Juan Liu, Finance Expert in Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Juan Liu

Verified Expert  in Finance

Management Consulting Expert

Location
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Toptal Member Since
June 16, 2022

Juan is a trusted financial advisor and a hands-on people coach focused on achieving financial excellence and business growth. For over 15 years, she’s supported the business revival of the million-dollar EBIT improvement and business upscaling. Juan's ability to effectively lead economic transformation results from her lean six sigma background. Her freelancing empowers Juan to help a diversity of businesses to grow effectively and sustainably.

Career Highlights

Business Controller
ASSA ABLOY Entrance Systems

Certification Highlights

Leading with Finance
Harvard Business School/HBX
Lean Coach
Lean Management Instituut
Six Sigma
Hexion

Case Studies

Work Experience

Fractional CFO

2020 - PRESENT
Taze Consulting
  • Spearheaded CFO-as-a-Service, optimizing company's capital structure, strengthening strategic planning capability, and ensuring financial compliance with robust control measures in place.
  • Conducted assessment, planning, and strategic execution for diverse initiatives, including ERP implementation, tax accounting, and IFRS compliance.
  • Acted as a change management coach, optimizing team dynamics, high-potential coaching, or coaching teams through organizational changes for a sustainable workplace.
Focus areas: Accounting, Taxation, Reporting, IFRS Consolidation, US GAAP, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Reporting

Vice President, Global Finance

2021 - 2022
Arch and Hook
  • Directed the global finance department and led the scaling-up process of the business and its global presence to the next phase.
  • Scaled up the global financial structure, including business finance, accounting, consolidation, cash forecast, and finance policies by collaborating with sales, operations, and legal departments in the new business development.
  • Initiated, set up, and monitored financial processes, to increase sales and operational performance.
  • Expanded the finance team successfully to support the increasing demand of the growing business and coached individual team members to achieve the next level in their careers.
  • Supported shareholders of the company by providing solicited and unsolicited advice and insights.
Focus areas: Cash Flow Management, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Sales, FPA, Upscaling, Mentorship & Coaching, Customer Success, Sales Strategy, Business Transformation, Digital Marketing Strategy, B2B

Finance Manager

2018 - 2020
SC Johnson
  • Led the strategic financial planning and project controls for a company of 300 people. Owned the local FP&A function and supervised the performance and output of the finance team. Acted as a CFO of the local branch and management team members.
  • Improved the accuracy of budgets and forecasts from above 10% deviation to below 1% deviation. Supervised plant financial performance with critical insights into risks and opportunities.
  • Managed the finance department across the implementation of lean manufacturing principles in financial loss deployment, site prioritization as well as cost-saving projects review.
  • Ensured best-in-class internal controls, with continuous improvement in compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley on the site.
Focus areas: Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Management, Change Management, Business to Business (B2B)

Business Controller

2015 - 2018
ASSA ABLOY Entrance Systems
  • Facilitated continuous improvement in operational excellence, risk management, and financial compliances. Provided finance advisory to operational management with full P&L responsibility. CFO to the local branch and management of team members.
  • Led the multi-functional team successfully to ensure the business compliance of Microsoft Dynamics AX implementation before the launching.
  • Improved the top line by leaning the sales pricing model with higher predictability and timely updates.
  • Managed the stakeholdership in a highly complex matrix organization with an average tenure of 10-20 years.
  • Implemented a series of cost control programs to reduce waste. As a result, EBIT improved from €3 million to over €2 million in three years.
Focus areas: Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Financial Management, Project Management, Change Management, Shared Service Centers, Compliance, Audits, IT Audits, Business Strategy, Strategy, Transformational Leadership, B2B Partnerships, Operating Models, System Integration, Microsoft Dynamics Great Plains (GP) ERP, Microsoft Dynamics, Microsoft Dynamics NAV

Regional Manufacturing Accountant and Cost Controller

2009 - 2014
Hexion
  • Improved forecasting accuracy to 1% deviation and led budgeting process for both cost and CAPEX projects which achieved cost savings by 10%.
  • Led two Six Sigma projects with 500,000 USD savings for each project realized and certified as a Six Sigma Green Belt.
  • Directed as a lean finance coach to Hexion Inc., improved the KPI structure and financial reporting while providing financial education to the operational leaders.
  • Trained local plant controllers during the roll-out of SAP systems to standardize finance budgeting and reporting successfully.
  • Performed an internal audit as a guest auditor to several business locations effectively.
Focus areas: Control & Cost Analysis, Lean Six Sigma, Coaching, EMEA, Renewables, Business Processes, Program Management, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)

Management Reporting Analyst

2008 - 2009
DSM Food Specialities
  • Owned a portion of the management reporting process including analysis, reconciliations, and consolidations for business groups and business units.
  • Delivered timely various management analyses with insights into periodic P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow.
  • Improved the cost control for the sales organization through re-engineered reporting.
Focus areas: Management Reporting, Sales Analysis

Assistant Project Controller (Graduation Project)

2007 - 2008
Heerema Marine Contractors
  • Facilitated the project control department to consolidate monthly finance reports from all project controllers.
  • Delivered a risk assessment of the Angola Investment project, for which the graduation project was rated at 8.0 out of 10.0.
  • Supported various process improvement projects in contract tendering and tax departments by updating their process manuals.
Focus areas: Project Accounting, Project Controls, Risk Management

Marketing Assistant

2005 - 2006
Synventive Molding Solutions
  • Consolidated and built monthly sales reporting for regional sales management.
  • Conducted independent marketing research on automotive and plastic in developing markets.
  • Designed and built the lost order report to better understand market development and competitor trends.
Focus areas: Sales Analysis, Marketing Research & Analysis, Market Research, Customer Experience, Market Research & Analysis
2008 - 2010

MSc of Financial Management in Financial Management

TIAS School for Business and Society - Utrecht, The Netherlands

2004 - 2008

Bachelor of Economics in Business Economics

InHolland University of Applied Science - Rotterdam, The Netherlands

NOVEMBER 2023 - PRESENT

CSCA (Certified in Strategy and Competitive Analysis)

Institute of Management Accountants (IMA)

NOVEMBER 2023 - PRESENT

ESG Investing

CFA Society Netherlands

JUNE 2023 - PRESENT

Certified Management Accountant (CMA)

Institute of Management Accountants (IMA)

MARCH 2018 - PRESENT

Leading with Finance

Harvard Business School/HBX

NOVEMBER 2017 - PRESENT

Lean Coach

Lean Management Instituut

JUNE 2017 - PRESENT

Lean Management Green Belt

Lean Management Institute

MARCH 2012 - PRESENT

Six Sigma

Hexion

Collaboration That Works

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