Karel Karsten
Amsterdam,NH
Summary
Senior finance professional (RC). Critical business partner with commercial and entrepreneurial mindset. Broad experience in automotive, wholesale and retail. No nonsense with good sense of humor. Forward-thinking CFO and Controller with both public and private accounting and financial reporting experience. Offering proven track record of exceptional accuracy in reporting and auditing. Strong leader with calm presence and builds relationships across all organizational levels. Skilled in managing shareholder and board member relationships with excellent mediation and negotiation skills.
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
Work History
CFO
Mazda Nederland & Mazda France (as of Sept. '21)
08.2019 - Current
- Member of the board, management of finance department
- Responsible for finance: forecasting, business control, fiscal matters, risk management, compliance, contract management, internal control
- Liaise with accountants, fiscal advisors, law firms, tax authorities
- Sparring partner MD and European HQ in Leverkusen.
Manager finance
KNLTB (Dutch Tennis Assocciation)
05.2016 - 07.2019
- Overall financial responsible for second largest sports association in the Netherlands
- Manage the finance department (including F&A, controlling, cash management)
- Legal and fiscal matters, subsidies, insurances, fleetmanagement
- Sparring partner managing director, management and advisory board
- Professionalisation procurement as well as project management office
- Liaise with accountants, law firms, tax authorities, banks, insurance companies.
Business controller
Pon Automotive
02.2008 - 12.2015
- Overall financial responsible for Škoda, CRM and Events (turnover ±300 mio, 100 FTE)
- Pon Automotive is the most important (turnover ±2 billion) business group of Pon Holding
- Challenge and support management team in periodic forecasts, commercial actions and building the Škoda brand in a highly competitive automotive market
- Responsible for entire planning & control cycle of the above mentioned business units (business planning, budgeting, forecasting, month end and year end closing)
- Development, analysis and presentation of periodic management information to management of BU Škoda (MD + MT) and Pon Automotive (SVP and group controller)
- Development goals performance management of MD and MT members
- Controller of various projects (remake skoda.nl, cost savings, strategy, SLA-management, scenario budgeting, net working capital)
- Financial and operational risk management including compliance.
Consultant
Accenture
02.2007 - 01.2008
- Project Global Chart of Accounts ABN-AMRO
Finance manager
Hessing (importer of Bentley, Maserati etc.)
02.2002 - 01.2007
- Import/retail/service of various luxury car brands, family owned, 40 FTE, turnover 25 million
- Member and advisor management team/ sparring partner CEO/shareholder
- Liaise with accountants, tax authorities, banks, insurance companies
- Management of employees accounting department and reception (4 FTE) as well as external administration for subsidiary in Brussels
- Responsible for AR management, HR, ICT, insurance and tax (including VAT and VPB)
- Sales support during events such as AutoRAI, Miljonair Fair, introduction new models.
Education
Executive Governance program -
Wagner Group
01.2018
Executive Master in Finance and Control (RC) -
Nyenrode Business University
06-2013
Master in Business Economics -
University of Amsterdam
06-2003
Bachelor in Business Economics -
Hogeschool of Groningen
06-1998
Skills
- MS Office, SAP, Hyperion, Cognos
- KPI Tracking
- Cost-reduction strategies
- Corporate Governance Understanding
- Risk Management Proficiency
- Regulatory Compliance Knowledge
- Budget Development
- Financial Reporting
- Strategic Planning
- Risk Management
- Organizational Development
- Stakeholder Management
- Staff Management
- Financial Leadership
- Process Improvement
- Negotiation
Personal Information
Date of Birth: 05/21/75
Hobbies and Interests
- Tennis
- Cycling
- Golf
- Cooking
Training
- Business case management (Logica)
- Project management (Twynstra Gudde)
- Influencing effectively (Boertiengroep)
- Change management (Business Impact Training)
Languages
native speaker, excellent, good
Affiliations
- Golf, Tennis, Cycling
Languages
Dutch
First Language
English
Proficient (C2)
C2
German
Proficient (C2)
C2
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
CFO
Mazda Nederland & Mazda France (as of Sept. '21)
08.2019 - Current
Manager finance
KNLTB (Dutch Tennis Assocciation)
05.2016 - 07.2019
Business controller
Pon Automotive
02.2008 - 12.2015
Consultant
Accenture
02.2007 - 01.2008
Finance manager
Hessing (importer of Bentley, Maserati etc.)
02.2002 - 01.2007
Executive Governance program -
Wagner Group
Executive Master in Finance and Control (RC) -
Nyenrode Business University
Master in Business Economics -
University of Amsterdam
Bachelor in Business Economics -
Hogeschool of Groningen
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