Mohammed Raees M.
MANAMA,Bahrain
Summary
Experienced Finance and Accounts Manager with over 20 years in financial reporting, budgeting, and operational accounting. Manages month-end close processes, conducts variance analyses, and ensures compliance with tax regulations. Delivers effective cash flow management, implements internal controls, and collaborates with auditors to optimise profitability and drive strategic financial decisions.
Overview
3
3
Languages
20
20
years of professional experience
Work History
Manager - Finance and Accounts
Lofty Donuts Caf
11.2025 - Current
- Develop and oversee annual budgets and rolling forecasts for all branches, central kitchen, and corporate departments.
- Conduct thorough variance analysis (budget vs. actuals) and articulate insights on revenue, costs, and profitability.
- Generate monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements, including Profit & Loss, Balance Sheet, and Cash Flow reports.
- Oversee the monthly closing process, ensuring accuracy and adherence to accounting standards.
- Supervise and audit daily accounting entries for sales, purchases, expenses, and payroll.
- Ensure punctual reconciliation of bank accounts, POS systems, third-party aggregators (Talabat, Jahez, Keeta, etc.), and petty cash.
- Implement robust internal controls, minimising cash leakage and preventing non-budgeted expenditures.
- Manage daily cash flow, ensuring adequate liquidity for operational expenses and timely supplier payments.
- Monitor Cost of Goods Sold (COGS), labor costs, and packaging cost percentages against revenue.
- Prepare weekly and monthly cash flow statements for management review.
- Track and report gross margins on a per-product category basis.
- Analyze branch-level performance, identifying underperforming areas and recommending cost-saving opportunities.
- Perform ROI analyses for new product launches, promotions, marketing initiatives, and expansion projects.
- Oversee bank facilities, loans, and credit lines, ensuring compliance and maximizing utilization.
- Forecast short- and long-term cash requirements for expansion plans, new equipment acquisition, and marketing campaigns.
- Develop and enforce internal financial policies and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for purchasing, cash handling, and payroll.
- Ensure strict compliance with Bahrain VAT regulations and other local tax obligations.
- Maintain meticulous documentation for all financial transactions and fixed assets.
- Coordinate with government bodies, auditors, and legal advisors on all financial matters.
- Liaise with external auditors, such as KPMG, to facilitate a smooth year-end audit process.
- Supervise monthly payroll preparation, including attendance tracking, overtime calculation, deductions, and ensuring timely payments.
- Provide the General Manager and Director of Operations with monthly management reports detailing financial health and actionable improvement recommendations.
- Support strategic decision-making on new branch feasibility studies, lease negotiations, and franchise model evaluations.
- Advised management on capital expenditure planning and developing cost reduction strategies to enhance profitability.
- Support strategic decision-making on new branch feasibility studies, lease negotiations, and franchise model evaluations.
- Advised management on capital expenditure planning and developing cost reduction strategies to enhance profitability.
Manager - Finance and Accounts
Mohammed Jalal and Sons Catering
08.2022 - 10.2025
- Prepared Management Information System (MIS) and financial reports, providing senior management with insights for informed decision-making.
- Developed annual budgets and variance analysis reports, aligning financial resources with organisational objectives.
- Generated detailed cash flow forecast reports.
- Conducted annual audits, ensuring compliance and accuracy.
- Managed loan repayment schedules, ensuring timely amortization.
- Processed monthly Value Added Tax (VAT) return filings.
- Performed monthly bank reconciliations to ensure accuracy of cash balances.
- Monitored and verified inventory levels on a monthly basis.
- Reconciled subsidiary group ledgers monthly.
- Reconciled customer and vendor balances monthly.
- Confirmed customer and vendor balances to ensure data integrity.
- Scheduled, recovered, and followed up on accounts with due and overdue balances.
- Managed the opening of Letters of Credit (LCs), Performance Bonds, and Bank Guarantees.
- Maintained the fixed asset schedule, including accurate depreciation calculations.
- Prepared schedules for right-of-use assets and lease liabilities.
- Reviewed and filed lease and business agreements.
- Established and maintained the chart of accounts.
- Instituted and enforced proper accounting methods, policies, and principles.
- Analyzed operational data to forecast trends, supporting strategic business decisions with actionable insights.
- Organized data and forecasts to facilitate accurate quarterly, yearly, and project-specific reports.
Manager - Finance and Accounts
Taqi Mohammed Al Baharna Trading
08.2021 - 07.2022
- Oversaw daily accounting operations, including month-end and year-end processes, accounts payable/receivable, cash receipts, general ledger management, payroll, utility payments, cash forecasting, variance analysis of revenue and expenditure, reconciliations of capital assets, and fixed asset and debt activity.
- Directed and supervised the daily operations of the accounting department.
- Monitored and analyzed accounting data to produce precise financial reports and statements.
- Established and enforced sound accounting methods, policies, and principles.
- Coordinated and completed annual audits.
- Provided strategic recommendations for financial improvements.
- Improved systems and procedures, implementing corrective actions based on identified issues.
- Achieved financial accounting objectives through meticulous oversight.
- Streamlined accounts payable and receivable operations to enhance cash flow, maintaining current accounts and timely payments of liabilities.
- Managed collection process for delinquent accounts, collaborating with legal counsel and external agencies to improve recovery rates.
- Analyzed historical financial data to identify organizational deficiencies and developmental opportunities.
- Prevented vendor overpayments and customer under-charges by strengthening controls over contract-specific accounting practices.
- Orchestrated conversion to new accounting, reporting, and financial management software systems, ensuring accurate data uploads and transfers.
- Approved and verified journal entries for accuracy against supporting documentation and compliance with sound accounting practices.
Chief Accountant
Al Hawaj and Sons
11.2011 - 07.2021
- Held primary responsibility for preparing financial statements and supporting schedules in accordance with the monthly close schedule.
- Prepared monthly unaudited financial statements with supporting commentary to provide management with insights into financial performance.
- Managed management accounts, finalized and consolidated accounts, performed balance sheet reconciliation, and conducted variance analysis.
- Generated monthly account reconciliations and supporting schedules for a wide array of accounts.
- Managed chart of accounts, prepared monthly analytical, cost and revenue reports, age-wise outstanding reports, and conducted reconciliations for receivables, payables, banks, post-dated checks (PDC), and inventory, ensuring financial accuracy.
- Executed month-end close tasks to maintain accurate financial records.
- Evaluated purchase orders, sales transactions, payments, journal vouchers (JVs), invoicing, and collections for both cash and credit transactions, ensuring compliance with financial protocols.
- Supervised credit policies and procedures, reviewed adjustment and closing entries, and processed partner and related party adjustments.
Senior Accountant
Bahrain Food Distribution Company
06.2009 - 10.2011
- Executed monthly and quarterly financial accounting reports, ensuring timely delivery and accuracy while monitoring daily accounting department workflow.
- Provided comprehensive support to the CFO in the preparation, review, and analysis of financial statements, and contributed to the development of Profit & Loss (P&L) and Balance Sheet statements.
- Oversaw accounts receivables and payables, prepared bank reconciliation statements, and managed payroll processing, collaborating with audit firms to uphold financial integrity.
- Executed tasks related to accounts payable, accounts receivable, financial statement preparation, and cash flow analysis.
- Prepared accounts and coordinated audits to maintain robust financial records and accounting controls.
- Presented and explained year-end financial reports to headquarters in the UAE, and maintained journal entries and ledgers.
- Generated detailed reports on key financial metrics and accounting information to support strategic decision-making.
Accountant
Gulf Horizon Trading
07.2006 - 05.2009
- Managed accounts payable, accounts receivable, financial statement preparation, and cash flow analysis to ensure accurate financial reporting.
- Maintained accurate and up-to-date general ledger accounts.
- Processed payable invoices and ensured timely vendor payments to maintain strong supplier relationships.
- Issued credit invoices to customers and followed up on collections, improving cash flow management.
- Managed schedules for accruals, asset depreciation, and prepaid expenses.
- Classified and recorded financial transactions in accordance with standard procedures.
- Entered data into accounting software with high accuracy to prepare journal entry information.
Education
MBA - Financial Management
Sikkim Manipal University
IndiaBBM - Marketing
Bangalore University
IndiaSkills
- Financial Reporting and Analysis
- Budget Planning and Forecasting
- Variance Analysis
- Profit and loss analysis
- Month-end reports
- Cash Flow Management
- Cash Flow analysis
- Account Reconciliations
- VAT preparation
- Internal Controls
- Audit coordination
- External and Internal Audits
- Accrual accounting
- General Account Ledger
- Data Analysis
- Microsoft Excel
- Sage 100
- JD Edwards ERP
- Zoho
- Focus
Websites, Portfolios, Profiles
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohammed-raees-58a573a3/
LANGUAGES
English (Fluent)
Hindi (Fluent)
Arabic (Intermediate)
Timeline
Manager - Finance and Accounts
Lofty Donuts Caf
11.2025 - Current
Manager - Finance and Accounts
Mohammed Jalal and Sons Catering
08.2022 - 10.2025
Manager - Finance and Accounts
Taqi Mohammed Al Baharna Trading
08.2021 - 07.2022
Chief Accountant
Al Hawaj and Sons
11.2011 - 07.2021
Senior Accountant
Bahrain Food Distribution Company
06.2009 - 10.2011
Accountant
Gulf Horizon Trading
07.2006 - 05.2009
MBA - Financial Management
Sikkim Manipal University
BBM - Marketing
Bangalore University