1. TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN
This is a cover letter for an application for employment with the positions listed at the
end of this letter with any Organisation. This document summarises the education
and professional qualifications, previous employment and my capabilities for this
position that proves my ability.
After completion of my General Certificate of Examinations Ordinary Level and
Advanced Level at St. Joseph’s College in Colombo, Sri Lanka, I enrolled with the
Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka to pursue my Chartered Accountancy
Qualification. As practical experienced is necessary to get the Chartered
Accountancy license, I started working at Ernst & Young (known then as Ernst &
Whiney) in 1988. I completed and obtained my license in 1994 as an Associate
Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka. I am also a member
of the Kampuchea Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Auditors as an
Affiliate Member. Please refer to my detailed CV sections 7 and 10 for details of
the other qualifications.
After completion of my stint at Ernst & Young in Sri Lanka, I was seconded to Ernst
& Young in Hanoi, Vietnam to start the operations there in 1993. Thereafter sent to
Cambodia to start the operations of Ernst & Young in Phnom Penh in 1994. Ernst &
Young temporarily suspended their operations in Cambodia in June 2000 and the
practice was sold to PricewaterhouseCoopers Cambodia. Worked for
PricewaterhouseCoopers Cambodia as Resident Manager and subsequently
promoted to Resident Country Director. Worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers
Cambodia from July 2000 till June 2010 when my contract was not extended due to
localization of my position. Then worked for ACCA (Association of Chartered
Certified Accountants) Cambodia as Head of ACCA Cambodia for 3 years until the
contract was not extended due to localisation of the position. Then joined
FTMSGlobal Academy Cambodia from October 1994 until January 2016 when the
contract was not completed due to localisation of the position and cost
cutting/restructuring. Please refer to my detailed CV section 11 for details of all my
employment including the roles and responsibilities.
Please also refer to the CV for business association representations with CAMFEBA,
British Chamber in Cambodia, The International Business Chamber of Cambodia
and many others. Please also refer to the CV for the special titles I have been
conferred with as well as representations made on behalf of employers in Cambodia
as well as the country of Cambodia. All details are in my detailed CV section 2.

2. After the above general description of my credentials, let me now refer to some
specifics concerning my previous roles.
 At my previous roles at Ernst & Young, PricewaterhouseCoopers, ACCA and
FTMS Global Academy Cambodia, I was the head of the organisation and led
from the front. Some if the specific tasks included but not limited to developing
operational business plans across the whole Organisation to support the
strategic direction and ensuring consistency with their goals, values and
strategic objectives. The goals and values are developed at the Global level
and I was responsible for the strategic objectives for Cambodia to achieve
them, align the business plans across the whole Organisation in ensuring
efficiency and consistency in reporting and operations with growth and
profitability in mind, solely responsible for the financial and business
strategies for Cambodia, lead the delivery of the strategy, business plans and
operational plans and closely monitor progress, usually on a quarterly basis,
establish financial and other internal controls and ensure compliance, monitor
internal and external factors that may impact the achievement of the strategy
and goals and make recommendations to the Regional Management, develop
a comprehensive financial strategy across the whole Organisation and ensure
all financial management needs are met, develop a financial plan including
annual budgets, financial reporting and periodic reviews usually on a semi-
annual basis that also included financial forecasts, risk management, both
internal and external, lead and support all departments and be the coordinator
to achieve the Organisations strategy and development whilst making
suggestions and recommendations along the way and garner the complete
support of all department heads, ensure high standards of professionalism
and integrity that included establishing and monitoring a proper code of
conduct and 360 reviews (upward feedback), responsible for the monitoring
and implementation of the OSH (Occupational Health and Safety) strategy of
the Organisation, ensure group and HQ reporting requirements are met
before the deadline, ensure policies and procedures are complied with and
take remedial action, compliance with statutory regulations in Cambodia,
ensure contractual obligations and Capital requirements are met including
reinvestment of profits and ensure proper collaboration and team work across
the whole Organisation. Most of these tasks were common to all the
employers that I worked for and some are specific to Ernst & Young and
PricewaterhouseCoopers. My detailed CV will highlight the role and
responsibilities of all my 4 former employers. Some of the other key tasks
involved developing the practice and gaining new clients and students,
preparation of proposals to win new clients, preparation of proposals for
corporate companies to sponsor their staff to study the ACCA qualification,
maintaining close relationships to retain the existing clients and students,
preparation of budgets and business plans and closely monitoring them to be
on track and amend if circumstances require, report to the Regional
Management at HQ on a monthly basis, review the monthly financial reports
and amend if necessary, ensure compliance with the Cambodian Tax and
Labour Laws, develop, train and manage key members of the management
staff, set objectives and KPI’s for the management team and manage their

3. expectations and monitor and review performance every six months and then
at the end of the year to determine performance bonus, participation in key
events and public speaking for the benefit of my employers, representing the
firms on popular Cambodia TV channels as detailed below, liaise closely with
the key Government Ministries and Regulators such as the Ministry of
Economy and Finance, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Labour, General
Department of Taxation, Securities and Exchange Commission of Cambodia,
National Accounting Council to name a few as these are important and
relevant for the firms operations and ensure compliance with laws and
regulations and other aspects as required as per my role and responsibilities
and any other duties imposed on me from the regional management. I will
ensure that all this experience is utilised in the dissemination of my
duties with any Organisation that I will be involved with.
 I am an Honorary Life Member of Britcham Cambodia (Formerly known as
The British Business Association of Cambodia). I was in the founding Board of
the Association and was elected as Chairman in 1997 and held the
Chairmanship until 28 July 2010. During some of these years when there was
no UKTI Trade and Investment Representative in the Embassy in Phnom
Penh, all trade and investment related matters were forwarded to me by the
Embassy to take necessary action. I was acting as the “Defacto Commercial
Attaché” for the Embassy. Because of this role and the role of the Chairman
of the British Business Association of Cambodia, I was conferred with the title
of MBE – Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire on 23
February 2009 by H.M. Queen Elizabeth II for promoting UKTI between
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Kingdom of
Cambodia. Former Ambassador Stephen Bridges suggested me to the
Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), it was followed up by former
Ambassador David Reader and was conferred during the tenure of
Ambassador Andrew Mace. Since Cambodia is not part of the
Commonwealth, I was not able to get it from Her Majesty and the ceremony
was held at the Ambassador’s residence in Phnom Penh. H.E. Keat Chhon
represented the Cambodian Government. Please check the link
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/special-reports/british-business-cambodia-
overview where the current Executive Director of Britcham Cambodia
confirming my founding role. This special title was conferred on me for the
promotion of UK Trade and Investment in Cambodia. Therefore I have
considerable experience in marketing, promotion and representation,
which I can bring to any Organisation that I will be involved with, both
overseas and locally.

4.  I have the ability to work as a team player and also to develop the human
resources in my previous jobs especially at PricewaterhouseCoopers. I
possess strong leadership and empowerment skills and have demonstrated
my skills and transferred knowledge. That is the main reason, once I have
developed their skills that my contract was not extended due to localisation
and I have done my job and what was been required from me.
 During my 22 years of living and working in Cambodia and in my different
roles within the business associations, I have developed considerable
contacts within both the International and Cambodian business community. I
can use these contacts to garner support for any Organisation that I will
work with.
 As detailed in my CV, I have presented on many topics from Asean Economic
Community to the Accountancy Profession in Cambodia to doing business in
Cambodia to demonstrate public speaking ability that I can bring to the table
for the benefit of any Organisation that I will work with and promotion with
the ultimate objective of raising the profile. Some of these presentations were
at the invitation of other British Chambers in the region such as Vietnam and
Thailand. Please see two of such examples (Part 1 out of 3 parts for both
links) in the links https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZNyBv2baGw and
http://www.seatelevision.com/index.php/component/contushdvideoshare/play
er/16/94
 Other notable achievements are in my detailed CV, which I can use in my
role with any Organisation.
Based on my qualifications and experiences, I am able to contribute and work for
any organisation in the following positions.
 External Auditor (A position with the most experience);
 Internal Auditor (Can bring the external audit experience to this role);
 General Manager of a new start up in Cambodia;
 Chief Executing Officer;
 Chief Operating Officer;
 General Manager (This is what I have been doing in most of my previous
roles at Ernst & Young, PricewaterhouseCoopers, ACCA and FTMSGlobal
Academy Cambodia);
 Practice and market development;
 Risk and Compliance Management (As an external auditor, there is a lot of
focus placed on the risk management policies of the clients and compliance
with the tax, labour, commercial and other legislation);
 Sales and Marketing; and
 Head of Finance or Chief Financial Officer.

5. For additional information, do a Google search and type in Senaka Fernando in
Cambodia.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you need any further information or
clarifications.
Yours sincerely,
Name in full: Palanaratnage Senaka Dilhan Fernando MBE, ACA, CPA
Mobile: +855 78 894446 and +855 78 721804
Email: senaka.fernando@gmail.com
Skype: senakafernandombe