Finance Director Western Europe & Emerging Markets

The organisation

pladis, is a global biscuit, chocolates and confectionery company with operations in 120 countries across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Americas and global revenues of $5 billion. It has manufacturing operations in 14 countries, with 77 factories and more than 300 brands, comprising over 350 years of collective experience. pladis was established in 2016, by Yildiz Holding, the biggest food company in Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa, through the acquisition and integration of several leading brands, including United Biscuits in the UK. It combines three centuries of baking and confectionery expertise, under brands such as Godiva chocolates, McVities, Ülker, Verkade, BN and Sultana.

The group has created a global network which understands its customers’ local needs, operates through different geographies and adds value to the communities in which it currently operates. pladis was named among the World’s 10 largest chocolate and confectionary companies, when it ranked seventh on Candy Industry’s 2017 list “Global Top 100”. The pladis brands enjoy category leadership position in many markets, with the company aiming to be number one or two in all its selected categories and markets, globalising its local and regional iconic brands to be the global leader in biscuits and confectionary. pladis prides itself on being a consumer-led company and this is critical in ensuring that a sustainable business model is developed, which drives aggressive and profitable growth.

The central idea and vision of pladis is: "We promise happiness to the world with every bite’’. Achieving the pladis ambition requires the business to have the agility and responsiveness to service local market needs and it requires it to make best use of its global capability and capacity to create the best cost base.

In May 2022 they announced that their Emerging Markets and Western Europe regions are being combined into one region that will be referred to as WEEM (Western Europe Emerging Markets).

A few years ago they focused their efforts on Western Europe in order to build an agile organisation that is fit for growth. They decided to build further scale and create the right opportunities in that geography. Based on this, Western Europe and Emerging Markets have been combined into one region. Examining all the markets which form this new region, it is clear that they share a number of the same opportunities and challenges. By leveraging a single leadership lens across them, they will ensure the focus needed to move them forward successfully. pladis recently announced that this new region will be led by Tim Brett, who has joined pladis as Managing Director of Western Europe and Emerging Markets (WEEM).

This region includes ‘traditional’ European markets, developing markets with their own local production (Nigeria) and export markets (including Australia/ New Zealand, China and Japan/ Korea). This role has a functional reporting line to Sridhar Ramamurthy, Sridhar was appointed Chief Financial Officer in July 2019.

The position

The company is looking for a dynamic Finance Director to provide strategic financial leadership to the region and business partner to the region Leadership team. This is a complex role that presents the challenges of established markets in Western Europe, with Export markets across the world and Emerging Markets, e.g. Nigeria.

This is a unique opportunity to join a business of scale, with a great leadership position and brands, going through a significant transformation and with an ambitious agenda. As a senior member of the European leadership team and of the global Finance Exec, the role holder will have the opportunity to make a significant impact on both Europe and pladis global agenda.

The role has responsibility for all aspects of financial reporting, planning and business partnering, asset management and will drive continuous improvement in all these areas to meet the changing needs of the business. The role requires strong leadership and coordination with internal and external teams (commercial, marketing, supply chain, procurement and pladis global finance teams) to ensure complete and aligned planning outputs delivered on time efficiently and accurately. It will also be responsible for leading, mentoring and developing a team of high-quality finance professionals, who will be the next generation of finance leaders in pladis.

The role holder will be required to take a leadership role in the shaping of the overall region strategy to deliver the financial goals, provide clarity of business direction to key stakeholders to facilitate sound decision making and investments across the region.

The role reports into the Managing Director WEEM and the Global Chief Finance Officer and is a key member of both the WEEM Leadership team and the Global Finance Leadership Team. As such s/he will play a key role in the shaping of both the region business agenda and global finance agenda.

Tasks & responsibilities

• Act as a business partner and sounding board for the Regional MD.
• Provide strategic financial leadership for the region.
• Lead of the region finance function (a team of 30+ spread across the geography).
• Lead planning process. Manage short/ long term plans, annual budget and monthly reporting of management accounts according to group policies.
• Lead NRM process.
• Analysis and understanding of business performance using external and internal drivers.
• Ensure excellent commercial decision support service is provided to the region for all functions and business units both marketing and the sales functions based on a deep understanding of brands, customers including effective reporting and strong financial insight to support decision making.
• Ensure an overall high level of financial control in the region with risk assessments carried out for key functions and major initiatives.
• Robust financial challenge into key business investment decisions.
• Assess delivery including value chains, marketing and trade investment, acquisition opportunities, capital investment appraisal and other ad-hoc projects.
• Ensuring proper accounting records are maintained aligned with the international financial reporting standards as modified from time to time.
• Monitoring region financials and establishing controls.
• People development – responsible for recruiting, training, coaching, motivating and leading the finance team across the region.
• Maintain strong links with group finance on all activities including:
  • Region cash management & credit decisions;
  • Interface with the auditors;
  • Oversight of outsourced services and contract for pladis.

Candidate profile

• Essential Skills and Experience
  • Extensive financial leadership experience in Europe or other large developed markets.
  • Experience with Trade and FMCG preferably in Benelux, France and Germany and Emerging/Export Markets.
  • Robust understanding of the FMCG business and how departments (Supply Chain, Marketing etc.) contribute to the overall business results.
  • Have deep understanding of how distributor markets function.
  • Ability to manage and work within a fast-paced agenda and ever evolving organisation.
  • Significant experience obtained in a global matrix organisation working with commercial and supply chain business partners.
  • Proven experience in a senior financial leadership role and in additional of developing and leading margin improvement strategy and activity.
  • Experience of leading change and transformation.
  • Strong team manager with proven experience of team development.
• Excellent Leadership Capabilities
  • Demonstration of personal accountability for great performance and brilliant execution.
  • Purpose led approach to decision making and prioritisation in a complex environment.
  • Practical strategic thinking abilities and robust business acumen.
  • Excellent networking skills and ability to bring alignment and ensure collaboration to meet the Region’s needs.
  • Strong influencing, communication skills and personal impact to gain credibility quickly with senior stakeholders across the business.
  • Self-assured, internally motivated individual with high levels of positive energy, driven to succeed and make a difference.
  • Able to effectively challenge and comfortable being challenged.
• Qualifications
  • Qualified Accountant or MBA: Essential
  • University or similar qualification: Essential
• Languages
  • English essential, Dutch preferred: fluent written and spoken
  • Understanding of French and German is a plus

Interested?

You are invited to applhy for this position by using the form below. For more information, please contact Barbara Kuil of Sofie Man, at +31 (0)35 201 84 00.