1989 to December 1991
Yardley of London (Australia) Pty Ltd
Chief Accountant March 1979 to April 1989
QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:
• Master of Business Administration, Australian Institute of Business
• Fellow of Institute of Public Accountants (FIPA)
• Certificate of Accounting, Liverpool TAFE
• Able Owl Excel Courses – Formulas and Functions & Import, manipulate and report
• Various management team development courses focussing on teamwork and understanding
what it was that we wanted the company to achieve and how we could best achieve that
goal.
• FBT and salary packaging courses
• Company Secretary’s Fundamentals run by Chartered Secretaries Australia
REFEREES:

6. Available on request

7. Available on request