1. PERSONAL PROFILE
A Chartered Accountant and Assurance, Risk and Compliance professional with over 12 years’ experience, I have
worked for multinational consultingfirms and boutiqueaccountancy practices acrossa rangeof industries,including
financial services, in Australia, Europe and Asia.
I have proven leadership and team buildingskills. I have developed excellent stakeholder relations to ensure high
quality information is received in a timely manner to satisfy management expectations. I demonstrate attention to
detail to ensure the integrity of information reported in terms of accuracy, completeness and verifiability. I strive
for continuous improvement in everything I do to optimize effectiveness.
WORK HISTORY
1- Risk Analyst (Reporting) Telstra Australia Dec 2015 – current
2- Assistant Accountant Platinum Accounting Australia Feb 2015 – Nov 2015
3- Risk & Compliance Consultant Matchbyte Consultants Australia Jul 2014 – Dec 2014
4- Risk, Compliance/Auditor Deloitte Touché Tohmatsu Ltd Jun 2013 – Mar 2014
5- Accounts & Audit Assistant EMR and Company Limited UK Sep 2010 – Jan 2013
6- Lecturer, ACCA and MBA LCAM UK Aug 2009 – Jan 2013
7- Internal Control Officer MCB Bank, Pakistan Oct 2006 – May 2008
8- Asst. Manager, PL Credit Standard Chartered Bank, Pakistan Apr 2004 – Jun 2006
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Risk Analyst (Risk Reporting)
Telstra, Australia
Dec 2015 – current
RESPONSIBILITIES
• Preparation and distribution of monthly Risk Report for Telstra Retail Leadership Team in accordancewith
ISO 31000 to facilitate management decision making
• Key control self-assessments, assurance & control testing
ACHIEVEMENTS
• Established and maintained positive working relationships with in excess of 20 key stakeholders across
Telstra Retail responsible for providing input to the monthly risk report
• Ensured receipt of key risk and compliance metrics on a timely basis for input to the monthly risk report
(including training statistics, KRI and KCI performance, incident data, complaints metrics, audit action
status)
• Worked with key stakeholders to provide insights regarding trends and impact on performance
• Ensured timely receipt of information about hot topics highlighted including “what, so what, what now”
• Achieved very tight deadlines to manage stakeholder’s expectations
• Ensured continuous improvement of report to optimize design and effectiveness of messaging
• Assessed and reported on the maturity of Telstra Retail’s risk management activities
• Developed extensive skills in PowerPoint to produce the monthly report
Asma Safdar
ACA, CPA Associate,RG146
Assurance,Risk & ComplianceProfessional
Tel: 0424 327 786 / 03 931 75732
asma.safdar@icloud.com
LinkedIn:Asma Safdar
15/2 Horizon Drive Maribyrnong
VIC3032
2. Assistant Accountant
Platinum Accounting Pty Ltd, Australia
FEB 2015 – Nov 2015
RESPONSIBILITIES
• Bookkeeping for client base of small businesses, sole traders and partnerships
ACHIEVEMENTS
• Prepared month end journals,P&Land BalanceSheetand analysisand insights usingMYOB,Xero,and Saasu
• Prepared cost centre reporting, accrual to budget (Medium Size Co. Practice), processed end to end
accounts payable & accounts receivable function & GL reconciliation, performed credit card, bank
transactions & GL processing
• Updated Fixed Asset Register & posted depreciation journal monthly
• Prepared tax returns (individual, company and Business Activity Statements)
• Processed a complete payroll (PAYG withholding) function
• Implemented improved credit card authorization processes to segregate personal expense
Risk & Compliance Consultant
Matchbyte Consultants Pty Ltd, Australia
July 2014 – Dec 2014
RESPONSIBILITIES
Review of Human Resource processes to provideassuranceregardingadherenceto established standards
ACHIEVEMENTS
• Successfully performed a comprehensive review of Human Resource processes (end to end) includingthe
following:
o Risk assessment to identify key risks with the Human Resource process
o Identification of key controls to ensure adequate mitigation of key risks and compliance with
relevant laws and policies
o Engagement and consultation with internal and external stakeholders such as ASIC to confirm
compliance obligations
o Written recommendations for improvement to strengthen the control environment
o Establishment of a risk register to record and track progress of management actions to improve
controls
o Finalization of report to management and consultation with management to outlinefuture action
required to strengthen the internal control environment
Risk, Compliance & Ethics Coordinator / Auditor
Deloitte Touché Tohmatsu Ltd.
Jun 2013 – Mar 2014
RESPONSIBILITIES
Risk, Compliance & Ethics Coordinator
• Deliver training to staff throughout the country to ensure adherence to Deloitte Global standards
• Conduct quarterly Practice Reviews to assess adherence to Deloitte Global standards
ACHIEVEMENTS
• Delivered training on a quarterly basis to 40 to 100 Deloitte staff in the four offices throughout Pakistan
(ethics, social engineering, anti-corruption guidelines, privacy, risk and compliance awareness, security
awareness)
3. • Designed and rolled outcomprehensive social engineering,anti-corruption and security awareness training
programs in accordance with Deloitte Global standards
• Conducted quarterly PracticeReviews on Ethics and Complianceto provideassuranceregardingadherence
to Deloitte Global standards,includingreportingto global HQ (i.e. progress of training,surveys and ethical
and compliance issues)
• Made recommendations to respective business units and followed up to ensure satisfactory
implementation (i.e. completion of training and courses)
• Conducted training needs analysis for all Deloitte staff including new hires and those requiring
refresher training
• Implemented strategies to minimize risk and ensure compliance with relevant laws and policies (i.e.
implemented a formalized Human Resource process (based on Deloitte US model) resulting in 40%
reduction in recruitment costs)
• Initiated a Social Club within Deloitte Touché Tohmatsu Ltd
• Managed relationship with ICAP (Institute of Chartered Accountants Pakistan) regarding compliance and
risk matters
• Investigated internal and external ethics/compliance related issues and reported to management and
regulatory bodies
Auditor
• Business development such as researching,creating proposalsand presentingto prospectiveclients
• Conducting assurance engagements (end to end from scoping to report finalization)
• Supervising staff including mentoring, performance management, working paper review and feedback
ACHIEVEMENTS
• Created proposals and delivered presentations to prospective clients
• Conducted assurance engagements for high profile clients across a range of industries (SNGPL, OVEX,
Hyundai construction co.) includingseveral clients in financial services (e.g.Bank of Punjab,TrustModaraba
Islamic Banking)
• Identified key risks and agreed engagement scope with clients
• Supervised junior auditors including resource planning and performance management
• Planned and managed engagement timelines to ensure deadlines were met
• Reviewed financial statements to ensure compliance with IFRS
• Reviewed assurance working papers to ensure documentation is in accordance with International
Standards on Auditing
• Prepared management memorandums highlighting issues observed during engagements
Accounts & AuditAssistant
EMR and Company Limited (Chartered Accountants and Business Advisors), United Kingdom
Sep 2010 – Jan 2013
RESPONSIBILITIES
• Bookkeeping for client base of SMEs, sole traders and partnerships
• Providing support to client facing staff and managing client base
ACHIEVEMENTS
• Managed and prepared client: financial statements; payroll; accounts receivable/accounts payable; bank
reconciliations; accounts in the IRIS reporting system; VAT returns; and cashbook maintenance
• Developed periodic reports including: supplier statements; month-end reports; processing claims and
shortages; analyses and insights on request such as sales variance analysis
• Trained client facing staff on specific technical issues such as purchase ledger
4. Lecturer, ACCA& MBA
London College of Accounts and Management, United Kingdom
Aug 2009 – Jan 2013 (Part time – 3 days per week)
RESPONSIBILITIES
Delivering lectures related to Management, Accountancy, Human Resources, and Audit to post graduate
students enrolled in ACCA and MBA subjects
Implementing new course content received from delegated bodies such as ACCA and BTEC
Developing coursework, providingfeedback to students, contributingto development of courseguidelines
ACHIEVEMENTS
Delivered lectures to classes of 25-30 students, providing ongoing support and feedback to students, with
commendable success rates
Successfully achieved and maintained accreditation with bodies such as ACCA and BTEC
Internal Control / Compliance Officer
MCB Bank, Pakistan
Oct 2006 – May 2008
RESPONSIBILITIES
Supervising a team of 3 junior Compliance Officers to execute assurance engagements across Wealth
management, Credit, Corporate sector, Commercial and Consumer banking divisions
ACHIEVEMENTS
• Awarded Best Internal Control Officer of the Year 2007
• Managed the team in due diligence assignments;complianceprogramimplementation and monitoring;risk
identification and monitoring;reviewingoperatingand reporting procedures for compliancein accordance
with IFRS; ad hoc reviews requested by management; analysing and interpreting performance against
defined IASs and regulatory bodies standards
• Identified Fee Income Fraud of 300m in Mortgage Department during internal control review
• Developed a sound understanding of the COSO framework – ITAM
Assistant Manager, Personal Loans
Standard Chartered Bank, Pakistan
Apr 2004 – Jun 2006
RESPONSIBILITIES
Supervisinga teamof 20 people to manage a portfolio of 300mcustomers of FirstDelinquent(FDI) accounts
Reporting on portfolio performance (monthly)
ACHIEVEMENTS
Awarded prize for bringing delinquency ratio to zero on FDI accounts
Reviewed Personal Loan Credit and Collection process manual, identifying control weaknesses and
implementing a revised collection process
EDUCATION
RG 146, Australia, 2015
CPA Associate, CPA Australia, 2014
ACA (Associate Chartered Accountant) Qualified / ACCA Member, UK, 2011
Bachelor of Science in Applied Accounting (Hons.), Oxford Brookes University UK, 2011
Bachelor of Arts, University of Punjab, Pakistan, 2006
