Lausanne, Vaud, Switzerland
I'm a Swiss-based finance leader with 20 years in multinationals, built across Switzerland, Africa, Middle East and the Eastern Europe. Most of that career was at Philip Morris International, where I navigated a wide range of finance roles (accounting, FP&A, controlling, planning, business development) which gave me a transversal view of corporate finance and the way each function actually connects. Along the way I led finance teams in very different settings, from the Finance and Administration team in Algiers, to a 30-plus organization in the Levant Area, to a regional controlling function covering 10 markets in Eastern Europe. Since 2024 I've been with IMI's Climate Control sector as Head of Finance Controlling. What I enjoy most is the moment financial data turns into a decision. Over the years I've built business cases for new market entries (Belarus, Uzbekistan), negotiated an excise tax structure with a Ministry of Finance, modelled scenarios for an international arbitration, managed costs diligently for each of my affiliates, and rebuilt forecasting processes for better accuracy. I care about finance teams that genuinely partner with the business rather than just report on it, and I've enjoyed spending time coaching and mentoring my teams. Outside the day job, I run a small finance education site (flaviomacorig.ch), published a Udemy course on excise taxes, advised three early-stage startups during a career break in the US, and I'm currently exploring how AI tools change finance work day-to-day.
Led the Operations & Supply Chain Controlling across five manufacturing sites (6 direct reports, 20 indirect). Served as finance business partner to the leadership team, covering day-to-day finance needs, factory cost management, CAPEX planning, transfer pricing, and variance analysis.
Interim position to handover the role of Head of Accounting & Controls for the Climate Control Sector at IMI. Helped on the transition for the role and covered all operational activities during the transition phase with the new Head of Accounting & Controls. I also had the opportunity to work on some process improvements during this interim position (Hedging, FX transactions, all accounting for various entities, statutory work, monthly close and forecasts, etc..).
Career break to follow my partner for her short-term assignment in the US, where I actively engaged in professional development and knowledge-sharing initiatives, leveraging this period to enhance my expertise and contribute to the growth of emerging ventures. Key Activities: - Provided strategic and financial consulting to 3 early stage startups; - Pursued advanced courses at Harvard, deepening skills in FinTech and Business Strategy; - Finalized the Business and Financial Modelling Specialization from Wharton; - Developed and published an online course about Taxes and Excise Taxes on the Udemy Platform (Link here --> https://www.udemy.com/course/excise-taxes-essentials); - Developed my website to share my financial knowledge broadly and demystify Finance for all (Link here --> https://flaviomacorig.ch).
In the dynamic environment of the Eastern Europe region, I was co-leading the Controlling department which placed me at the forefront of overseeing and managing the day-to-day financial operations across 10 diverse markets in the Region. My role was instrumental in synthesizing financial data, guiding budgetary discipline, and unveiling cost-saving opportunities with a deep commitment to exceeding all our regional KPIs. The role demanded a strategic mindset and a strong collaboration with various stakeholders to align financial goals and unveil operational efficiencies across the region. Key Achievements: - Managed innovative projects and cost-saving measures to cut the overall regional expenses; - Improved the regional Working-Capital via enhanced inventories and receivables/payables management; - Led data-driven enhancements in planning/reporting, optimizing operational decision-making and resource allocations. - Reengineered our dividend remittance from our JV in Russia which was recognized with the PMI Excellence Award.
As co-leader of Planning & BD for the region, I was instrumental in orchestrating our financial strategies, growth initiatives, and new market entries. With a keen eye on maximizing operational efficiency and leveraging competitive intelligence, my role was pivotal in steering the company towards informed decision-making and sustainable growth. Key Achievements: - Coordinated market entries in Belarus and Uzbekistan; - Acted as the Single Point Of Contact (SPOC) for all finance-related matters in a high-stakes arbitration case at the London Arbitration Court; - Honored with the PMI Above and Beyond Call of Duty Award for my significant contributions to the Eastern Europe Finance Team.
International assignment as area Financial Controller where I led the finance function with a strategic approach (4 managers as direct reports and overseeing a team of over 30). On top of managing the day-to-day financial operations for 3 markets, my tenure was marked by successful initiatives in optimizing local production in Lebanon, streamlining operations in Jordan, and spearheading RRP product launches in Palestine, all while reinforcing financial controls and fostering team development. Key Achievements: - Drove strategic initiatives leading to an 8% average financial target overachievement across the markets; - Negotiated a new and more favorable excise tax structure with the Jordanian Ministry of Finance; - Reinforced financial controls, eliminating all SOX deficiencies, thereby solidifying the financial integrity of our affiliates; - Developed a skilled and dedicated finance team, reducing turnover through strategic development initiatives, including various training programs for all the functions, enhancing the financial acumen across the entire organization.