Leverage our extensive experience to identify new opportunities and solve complex problems.
We bring deep subject matter expertise in strategy and operations; governance and performance; finance and tax; business transformation and efficiency; and have actively contributed to the success stories of many businesses including start-ups, small to medium size and global fortune 500 enterprises.
We have worked with leadership teams across these businesses supporting development and execution of strategic plans; alignment of operations with strategy; effective governance and performance management; delivery of business transformation programs; sound financial leadership and business partnering and development of high performance teams and mentoring.
Our strong understanding of business environment and its underlying elements across various industries and segments have helped businesses gain actionable insights into effective management of key operational levers including pricing, cost control and reduction, inventory and receivables, customer and sales processes, supply chain, employee performance, and investment in technology and innovation.
We have provided greater visibility, control and confidence to businesses through deeper analysis into performance, identifying challenges, risks and opportunities, relevant trends and insights, enabling them to adapt their strategies and achieve strong revenue growth, profitability and long term customer value.
We have worked with a broad and diverse range of clients, bringing fresh perspectives, enhanced problem solving skills, delivering reliable and cost effective solutions to meet their unique needs.
Construction
Development
Building
Engineering
Subcontracting
Project Management
Education
Tertiary
Vocational
Coaching and Tutoring
Driving School
Childcare and Preschool
Industrial
Food and Beverage
Equipment
Electrical Goods
Packaging
Pharmaceuticals
Technology
Software and Hardware
Web Development
Programming
Network and Storage
Telecommunications
Distribution
Food and Beverage
Equipment Supplies
Electrical Goods
Groceries
Hardware
Healthcare
General Practice
Dental Practice
Disability Care
Specialists Practice
Physiotherapy
Retail
Supermarkets
Convenience Stores
Electronics
Sports Goods
Fuel and Tobacco
Services
Real Estate
Migration
Recruitment
Financial Services
Maintenance
Hospitality
Cafes and Restaurants
Motels
Catering
Travel and Tourism
Entertainment and Events
Transport
Road Freight
Courier and Postal
Passenger Transport
Logistics Support
Tour Operators
Our capabilities are built upon deep industry knowledge, well developed functional and subject matter expertise acquired through years of experience and practice, education, research, training, and continuous learning.
Development of Strategic Roadmap and Key Programs
Business Transformation, Automation and Offshoring Support
Financial Planning, Analysis and Business Partnering
Small and Large Turnkey Project Lifecyle Management
Setup Goals, Annual Key Performance Indicators and Targets
Financial Leadership and High Performance Team Mentoring
Consolidated Contribution Margin Subject Matter Expertise
Australian and International Financial Reporting Standards Implementation
Go to Market, Sales Channels and Customer Acquisition Plan
Business Reports, Dashboards, Financial Models and Analytical Tools
ERP and Financial Systems Implementation Support
Private Tax Ruling and Tax Representations
Business Acquisition and Due Diligence Support
Business Performance Measurement Subject Matter Expertise
Product Costing and Price Waterfall Structure Support
Transfer Pricing and Cross Border Taxation Support
Case Study 1
Governance and Performance
Fortune 500 Enterprise
Business Challenge
The Pacific leadership group of a fortune 500 global enterprise experienced significant challenges in managing the strategic growth and performance of their operating division delivering large turnkey projects and services due to lack of adequate visibility into management reporting and key drivers of performance.
The issue was compounded further as the operating division was structured and operated at a regional level. The head of the operating division had limited influence and control to drive the regional accountabilities and expected growth and performance.
Solution
A project was initiated involving various stakeholders to understand the specific requirements and resolve the issue. We worked along side their IT team to identify, understand, gather and analyse the data generated in the ERP system over a period of 30 days. Thereafter, we defined the purpose, design, scope and contents of the various reports to be developed including the frequency of its delivery.
The IT team created the underlying data architecture, set up the system to allow for interactive and customised reports meeting specific user needs, establishing clear rules for data management, quality, and security, user access controls, ensuring data was reliable and accurate. User acceptance testing was completed to confirm the reports functioned correctly meeting the business requirements. Users were provided full training on how to access, understand, and use the reports effectively. A support and maintenance plan was discussed to address any new reporting needs that would arise after the system went live. The project was successfully culminated in around 90 days with delivery of the following monthly reports.
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Orders and sales by region
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Project financials by region
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Full profit and loss by region
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KPI dashboard by region
The project financials report was later enhanced to comply with the revenue recognition requirements under the international financial reporting standards (IFRS). The above reports also provided greater visibility on the charge out rates used for technicians and tracking labour utilisation. We also successfully assisted the leadership group in managing the operating division's annual target setting and performance review process.
Case Study 2
Financial Systems
Start-up Higher Education Enterprise
Business Challenge
The leadership group of a start-up higher education enterprise engaged us to implement a cost effective and reliable financial and payroll system to support their operations, obtain visibility on critical information by cost and profit centre level and meet the required regulatory compliance.
The payroll requirements included ability to capture and record staff hours on various activities performed with each activity paid at a different rates, generate reports showing costs allocation by cost centre and activity level.
Solution
Generally an entry level ERP system would cater for such requirements, however we did some initial research on off the shelf standard solutions available in the market for start-ups that could support the client business needs and budgetary constraints, provide flexibility for configuration and future scalability.
Four different solutions were selected and tested to ensure they met all the above criteria. The solution that provided the best fit went through the final selection. The selected solution was acquired, configured, tested and deployed ensuring it met client requirements. No vendor support was used due to budgetary constraints.
Further enhancements were made from time to time to incorporate additional business needs and generate process efficiencies such as tracking of course development and course delivery costs by program, automation of accounts payables, payroll and superannuation payment processing and rolling out of employee self service portal where staff can access and maintain their personal information, view pay slips, submit timesheets, manage leave and expense reimbursement requests.
All financial and payroll processes were documented for future reference and staff training purposes. Around 30+ different management reports were configured to provide information on various aspects of business financial performance.
A blue print of business finance operating model was also prepared and presented to the leadership team and corporate governance board.
The business was also able to successfully complete its first annual financial reporting audit cycle in compliance with the Australian accounting standards and applicable regulations.
Case Study 3
Operations - Inventory Management
Small Enterprise
Business Challenge
Our client acquired a business supplying first aid medical kits. The operations involved purchasing of medical supplies which were then assembled into different sizes of kits and sold to customers which included businesses, schools, not-for profits and government. Effective supply chain, inventory management and customer order fulfilment were critical to business success.
Around 150+ items were carried in the inventory. Although the previous owners used a financial system however, inventory was tracked and managed manually outside the financial system due to the complexity involved. Our client were keen to manage all aspects of their business including inventory management through a single cost-effective solution.
Solution
The inventory management was not a standard process involving buying and selling of products. None of the products purchased were directly or individually sold by the business. The products sold and shipped out were the kits assembled in either standard or varying configurations.
Hence the client required a solution that enabled them to manage the inventory and assembly of kits similar to a manufacturing based bill of material (BOM) process where the required components were issued out from inventory through an internal requisition to enable assembly of the kits in with varying configurations. The assembled kits were then required to be receipted back into the inventory to enable them to be shipped out for fulfilment of the customer order.
Generally an entry level ERP system would cater for such requirements, however we did some initial research on off the shelf standard solutions available in the market that could support the client business needs and budgetary constraints, provide flexibility for configuration and future scalability. Two different solutions were selected and tested to ensure they met the given criteria. The solution that provided the best fit went through the final selection. The selected solution was acquired, configured, tested and successfully deployed ensuring it met the client requirements. No vendor support was availed at any stage due to client budgetary constraints.
The entire inventory management process was clearly documented for future reference and training purposes. Ongoing support was provided for fulfilment of unique customer orders, returned or damaged kits including customer requests for upgrade of kits with different configurations.
Case Study 4
Foreign Capital Gains Tax
Personal Tax
Business Challenge
Our Client an Australian resident had disposed a foreign residential investment property resulting in a long term capital gains event. Although our client had filed a tax return with the foreign tax authority declaring the capital gains made and paid the required taxes, they were not aware that their worldwide income was taxed in Australia, hence the foreign capital gains was not declared in their tax return filed in Australia. A few years later our client advised us about this event when they were in the process of bringing the sale proceeds of the foreign property in Australia and had to complete the CRS (Common Reporting Standards) compliance as required by their financial institution. We advised our client to amend their prior year tax return to include the capital gains, however under the Australian tax regulations the tax amendment was now outside the 2 years allowed time period hence it required lodgement of an objection.
Solution
An objection was lodged with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) providing all the facts and relevant details. The ATO after reviewing all the information, issued an amended tax assessment which resulted in payment of additional tax and shortfall interest. The tax assessment made by the ATO was much higher as compared to our assessment. The variance in tax payable between the two assessments was primarily related to how the amount of foreign income tax offset (FITO) was applied. Our client was also entitled to the 50% capital gains discount which added to the complexity of the matter besides the foreign currency conversions and underlying exchange rates, differences in the financial years between the two tax jurisdictions and the fact that both the purchase and sale settlement of the foreign property occurred in a staggered and fragmented manner cutting across multiple tax years. This was a common practice for purchase and sale of properties in the foreign land.
In our opinion the ATO had erred in applying the methodology for calculation of the FITO amount which resulted in a much higher tax liability than otherwise the client was required to pay. The ATO was advised about this anomaly and a request to amend their assessment was made. We shared our calculations and explained them about the cause of error. The ATO reviewed our response but refused to consider our request for amendment citing reasons that the FITO calculations were reviewed and validated by three of their senior officials and they stood to be correct.
The matter was eventually referred to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) and settled. The ATO accepted our methodology and the supporting calculations. We were also successful in obtaining remission of the short fall interest applied by the ATO which resulted in a significant tax savings for our client.