Robert W. Holdbrook

Project Financial Control

Experience: Financial management and control of large civil engineering projects
Qualifications: Associate of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA), Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Nationality: British

Career Summary

Rob has a successful track record in financial management and control of large civil engineering projects with more than twenty years experience, including the role of senior cost verification auditor on the construction of the Channel Tunnel in the 1980's and currently on the Channel Tunnel Railway Link (CTRL) which is now in progress. Including the evaluation of contractors' financial systems to effectively control construction costs and resources. Previously responsible for review of investment and operational expenditure and asset management planning of some leading English water and sewerage companies on behalf of OFWAT. Developed new financial and administrative structures and systems including the recruitment and training of staff for the new departments.Substantial overseas experience, particularly in the Middle East, Far East and the Caribbean. Including the financial control of large infrastructure projects for completion on time and within budget in often difficult conditions.

Key Responsibilities And Personal Achievements

I have been involved in financial, commercial, accounting and administrative business for more than 35 years.

Qualified as a member of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators in June 1969 after spending four years as an Articled Clerk in a firm of Chartered Accountants. Qualified as a Master of Business Administration (MBA) at UCL (University College of London) in 1975.

Spent the last 25 years employed by a leading British firm of Consulting Engineers. In the latter years, mainly responsible for the financial management and control of large civil engineering projects.

Evaluation of best practice financial project management systems and control with the set objectives of completion of major projects on time and within budget.

Extensive experience of conducting cost verification audits on two major infrastructure projects in England. Also responsible for specific financial audits for the Regulator, OFWAT at several leading Water Companies in England and Wales. I am therefore familiar with modern audit techniques including computer based analytical monitoring of accounting systems and information packages.

Responsibility for the development and installation of financial and administrative organisations as an integral part of large infrastructure projects on behalf of clients whilst working overseas.

Recruitment and selection of accounting and administrative staff and for ensuring that they received good on the job training and skill improvement.

Ability to familiarise myself with the innovations of the latest accounting and financial monitoring and control software packages. Computer literate in respect to most Microsoft Windows software.

Exposure to high level communications and negotiations with International Government Departments in respect to contractual terms and conditions, together with the reimbursement of fees and recoverable expenditure.

Many Overseas projects were funded by international funding agencies including the World Bank, the European Union, the International Monetary Fund, the Asia Development Bank and the Caribbean development Bank. With all these Agencies a high level of commitment and expertise were required to successfully complete the requirements set by the clients.

Professional Experience

1975-present Halcrow Group Ltd (formerly Sir William Halcrow & Partners Ltd)

February, 1999 to present UK: Project Accountant on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL)Currently seconded to Rail Link Engineering (RLE) as part of the Project Controls Team. Responsible for monitoring the contractors' construction costs and funding requirements on some sections of Phase 1 of the Project.

1997-1999 Far East: Financial Manager for the Halcrow Asia Pacific Region Development Centres of Indonesia and the Philippines based in Jakarta.Also Finance Director and Company Secretary for PT Halcrow Indonesia, a wholly owned local company. Responsible for financial affairs relating to the regional offices and all projects located in Indonesia and Philippines.

1994-1996 Guyana: Financial Controller/Administrator, Sea Defences ProjectResponsible for the implementation stage of the project, which was funded by four international funding agencies (IDA, IDB, EEC and CDB) . Halcrow provided technical assistance to local counterpart staff who were trained to take over in due course. Duties included setting up a self accounting unit and an administrative structure to assist in the smooth running of the project, which had an expected ten year life span.

1992-1994 Halcrow Management Sciences Ltd (HMS) UK: Lead Auditor, Halcrow Management Sciences Ltd (HMS)Assigned to HMS to assist with the audit of regulatory reporting information to the Office of Water Services (OFWAT). Responsible for specific audits of financial returns and asset management planning (AMP) input data for several of Water Only Companies and two major Water and Sewerage Companies.

1987-1992 UK: Cost Audit Manager, Channel Tunnel ProjectSeconded to Eurotunnel plc. Responsible for monitoring the contractor's construction costs and funding requirements with the aid of the statistical risk model developed with the assistance of the accountants KPMG - Peat Marwick Mclintock.

1975-1986 Various financial responsibilities within the Halcrow Group including Senior Divisional Accountant in the London HO for six years and service abroad in Iraq, Eqypt, Oman, Malaysia, Indonesia and Ethiopia.

Training

Considerable 'in-house' training in all aspects of modern techniques of project management and control of civil engineering projects, and related software packages.