Caglayan Ates

About

Professional profile

I continue to serve as CFO with 25 years of experience across accounting, finance, budgeting and reporting. I produce long-term business plans and lead financial and strategic activities. For 20 years I have held managerial roles — Finance Director, Group Finance & Accounting Manager, Budget Manager and more — managing business processes inside corporate organizations, and providing consultancy and training for NGOs, associations and private companies.

Career

Professional experience

Leadership roles across automotive, cosmetics, chemical, oil & energy, and leather industries — from budget ownership to multi-company CFO mandates.

1. Uyguner Leather Group Companies & Gelner Gida A.S

   CFO · Leather & Gelatine · Finance & Accounting

   Jan 2022 — Present4 yrs 7 mosIstanbul, Türkiye · Full-time · On-site

   Founded in 1935, Uyguner Leather Industry and Trade Co. operated in Kazlıçeşme, İstanbul until the end of 1992. In 1993 it moved to the Tuzla Organized Leather Industry Zone and produces finished bovine leathers for shoes, garments, leather goods and furniture.

   Responsible for all financial and accounting operational and strategic issues; provide strategic recommendations to the Board based on financial analysis. Lead management, accounting and finance operations across 4 accounting departments and 10 companies in total. Report directly to the Board of Directors.

   Position & duties

   • Manage all accounting, financial and treasury operations; lead 4 Accounting Managers.
   • Act as head of finance organization for 10 companies.
   • Shape company strategy at Board meetings and ensure actions follow.
   • Define roadmaps for operational and profitability targets.
   • Consolidate P&L reports and month-end closing; create accounting procedures.
   • Run the full banking and financial structure with efficiency.
   • Manage relations with 12 banks, credit processes and a ~$100K treasury cadence.
   • Monitor financial performance, initiate corrective actions and minimize variance impact.
   • Work closely with the CEO and other C-suite executives.

   Highlights

   • Researched and secured a $50M line of credit.
   • Used resulting free cash flows to generate an additional ~$2M per year in revenue.

2. Faurecia

   Finance Manager · Automotive

   Sep 2020 — Dec 20211 yr 4 mosGölçük, Kocaeli, Türkiye · Full-time

   Faurecia is a French global automotive supplier headquartered in Nanterre. In 2018 it was among the largest international automotive parts manufacturers worldwide and a leader in vehicle interiors and emission control technology.

   Owned plant-level finance and reporting. Delivered strategic recommendations to plant management on financial analysis, valuation and projections, cost identification and allocation, and revenue/expense analysis.

   Position & duties

   • Budget & monthly reporting; deviation identification and corrective measures.
   • Evaluate fiscal and legal fulfilment across company assets.
   • Guide booking processes and monitor accounting performed by General Business Services; control treasury, payments and receivables.
   • Design administrative procedures for internal and external transactions.
   • Support purchases and contractual negotiations for best total cost outcomes.
   • Report business indicators and activity ratios.
   • Contribute to ISO, TS & IATF targets and promote operational discipline.

3. Petroyag Lubricants

   Finance & Treasury Manager · Chemistry / Oil & Energy

   Jan 2015 — Apr 20205 yrs 4 mosKocaeli, Türkiye · Full-time

   Petroyag is a major lubricant provider offering sales, consultancy and post-sales services with imported and locally supplied products. It reached 40,000 tons in 2013 with the ambition to serve a significant share of Turkey’s industrial oil consumption.

   Partnered with senior management on operational and strategic finance topics. Delivered Board-level recommendations on analysis, valuation, projections, cost allocation and revenue/expense performance.

   Position & duties

   • Participate in strategic planning as part of the senior management team.
   • Align financial management with short- and long-term planning, projections and market changes.
   • Ensure finance staff maintain GAAP-aligned financial records and monitor use of funds.
   • Manage ~$100M bank limits, debts, FX forwards, LCs, letters of guarantee and other instruments; follow AR collections of ~$20M.
   • Lead cash-flow forecasting, project-based and departmental accounting; coordinate audits; establish IFRS reporting and long-term reporting standards.
   • Review finance and IT procedures and continuously improve systems.
   • Develop and manage finance staff; run month-end closing and KPI reporting.

4. NOTE Cosmetics

   CFO · Cosmetics

   Jul 2014 — Jul 20151 yr 1 moIstanbul, Türkiye · Full-time

   NOTE Cosmetics was established in Turkey as one of the ACT Group companies in Germany. Total turnover of ACT Group companies reached $185M in 2013.

   Owned operational and strategic finance. Advised the Board with analysis, projections, cost allocation and revenue/expense review.

   Position & duties

   • Take part in ongoing strategic planning as a senior management member; oversee long-term budgets and cost management.
   • Align financial management with short- and long-term planning.
   • Engage the board finance committee on operating model trends and delivery issues.
   • Oversee budget implementation and present operational metrics internally and externally.
   • Ensure GAAP-aligned financial records and fund monitoring.
   • Prepare and communicate monthly and annual financial statements to the Board.
   • Manage cash flow forecasting, project and departmental accounting, and audits.
   • Review finance, HR and IT procedures; develop managers across finance, HR and IT.
   • Guide the senior team and support attraction/development of key national talent.

5. FLORMAR

   Budget & Reporting Manager · Cosmetics

   Jan 2011 — Jan 20132 yrs 1 moIstanbul, Türkiye · Full-time

   Flormar is a leading cosmetics brand in Turkey, recognized as a favorite lacquer brand of Turkish women and later expanding into professional cosmetics.

   Under the Executive Board, organized budget rules and the budget team, and personally performed professional budgeting in line with public-finance principles, budgeting practice and control.

   Position & duties

   • All budget activities and follow-up reports for Germany, Spain and Türkiye.
   • Unit-cost analysis and reporting; working-capital control.
   • Organize the budget team; examine estimates for completeness, accuracy and policy fit.
   • Prepare IFRS reports for the Board of Directors.
   • Analyze monthly department budgets and accounting reports to maintain expenditure control.
   • Deliver additional management-support and critical-issue reporting.

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