Jerry Lasquite

Key Achievements:

• Championed compliance with internal controls, policies, and industry regulations through effective audits and training initiatives.
• Developed proactive risks-based plan that resulted in prioritizing audit in areas of high risk in alignment with company objectives.
• Led comprehensive and efficient audits following established internal audit methodologies and international standards (IIA Standards, COSO framework).
• Motivated and mentored team of internal auditors, fostering collaborative learning environment and professional development.
• Utilized strong analytical skills to identify potential vulnerabilities and emerging trends before they escalated.
• Identified and recommended process improvements to enhance operational efficiency and internal control effectiveness.
• Presented audit findings and recommendations with clarity and conviction, influencing management decisions and promoting continuous improvement.
• Cultivated positive relationships with senior management, department heads, and internal stakeholders, fostering open communication and collaboration.
• Actively participated in professional development opportunities, staying ahead of industry trends and best practices.

Highlights:

• Identified and recovered $20 million asset (precious metals catalysts) discrepancies.
• Developed risk-based audit methodology which resulted in quality output and reduced audit cycle time by 70%.
• Developed in-house training program by sharing knowledge and experience that enhanced junior staff knowledge and competency resulting in stronger internal audit team and reduced training (outsourced) expenses by 50%.
• Prepared annual department budget effectively and ensured optimal resource utilization thus achieving audit goals.

Key Achievements:

• Enhanced Performance: Streamlined internal controls leading to significant improvements in both operational efficiency and financial reporting accuracy. Monitored implementation of these controls to ensure sustained improvements.
• Strategic & Actionable Insights: Developed risk-based audit plans, prioritizing high-risk areas and providing clear, actionable recommendations to empower informed decision-making by senior management. Tracked closure of these recommendations to ensure timely and effective implementation.
• Empowered & Collaborative Team: Mentored junior auditors, fostering best practices and promoting open communication with all stakeholders. Fostered culture of continuous improvement within the internal audit team.
• Risk Mitigation Champion: Implemented comprehensive fraud detection strategies, strengthened IT controls, minimized exposure to potential threats and safeguarded organization's objectives. Monitored effectiveness of these controls on ongoing basis.
• Data-Driven Decision Making & Communication: Utilized data analytics and critical thinking to complete audits and deliver impactful presentations to key decision-makers. Ensured data-driven strategies that support organizational objectives.
• Technical Expertise & Leadership: Prepared and documented audit programs in accordance with GIAS, investigated discrepancies, and ensured adherence to regulations. Provided strong technical foundation for continuous improvement within internal audit function.

Highlights:

• Simplified petty cash disbursement process that reduced time by 60%.
• Contributed to enhancement of financial internal controls related to fixed assets and contracts management.

Key Achievements:

• Enhanced Company-Wide Efficiency: Streamlined internal controls across departments, leading to significant improvements in both operational efficiency and financial reporting accuracy. Implemented risk-based audit plans, identifying and mitigating company-wide risks that could impact different departments and overall organizational goals.
• Actionable Insights for Strategic Decisions: Presented clear, concise audit findings with actionable recommendations, empowering senior management to make informed decisions and improve business processes at company level.
• Team Leadership & Development: Managed a team of auditors, ensuring timely and accurate project completion while emphasizing company-wide impact of work. Mentored junior staff, fostering professional development and culture of continuous learning, instilling importance of understanding interconnected business functions.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Utilized data analytics to analyze complex financial information across organization, identify discrepancies, and develop targeted solutions that improved overall financial health.
• Technical Expertise & Compliance: Maintained up-to-date knowledge of accounting standards and industry best practices to ensure consistently high-quality audit results across all business units. Conducted strategic and technical reviews, verifying compliance with quality control standards and ensuring company-wide adherence to regulations.
• Effective Communication & Collaboration: Collaborated effectively with internal staff across departments, external auditors, and management at all levels. This collaboration fostered strong stakeholder relationships, developed solutions, and drove positive outcomes for entire company. Led cross-functional teams in complex audits, ensuring seamless collaboration and a company-wide perspective.
• Process Improvement Champion: Streamlined audit processes by implementing new software solutions, resulting in increased efficiency across all business units. Identified cost-saving opportunities through analyzing company-wide expense reports and recommending budget adjustments for optimized resource allocation.
• Conducted regular training sessions for audit staff on topics relevant to company-wide internal controls.
• Participated in fraud investigations and ensured compliance with industry regulations across entire organization.
• Assisted with project development and execution, focusing on impact on company-wide goals.
• Prepared audit working papers, reports, and supporting documentation with company-wide perspective.
• Researched technical tax issues and trained new employees on company-wide accounting principles and company procedures.

Highlights:

• Significant recovery of over Php 5 million cash and product inventories from fraudulent activities committed by branch personnel.
• Successfully contributed in enhancement of in-house made client-server POS focusing on effectiveness and efficiency of controls in real-time processing.

Key Achievements:

• Enhanced Internal Controls & Reduced Risk: Conducted comprehensive, investigative audits across various departments, identifying and mitigating vulnerabilities that could lead to fraud or financial discrepancies. Recommendations based on these investigations strengthened internal controls and promoted compliance with industry standards and regulations.
• Improved Operational Efficiency & Cost Savings: Analyzed complex business issues, utilizing investigative skills to unearth root causes. Proposed and implemented targeted solutions that streamlined processes, identified areas of waste, and resulted in significant cost savings for company.
• Team Leadership & Knowledge Transfer: Mentored junior team members, fostering culture of continuous learning and passing on investigative expertise. This contributed to overall departmental performance and successful completion of high-profile audits.
• Process Improvement & Streamlining: Championed continuous improvement initiatives by actively seeking areas to strengthen internal controls. Developed clear templates to streamline reporting processes and implemented automation tools to enhance efficiency. Contributed to annual budgeting by providing accurate cost projections for audit activities.
• Effective Stakeholder Management & Communication: Cultivated strong relationships with all parties during audits, ensuring stakeholders were informed on progress. Investigative findings were presented clearly, addressing concerns promptly and fostering transparent environment.
• Prepared organization for external audits, ensuring successful outcomes.
• Developed customized audit programs tailored to specific risk areas, maximizing resource allocation and desired results.
• Reviewed contracts for potential risks and implemented new policies based on audit findings.

Highlights:

• Significant recovery of USD 20 Million “diverted” funds committed by local proponents in collaboration with ADB and CDC - UK auditors.
• Successful implementation of simplified process for improvements involving warehousing, inventory and construction materials management.

Key Achievements:

• Enhanced Financial Accuracy & Risk Mitigation: Conducted thorough audits, identifying discrepancies and collaborating with process owners to resolve issues. Proactively managed risk by identifying potential problems during audits, ensuring integrity of financial statements and informed decision-making by management while minimizing exposure to fraud.
• Streamlined & Efficient Audits: Implemented advanced auditing software to streamline processes, reducing manual workloads and increasing efficiency. Stayed current with industry trends and advancements to continuously improve audit methodology.
• Detailed & Insightful Reporting: Utilized data analysis to prepare clear and concise reports with insightful findings and recommendations, providing actionable insights for management to improve financial performance.
• Strong Communication & Relationships: Maintained professional and trusting relationships with process owners through open communication throughout audit process. Served as a trusted advisor, offering best practices for risk mitigation and financial performance improvement.
• Collaborative & Continuous Learner: Collaborated effectively with senior auditors on complex assignments, leveraging expertise and contributing to successful outcomes. Participated in professional development opportunities to expand knowledge and skills.
• Process Improvement Champion: Evaluated internal controls, identifying areas for improvement and recommending effective solutions that strengthened overall effectiveness.
• Conducted interviews with auditees and analyzed supporting documents to gather audit evidence.
• Managed multiple concurrent audit engagements, prioritizing tasks and ensuring timely completion.
• Contributed to successful annual audits by meeting deadlines and exceeding quality expectations.

Highlights:

• Discovered series of embezzlement committed by branch personnel from customer collections aggregating Php 1 million.
• Acted as financial watchdog through routine audits hence effectively deterring erring employees.