Petal Clarke is an experienced accounting professional seeking a new career challenge. She has over 20 years of experience working in accounting roles for various companies. Currently, she is an Accountant at Hettich NZ, where she manages the full accounting function and oversees accounts payable, accounts receivable, and staff. Previously, she held roles such as Assistant Accountant at John Mallinson Chartered Accountants and Contract Accountant at Walker Corporation. She has a proven track record of improving accounting systems and procedures.

1. Petal Clarke
Address: 232 Whitford Park Road, Whitford, Auckland 2476
Phone: 09 530 9410 • Mobile: 021 0274 9555 • Email: petalclarke@xtra.co.nz
Highly motivated accounts professional with the ability to respond to
challenges, develop businesses solutions and manage change
 Extensive experience in both CA firms and commercial operations
 Proven track record of improving accounting systems and procedures
 Works well under pressure and in high stress environments
PROFILE
An accounting professional with a broad range of experience working in large and small businesses,
and a proven track record of managing change, is now seeking a new challenge in her career.
Strengths:
 Outstanding interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships on all levels – staff,
senior management, external accountants, and clients
 Highly disciplined organisational skills, able to prioritise, schedule and manage multiple tasks
and responsibilities, work under pressure and meet deadlines
 Strong analytical / problem solving skills – proven ability to take total responsibility for
resolving complex enquiries and reconciliations
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
2001 - current ACCOUNTANT
Hettich NZ, Auckland
Jun 2000 – Sep 2000 ASSISTANT ACCOUNTANT – FIXED TERM CONTRACT
Hills Industries, Auckland
1993 - 2000 ASSISTANT ACCOUNTANT
John Mallinson Chartered Accountants, Auckland
1990 – 1992 CONTRACT ACCOUNTANT
Walker Corporation, Auckland
MATERNITY LEAVE
1987 – 1988 ASSISTANT ACCOUNTANT
Criterion Manufacturing, Auckland
Previous Assistant Accountant roles: Hart & Co Chartered Accountants; Eli and Company
(Elizabeth Arden); Fisher & Paykel; Hutchison, Hull & Co, and Hanning, Smith, Bray and Cormack
EDUCATION & TRAINING
Credits: Business Accounting, Commercial Law,
Analytical Methods, Financial Accounting
Manukau Institute of Technology 1987-2002
Accounting Technician Certificate Institute of Chartered
Accountants
1997
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2. KEY EXPERIENCE SUMMARY
ACCOUNTANT 2001 - current
Hettich NZ
Located in the New Zealand office of a German-owned company which manufactures and imports
high quality kitchen fittings. Joined the firm as assistant accountant and advanced to the role of
accountant with responsibility for managing, restructuring and streamlining the accounts
department.
Key Responsibilities:
 Managing the full accounting function for the company including P & L & balance sheet
monthly accounts, general ledger and miscellaneous reconciliations, year-end fully audited
financial accounts, monthly and annual cash flows, budgeting and forecasting
 Preparing obligatory returns such as GST, FBT and PAYE
 Producing quality reports for head office
 Maintaining the fixed assets register
 Overseeing the accounts payable and accounts receivable functions and managing staff
 Building good relationships with key accounts personnel in client companies which
contributes to improving cash flow
 Meeting with debtors to assist them in resolving accounting and business problems and
assisting them in becoming reliable paying customers
 Managing operational issues, pinpointing areas of concern across departments in the
organisation and providing solutions to enable better profitability
 Negotiating with key managers in the company in Australia and Germany
 Ensuring all stock is costed accurately to maintain effective profit margins
Key Achievements:
 Provided accurate records, working papers and financial accounts at year end to auditors;
completed the audit in record time with very low cost
 On staff redundancy, streamlined the accounting department by reviewing accounting
practices and processes etc., which meant that the department became the most efficient it
had ever been in the company’s history; returned accounts receivable to balance and
streamlined the accounts department in the face of a doubling of the number of customers
for the business
 On employment with the company, identified and dealt with major areas of concern within
the balance sheet including a major GST discrepancy
 Dealt with the accounting issues surrounding the transfer of the local SAP platform to the
head office SAP platform in Germany; resolved problems that arose as a result of different
corporate practices and regulations between Germany, Australia and New Zealand
 Visited head office in Germany to assimilate procedures and build rapport with key
personnel
ASSISTANT ACCOUNTANT (TEMPORARY) June - Sep 2000
Hills Industries
The company is a diversified manufacturing and importing business.
Key Responsibilities:
 Assisted with year-end and month-end reporting
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3.  Handled all assistant accountant duties; took over the accountant's role in his absence and
completed the payroll when the payroll clerk was on leave
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4. KEY EXPERIENCE SUMMARY (CONTINUED)
ASSISTANT ACCOUNTANT 1993 - 2000
John Mallinson Chartered Accountants
Key Responsibilities:
 Prepared financial statements, tax returns, GST returns and other statutory returns
CONTRACT ACCOUNTANT 1990 - 1992
Walker Corporation
The company is a producer of electronics, business machines and computers.
Key Responsibilities:
 Assisted the financial controller with accounting reconciliations, preparing full monthly
accounts and undertaking project work
EXTRACT FROM TESTIMONIAL
"Petal has a strong practicable background in Chartered Accountancy and has been instrumental in
ensuring our set of accounts and accounting standards are maintained and in many cases exceed
corporate and ICANZ requirements. Our recent audit through KPMG confirmed the tremendous
strides made in both presentation of accounts and the accuracy of the information"
Mike Cross, Operations Manager, Hettich International
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Computer Skills: Word, Excel, SAP, MYOB, various other in-house accounting systems, internet
and email
Languages: English and intermediate German
Interests: Gym, walking, knitting, jigsaws and reading
Referees: Available on request
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