Justin Makuna

I am a hands on hotel finance manager with working experience stretching over twenty five (25) years in both kenyan leading hotel chains and international hotel chains too. My strengths include in interpersonal relations, team work, interracial relations and working my way up the ladder. A quick learner and also adaptive.

Work Experience:

 Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serenget:Ass.Director of Finance/Systems Analyst Aug 2012 to 31st March 2019. 

 Ensuring that all tax requirements were complied with  Coordinator of statutory /Tax/State audits. 

 Responding to all tax audit queries from the company tax consultants  Responding to statutory audit queries in a timely manner to ensure that audited accounts are signed off timely. 

 Ensuring timely tax payments  Ensuring timely filing of all tax returns  Ensuring ownership queries are addressed seamlessly

  Ensuring that capital expenditure items are procured only after necessary approvals by both the management and owners on the capex form and a duly authorized purchase orders with strict budget adherence  Ensuring that asset register is updated and asset disposal is duly authorized by owners

  Ensuring that all business licenses and certificates are in place 

 Ensuring that the Lodge insurance policies are renewed timely, lodge insurance claims and follow up until settlement

  Responsible for drawing up new contracts, terminating and renewing of the Lodge contracts  Approval of all payments including payroll

  Responsible for semi-annual tax returns 

 Custodian of all vehicle documents  Preparation of board resolutions regarding opening and closing of bank accounts and adding and removing bank account signatories

  Signatory to the bank accounts Bilila Lodge Kempinski-Tanzania: Financial Controller-August 2010 to July 2011. Bilila Lodge Investment Limited: Financial Controller-August 2011 to July 2012.

  Responsible for internal controls for all accounting systems  Ensure timely management reports were provided to management

  Ensuring compliance with corporate office requirements

  Ensuring that all tax requirements were complied with

  Preparation and presentation of budgets to Area and regional office

  Responsible for cash flow management

  Training of finance staff in all accounting systems that is; Sun systems, materials control and Opera

  Clean up the systems for all preopening un-reconciled records eg wrong mappings in materials control and opera system

  Was tasked to build up a competent strong finance team as a succession plan 

 Ensuring that all business licenses and certificates are in place

  Coordinator of statutory /Tax/State audits. 

 Ensuring that capital expenditure items are procured only after necessary approvals by both the management and owners on the capex form and a duly authorized purchase orders 

 Ensuring that asset register is updated and asset disposal is duly authorized by owners 

 Ensuring that the Lodge insurance policies are renewed timely, lodge insurance claims and follow up until settlement

  Responsible for drawing up new contracts, terminating and renewing of the Lodge contracts

  Signatory to the bank accounts Special Assignment.

  Preparation of Board Resolution for Directors’ sign off

  Bank account opening, closing and operations procedures Critical Role. 

 Together with General Manager, were responsible for handover process of the property back to the owner. Bilila Lodge Kempinski to ownership (ASB Tanzania Ltd) 

 Involved in registration of new company (Bilila Lodge Investment Limited) and creation of new database of the new company

  Close of books of previous operations (Transfer of Assets and Liabilities)

  Played key role during transition to Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti. 

Sarova Hotels Limited (Coast region Hotel). Unit Accountant: Sept’2001 To 30th April 2003.

  Contact person for both internal and statutory audits and state tax officials 

 Designed daily cash control sheet which was finally adopted by the group 

 Preparation of bank reconciliations and follow up of long pending reconciling items 

 Preparation of timely monthly and annual management reports

  Stock control accounts reconciliations to Fidelio/materials control systems stock balances

  Authorization of petty cash vouchers, LPOs and store requisitions

  Responsible for Micros, Fidelio and Sun systems installation. 

Chief Accountant: May 2003 To April 2004.

  Responsible for treasury matters 

 Ensure that there is adequate internal controls and procedures, and the same work as intended 

 Ensure that management reports are provided to management on a timely basis

  Principal assistant to financial controller of the hotel and act as the Financial controller in his/her absence 

 Training finance staff in the accounting systems and appraising them semi annually on work performance  Beside carrying out own spot checks, ensure various finance staff carry out periodic spot so as to test internal controls.

  Coordinate with other departments to ensure smooth operation of the hotel Financial Controller: May 2004 To July 2010.

  Ensuring that the hotel and two safari tourist lodges had adequate internal controls 

 Assisting Heads of Departments to understand their departmental financial reports and forecasting to ensure costs were well managed

  Ensuring that stock balances were maintained as desirable levels and that were well managed to avoid pilferages/obsolescence and spoilages

  Review monthly management reports before distributing the same to management

  Conducting monthly financial review meetings with department heads to get explanation for all adverse variances both revenue and expenses 

 Ensure Hotel and Head office deadlines were met without fail 

 Ensure that all hotel systems were backed up regularly and data recovery measures were in place

  Liaise with Company lawyers to ensure that legal matters were followed up to conclusion 

 Ensuring that cash flow management was well managing 

 Ensuring that statutory taxes were processed, paid on time and filling of returns done within the deadlines.

  Ensuring that there was proper planning for statutory audits and that the audit exercise was completed on a timely manner

  Ensuring that action was taken on all internal audit recommendations 

 Preparation and presentation of annual budgets to the board

  Ensure that there was clear succession plan within the department 

 Participated in the annual corporate strategy meeting. Awards by Sarova Hotels Ltd.

  Certificate of excellence for heading the best finance team for year 2004

  Certificate of excellence for being the Financial Controller of the year 2006. 

Block Hotels (K) Ltd. Internal Auditor (Coast Region ): Dec.’98 to June’99 

 Carrying out audit tests as per audit programs and discussing findings with senior management 

 making audit recommendations and submitting full audit report to the board. Credit Controller: July 1999 to July 2000 

 Ensuring that credit terms were strictly adhered to and bills sent to customers were correct as per signed contracts and any disputes were resolved promptly 

 Ensuring that there was desirable cash flow to support the hotel operations

  maintaining good relations with customers

  Was tasked to collect long outstanding debts especially from overseas customers. Hotel Controller: August 2000 to June2001.

  Ensure that the hotel internal controls were working as intended 

 Review monthly management reports and take corrective action where necessary 

 Review monthly balance sheet account reconciliations

  Review of debtors and creditors monthly reports

  Preparation and presentation of budgets to the board

  cash flow management

  Was a bank signatory and in charge of overall finance functions of the hotel. 

Serena Hotels: Assistant Accountant. From December 1994 to December 1998.

  Verification of daily Hotel’s revenue and cash collection

  Reconciliation of stock control Accounts to Bin cards balances 

 Verification and processing of purchase invoices 

 Preparation of or check of payroll and payroll deduction accounts

  Authorize petty cash payments and salary advances

  Overseeing all the Lodge finance functions in the absence of the accountant. 

NAS Airport Services Ltd Clerical and Supervisory: February 1988 to May 1994. 

 Invoicing, passing credit notes and verification of sales orders

  Processing of purchase invoices and preparation of payment vouchers

  Verification of debtors statements of accounts, and debt collection

  Debtors/creditors ledger reconciliation and passing monthly adjustment journal vouchers

  Payroll preparation and maintaining of payroll deduction accounts

  Maintaining petty cash book, preparation of bank reconciliation, tracking foreign currency transactions and maintenance of foreign currency retention accounts

  Overseeing accounts receivable functions. 

Internal Audit Assistant: June 1994 to November 1994. 

• Carrying out audit tests as per audit programs and specific investigations 
• Discussing findings with senior management, making recommendations and writing audit reports
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•  Computer/Software Literacy. 
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• Micros, Fidelio (F & B and FOH),Opera, Materials control, Sun systems financials Version 4 & 5, vision report writer and Microsoft Excel/Word/Power point

I am a Certified Public Accountant of Kenya (CPAK) and a member of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK)