Sam L.

Finance | Global Entertainment, Commercial Real Estate, FMCG FCCA / CPA

Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR

About

I am a results-driven strategic Finance Professional with over 20 years’ experience driving financial management and business process improvements. In particular, I am adept at identifying opportunities, maximising operational efficiency and establishing sustainable partnerships. I enjoy multi-dimensional roles, where they entail solving problems, translating ideas into actionable outcomes, and steering improvements - working with numbers is my forte and leveraging this to contribute to the growth of organisations is what I find most gratifying.

Experience

  • Warner Music Group (Full-time · 3 yrs 10 mos)
    • Greater China CFO
      Apr 2026 - Present · 3 mos

    • Senior Director Finance APAC and Finance Hongkong
      Sep 2022 - Apr 2026 · 3 yrs 8 mos

  • GROUP FINANCIAL CONTROLLER, ASIA at Colliers
    Jun 2015 - Oct 2022 · 7 yrs 5 mos

    Lead team of 74 in business controls, accounting, tax and treasury, and strategic business initiatives including M&As. Directed company secretarial functions and key member of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) group. Achievements: o Unlocked millions in trapped cash within APAC, exceeding targets by 25% over 3-year period, primarily through close partnership with tax advisors and country tax teams. Concurrently more than tripled EBITDA. o Completed key business partnership deals including multi-million dollar acquisitions in China and India, and providing guidance on integration into Group. o Initiated strategic review of systems and processes, resulting in more streamlined and efficient functions. Key improvements: redesign of legacy payroll process, digitalisation of Expense Claims, and introduction of Central Treasury model to enhance cash flow reporting.

  • FINANCIAL CONTROLLER at Lidl International
    2013 - 2015 · 2 yrs

    Led financial reporting/budgeting/forecasting; managed product development and supply chain, and drove improvement of KPIs. Achievements: o Set up Lidl’s 1st office in Bangladesh, establishing and building it into a full-fledged 60-staff purchasing and quality control office for APAC. o Initiated and implemented CBX system and secured overall efficiency of 10%. o Introduced SAP reporting for acquired China companies, integrating systems in Shanghai/Guangdong/Shenzhen/HK.

  • FINANCIAL CONTROLLER at Stokke AS
    2012 - 2013 · 1 yr

    As part of APAC management team, took charge of all finance/IT including Consolidation, Cash Flow Forecasting, Credit Control. Partnered with country/business heads to drive sales. Achievements: o Setup WFOE / financial structure in Shanghai China, obtaining licence in 3 months. o Introduced Sales ERP system, including a 30-person sales organisation, driving the transfer price setup and pricing of new products, enabling China to be well on its way to becoming largest contributor in the Asia Platform.

  • BUSINES CONTROLLER at Carlsberg Group
    2010 - 2012 · 2 yrs

    Led supply chain reporting for Asia operations, managed financial planning/analysis, budgeting and rolling forecasts, and spearheaded integration of acquired companies into organisation. Achievements: o Completed integration of key Greenfield and Brownfield projects, involving large CAPEX investments. o Spearheaded training/best practice sharing with Xinjiang/Ningxia/Yunnan/Chongqing breweries following acquisition.