Jeewantha Weerakoon

Reporting to the Chairman and Board of Directors (BOD), overseeing the finance and HR departments of Best Care Animal Hospital and Best Care Pet's Shop are integral components of a comprehensive pet care network with 2 Vet Hospitals and 8 Pet shops in Sri Lanka.

• Analyzed actual financial results to budget, preparing variance reporting to functional groups.
• Monitored cash flow to ensure sufficient liquidity.
• Analyzed sales activity of branches to identify and correct any misconduct or stock discrepancies.
• Checked payroll, vendor payments, and other accounting disbursements for accuracy and compliance.
• Implemented a system of internal controls that improved compliance with IFRS regulations.
• Managed relationships with tax authorities, bankers and auditors.
• Prepared and analyzed financial statements and Provided strategic financial advice to board members for decision-making.
• Collaborated with external auditors to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
• Demonstrated strong problem-solving skills, resolving issues efficiently and effectively.

• Monitored cash flow to ensure sufficient liquidity.
• Prepared financial documents such as budgets, forecasts and reports.
• Calculated and prepared checks for utilities, taxes, and other payments.
• Maintained accounts payable and receivable records ensuring timely payments are made.
• Managed relationships with tax authorities, bankers and auditors.

Key Achievements:

Reporting to the Chairman and Board of Directors (BOD), overseeing the finance and HR departments across three companies, while serving as the Acting CEO of a company with over 75 staff members, which is a manufacturing and trading company with an annual turnover of LKR 1 billion and three island-wide branches.

• Strategic Leadership: Direct the company’s overall strategic direction, focusing on the annual strategic plan, monthly sales forecasts, cash flow projections, and variance analysis. Perform risk management by evaluating liabilities and investments to ensure financial stability.
• Financial Oversight: Ensure optimal cash flow management to sustain operations during the ongoing economic crisis, presenting monthly financial, sales, and management reports to the BOD for evaluation.
• Banking Relationships: Established and maintained relationships with the Bank of China, Standard Chartered Bank, and the Bank of Ceylon as core banking partners for import facilitation, even during economic challenges. Enhanced banking facilities with Commercial Bank and Nations Trust Bank to support business growth.
• ERP Implementation: Spearheaded the setup and oversight of the company’s ERP system, streamlining operations across all functions.
• Human Resources: Committed to HR management, including problem-solving, grievance handling, and fostering a positive work environment to achieve company milestones such as sales, collection, and profit targets.
• Stakeholder Management: Maintained strong relationships with international and local stakeholders, as well as inter-departmental teams, to ensure alignment with company goals.
• Successfully implemented an ERP system covering all organizational functions, enhancing operational efficiency.
• Actively defended a LKR 200 million commercial case before the Commercial High Court, safeguarding the company’s financial interests.
• Secured extended banking facilities and strengthened relationships with key financial institutions, enabling business continuity during economic challenges.

• Reporting to the Chairman and Board of Directors (BOD), led the finance department of a 150+ staff microfinance company with an annual loan disbursement of LKR 600 million+, operating across 16 branches in 6 regions island-wide. Appointed as Acting CEO in June 2020, overseeing strategic and operational functions.
• Strategic Leadership: Directed the company’s strategic direction, focusing on annual planning, monthly loan disbursements, fundraising, on-time installment collections, and minimizing past-due ratios and bad debt provisions. Spearheaded the recovery of past-due and written-off loans.
• Financial Oversight: Monitored and presented monthly financial, loan-related reports, and management accounts to the BOD for evaluation, ensuring transparency and informed decision-making.
• Banking Relationships: Maintained and upgraded relationships with key banking partners, including Sri Lanka Savings Bank, Bank of Ceylon, and Sanasa Development Bank, securing extended banking facilities to enhance business volume.
• Human Resources: Actively involved in HR management, including problem-solving, grievance handling, and fostering strong relationships between branch staff and head office to achieve company milestones such as loan disbursements, collections, and profit targets.
• Stakeholder Management: Built and maintained strong relationships with international and local stakeholders, as well as inter-departmental teams, ensuring alignment with company goals.

• Turned around company performance, transitioning from continuous losses since 2019 to profitability within 6 months of appointment as Acting CEO, despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Reduced bad debt provisions by 50%, significantly contributing to increased profitability.
• Achieved 0% bad debt provision and 100% on-time collection ratio for loans issued since June 2020, even during the pandemic.
• Developed and implemented an automation system for the first time in the company’s history, streamlining all organizational functions and improving operational efficiency.

• Reporting to the Managing Director, led the finance department of a 30+ staff trading company with an annual turnover of LKR 200 million+, operating across two strategic business units (SBUs):
  Air Condition Insulation Solutions (AEROFORM Insulations, KNAUF Insulations)
  Architectural Door Hardware and Automatic Sensor-Operated Entrance Solutions (DORMAKABA / DORMA, TOPP, FADINI).
• Strategic Financial Management: Directed the company’s financial and inventory management strategies, ensuring alignment with business objectives.
• Financial Reporting & Budgeting: Prepared monthly financial and management accounts for top management evaluation, conducted year-end audit procedures, and developed monthly budgets and collection plans. Created cash flow forecasts for supply chain operations and managed daily cash activities.
• Banking Relationships: Maintained strong collaborations with Seylan Bank, NDB, and People’s Bank for banking functions, including Letters of Credit (LCs), Revolving Import Loans (RILs), Short-Term Loans (STLs), and Long-Term Loans (LTLs). Secured extended banking facilities to enhance business volume.
• HR & Administrative Oversight: Monitored administrative and HR functions, including problem-solving and grievance handling, to ensure smooth company operations and financial stability. Prepared monthly staff salaries and related functions.
• Costing & Pricing: Prepared pre- and post-import costing reports for project pricing and general stock management, ensuring profitability and cost efficiency.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Maintained strong relationships between the sales and finance divisions to achieve sales, collections, and profit targets set by management.
• Supplier & Stakeholder Management: Built and maintained strong business relationships with international and local suppliers, as well as inter-departmental staff.

• Process Re-engineering: As the first accountant of the company, successfully re-engineered processes across the finance department, improving efficiency and accuracy.
• Enhanced Financial Operations: Streamlined financial reporting, budgeting, and cash flow management, contributing to the company’s financial stability and growth.

• Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), served as the second-in-command in the finance department of a 400+ workforce apparel manufacturing company with an annual turnover of USD 2.4 million. The company produced 50,000+ pieces of knit/woven garments annually, catering to B2B customers in the USA, Europe (UK & Denmark), Dubai, and Australia, specializing in corporate wear, children’s garments, men’s wear, and ladies’ wear.
• Financial Reporting & Analysis: Prepared monthly financial and management accounts for top management evaluation, ensuring accuracy and compliance. Reviewed monthly budgets and cash flow forecasts with the CFO to support strategic decision-making.
• Production Costing & Reporting: Prepared and reviewed production-related reports, including daily performance evaluations, style-wise pre- and post-costing analyses, and earnings reports to optimize profitability.
• Financial Controls: Reviewed and approved system journal entries, payments, petty cash transactions, GRNs (Goods Received Notes), issue notes, finished goods reconciliations, and month-end payroll procedures, ensuring robust financial controls.
• Team Leadership: Managed a team of 6, including 5 executives and 1 purchasing officer, while overseeing factory stores and ensuring efficient operations.
• Banking & Tax Compliance: Liaised with Bank of Ceylon (BOC) and People’s Bank up to Deputy General Manager (DGM) level for financial facilities and dealt with officials from the Inland Revenue Department for tax compliance.
• Supplier & Stakeholder Relations: Maintained strong business relationships with suppliers and fostered collaboration between production and non-production departments to achieve organizational goals.
• Operational Oversight: Monitored the general maintenance of the factory and authorized gate passes, ensuring smooth day-to-day operations.

• Business Process Re-engineering (BPR): Served as the Secretary of the BPR Committee, contributing to process improvements and operational efficiency.
• Costing Innovation: Introduced and successfully implemented a pre- and post-costing calculation procedure for the first time in the company’s history, enhancing cost control and profitability.
• Team Building: Conducted initial interviews for finance department vacancies, ensuring the recruitment of qualified personnel.
• Timely Reporting: Ensured on-time submission of monthly reports to the CFO, maintaining transparency and accountability.

• Reporting to the Project Finance Manager (PFM), supported the financial operations of a USD 600 million strategic mixed-development project, one of the largest in Sri Lanka, under a globally listed company on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
• Financial Reporting: Prepared monthly financial and management accounts for the PFM’s appraisal, ensuring accuracy and compliance with corporate standards.
• Payments Management: Handled all project-related payments, including progress payments for local and foreign contractors, and managed the petty cash float for the company.
• Cost Reporting: Prepared monthly project cost reports for submission to the Quantity Surveying Department at the Hong Kong head office, ensuring transparency and alignment with project budgets.
• IT & Systems Oversight: Monitored IT and information systems tasks, including maintaining the main server, managing data backup processes, and overseeing system user management to ensure operational efficiency.

• Cost Savings: Reduced printing costs from LKR 40 to LKR 5 per page by introducing a new advanced printer, resulting in monthly savings of LKR 500,000 to LKR 1,000,000 across three project site offices.
• Process Improvement: Introduced a Petty Cash Book System and a standardized Cheque Printing Format, eliminating handwritten cheques and improving financial controls.
• Team Engagement: Successfully organized two staff get-togethers at Long Beach, Koggala, and Heritance Ahungalla, fostering team cohesion and morale.

• Conducted internal and external audits for high-profile clients, including GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Singer Sri Lanka, and Delmege Group (Pvt) Ltd, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and identifying areas for operational improvement.
• Assisted in evaluating financial controls, risk management processes, and internal systems to provide actionable recommendations for enhancing efficiency and compliance.
• Prepared detailed audit reports and documentation, ensuring accuracy and alignment with international auditing standards.

• Recognition for Excellence: Nominated for the position of Senior Accountant (Trainee) by the Senior Manager of the division, reflecting strong performance and potential for leadership.
• Client Impact: Delivered high-quality audit services, contributing to improved financial controls and risk management practices for leading organizations.