Yang Yang
Singapore,SG
Summary
- Manulife & John Hancock US CCOE (Control Center of Excellence) team’s SOX advisory solutions member, facilitating US entities’ annual SOX controls programs and best support to be delivered to stakeholders. Senior accounting specialist in Manulife’s internal control practice and was internal control specialist in Canada’s biggest energy company.
- A strong background with 5 years of experience in Fortune 500 public listed companies across risk assurance and tax compliance including SOX 404 enhancement, internal control and control weakness and deficiency remediation, financial reporting analysis etc. Experience spans many industries including Technology, Oil & Gas, Insurance and Financial Services.
- Started career spending 2 years in RSM LLP’s transfer pricing practice. Since then, have delivered client-based services to a wide variety of companies. After joined SEC listed companies, experience in both tax and audit allows to bring a balanced perspective to business units, internal auditors, and external auditors. Assisted senior management with SOX 404 projects from risk assessment, walkthrough processes until OE testing of controls to be sustainable and cost effective.
- Detail-oriented, conscientiousness and result-driven with ability to work independently of own initiative or as part of any finance or accounting team. Act on things quickly and flexibly, strong learning agility, take ownership at work, always strive to achieve the optimal outcome and good at multitasking to meet tight deadlines while maintaining the highest quality.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Accounting Specialist, US SOX Controls
Manulife & John Hancock
11.2022 - Current
- Supported the annual SOX controls program planning and prepared kick-off materials in collaboration with stakeholder managers in Canada and U.S. Proactively fostered effective relationships with various business units, control owners, IT experts and auditors including the Financial Shared Service Centre, Reinsurance and Life operations, Actuaries and Annuity teams etc, internal audit services, and external big 4 auditors.
- Acted as the 1st line of defense, optimally managing projects related to SOX controls, year-end auditing facilitation andSOX/MAR walkthrough populations and samples support collection for Manulife’s US entities, collected and assessed samples and evidence, ensuring timely responses to external auditors’ requests and inquiries within specified deadlines
- Utilized the COSO control framework to identify and understand risks managed by the business. Ensured Business Process Narratives (BPN) accurately reflect changes related to IFRS 17 implementation. Maintained regular touchpoint meetings with managers, directors, internal audit services, and external audit to provide regular status update
- Took ownership of assigned SOX projects, facilitating effective communication among external and internal auditors as well as senior management. Provided high quality advisory services to business stakeholders and diligently monitored open audit issues, pre- or post-walkthrough SOQ questions, control deficiency until resolution and remediation
- Managed and coordinated all aspects of SOC 1 (Service Organization Controls) audit control testing, including planning, walkthrough, testing of controls, collaborated with IT-SOX team to determine the scoping of critical IT applications
- Collaborated with auditors to share standard processes, promoting efficiency and effectiveness in resources utilization
- Presented findings and recommendations to control owners and support preparers using concise, clear, complete, constructive, and objective written and verbal communication skills
- Designed risk-handling solutions and provided valuable insights into process improvement and control enhancement
Internal Controls Specialist
Canadian Natural Resources
05.2022 - 11.2022
- Accountable for overseeing controls related to Revenue, Expenditure and Property, Plant & Equipment (PP&E) for one of the company’s oil sands entities, ensuring accuracy and compliance with financial statements.
- Successfully managed competing priorities and ensured timely completion of assigned quarterly SOX testing and walkthrough documentation tasks. Conducted high level annual walkthrough meetings with key stakeholders including VP, Financial Controllers, and Managers within the first two months of joining the company.
- Identified, analyzed, evaluated, and documented walkthrough results within specified deadlines. Performed Q2 2022 Operating Effectiveness (OE) testing for assigned controls, demonstrating strong verbal and written communication skills.
- Engaged in the International Professional practices Framework (IPPF) training with internal auditors to enhance professional competencies.
- Led a 2-days annual inventory count of oil products and equipment, collaborating with operations accountants at third-party and company warehouses located in the south of Alberta province. Assessed control risks, observed the inventory count process, and delivered an accurate inventory count report to management.
- Received supervisor’s commendation for outstanding support, performance, and contribution in August 2022.
Financial Analyst/Accountant
Motorola Solutions Singapore and Canada
10.2018 - 05.2022
- Received performance award and salary increment from Motorola Solutions Singapore in May 2021
- Performed month end closing journal entries uploading in SAP including preparation of accrual, prepaids, payroll, bank reconciliation and other accounting tasks. Prepare US, Canada and International salary, group insurance, Velocity accruals, severance, and payroll accrual, ensure all monthly payroll working papers are correctly prepared without error.
- Accountable to monthly banking transactions and reconciliation of all bank accounts, annual compliance reporting, government survey forms and international tax form etc.
- Assisted with external auditors for company’s annual audit and any deficiencies arising from the annual audit.
- Contribution to the timely Motorola Solutions China corporate income tax payment, stamp duty payment and withholding value-added tax submissions by demanded deadlines, while maintaining the payment accuracy % up to 99% or 100%.
- Supported preparation and completion of year-end audit financial statements, annual tax filing and transfer pricing forms at group and subsidiaries entity level through coordinating with external auditors in China.
- Gathered, cleaned, and validated payroll, fixed asset, inventory reserve for preparation of external financial and regulatory reporting (statistic and other statutory reporting) and government audit inspection.
- Provided analysis in routine and specific inquire and conduct investigation of financials and explain basis.
- Took reins in cycle count inventory audit projects, analyze discrepancies / present to director of Channel Sales. Monitored closely the latest regulatory rules or policy trends to ensure company has no compliance risk.
Senior Transfer Pricing (Tax) Associate
RSM Tax Pte Ltd
09.2015 - 12.2017
- Promoted to senior tax associate in RSM Tax Pte Ltd within a year.
- Served clients mainly from Southeast Asia. Prepared client engagement letter and transfer pricing questionnaire. organized on-site FAR (Functions employed, Assets used and Risks undertaken) meeting interviews with clients.
- Conducted function and risk interview and analysis with client management, documented clients’ related party transaction type, outstanding balance and transaction flow in report to senior management, client and tax bureau.
- Write transfer pricing documentation reports, performed benchmarking in database platform to select comparative unrelated companies to meet arm’s length principle including suggested corrective action.
- Served more than 50 client entities across various industries including pharmaceutical, commodities etc.
Online Shop Owner
E-commerce, Taobao
06.2010 - 04.2015
Senior Course Consultant
Meten Education
09.2005 - 06.2008
Education
Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) (On-going) -
Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA)
Bachelor of Accountancy and Financial Management -
University of Portsmouth
03.2017
Bachelor of Business Administration - Marketing
Xihua University
06.2005
Skills
- Walkthrough / Controls Testing of business processes
- Risk Assessment and Documentation of assigned accounts
- Project Management and Facilitating skills - Acting as a Liaison point to connect external and internal stakeholders
- Business Process Narrative, Placemat (Flowchart) update
- Statutory Reporting, Accounts Recon, Financial Analysis
- Tax Compliance (TPD, CIT, GST, WHT, Int’l tax)
- MS Office Suite (Word, Excel (Pivot Tables, VLOOKUP), Outlook and PowerPoint)
- Internal control platform – Wdesk, Nitro Pro
- Finance Database System – ArcherPROD, EYD, SAP, NetSuite, Tableau, Oracle Greenfield, CRM system
- Accounting Reconciliation tool (ARCS), BI Reports, Egistix platform
Timeline
Senior Accounting Specialist, US SOX Controls
Manulife & John Hancock
11.2022 - Current
Internal Controls Specialist
Canadian Natural Resources
05.2022 - 11.2022
Financial Analyst/Accountant
Motorola Solutions Singapore and Canada
10.2018 - 05.2022
Senior Transfer Pricing (Tax) Associate
RSM Tax Pte Ltd
09.2015 - 12.2017
Online Shop Owner
E-commerce, Taobao
06.2010 - 04.2015
Senior Course Consultant
Meten Education
09.2005 - 06.2008
Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) (On-going) -
Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA)
Bachelor of Accountancy and Financial Management -
University of Portsmouth
Bachelor of Business Administration - Marketing
Xihua University
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