1. Profile & Background
Experience Level: 12–18 years in finance, ideally with exposure to hospitality, trading, or distribution businesses.
Qualification: Chartered Accountant (CA) or MBA (Finance). A CA with strong commercial exposure works best for mid-sized companies like yours.
Age Band: Mid-40s (mature, but still hungry to prove themselves).
2. Core Competencies
Strategic Finance:
- Budgeting, forecasting, cost control.
- Designing financial dashboards for MD & CEO (not day-to-day, but decision-ready numbers).
- Designing financial dashboards for MD & CEO (not day-to-day, but decision-ready numbers).
- Budgeting, forecasting, cost control.
- Designing financial dashboards for MD & CEO (not day-to-day, but decision-ready numbers).
Compliance & Governance:
- GST, taxation, FEMA, foreign remittances, statutory filings.
- Strong internal control mindset.
- Strong internal control mindset.
- GST, taxation, FEMA, foreign remittances, statutory filings.
- Strong internal control mindset.
Commercial Acumen:
- Vendor negotiations, credit control, margin improvement.
- Ability to balance risk vs growth when expanding into new regions (like Thailand, IPO prep, etc.).
- Ability to balance risk vs growth when expanding into new regions (like Thailand, IPO prep, etc.).
- Vendor negotiations, credit control, margin improvement.
- Ability to balance risk vs growth when expanding into new regions (like Thailand, IPO prep, etc.).
Tech-Savvy:
- Comfort with automation tools (ClickUp, Tally, Zoho/ERP).
- Should push your finance team towards process + system orientation (your long-term vision).
- Should push your finance team towards process + system orientation (your long-term vision).
- Comfort with automation tools (ClickUp, Tally, Zoho/ERP).
- Should push your finance team towards process + system orientation (your long-term vision).
3. Leadership Style
- Hands-on initially, then delegative. They should train team to take independent ownership.
- Mentor & Builder, not just Controller. Should empower the team, but also hold them accountable with clear KPIs.
- Boardroom Ready. Able to speak confidently with investors, auditors, banks, and international suppliers.
4. Ideal Role Definition
Mandate (first 6–12 months):
- Streamline reporting: MIS, dashboards, cost centers.
- Strengthen controls: credit, receivables, compliance.
- Prepare AH International for fundraising / IPO readiness (medium-term).
- Free MD (you) from daily numbers — escalate only exceptions.
- Strengthen controls: credit, receivables, compliance.
- Prepare AH International for fundraising / IPO readiness (medium-term).
- Free MD (you) from daily numbers — escalate only exceptions.
- Streamline reporting: MIS, dashboards, cost centers.
- Strengthen controls: credit, receivables, compliance.
- Prepare AH International for fundraising / IPO readiness (medium-term).
- Free MD (you) from daily numbers — escalate only exceptions.
