Jamal Rahms

Apointed to lead financial controls and compliance at Novartis, reinforcing governance, internal controls, and performance management

frameworks.

- Led and ensured end-to-end compliance with ICFR, NFCM and SOX 404 requirements, covering company-level controls, Segregation of

Duties, product costing, R2R, O2C, P2P, inventory, production, procurement, and global master data processes.

- Drove investigation and remediation of control deficiencies, partnering closely with control owners and external auditors; ensured timely

resolution, sustainable compliance, and audit readiness.

- Strengthened the Financial Controls & Compliance framework through internal quality reviews, peer reviews, methodology enhancements,

and continuous improvement of testing and documentation standards.

- Acted as a trusted advisor to Finance, Business, and IT teams, delivering training, guidance, and change management to embed strong

control ownership and improve process effectiveness.

- Served as Product Costing Specialist (CH) with full end-to-end responsibility for plant-level product costing, ensuring compliance with

company policies, driving process improvements, and sharing best practices across teams.

- Served as SAP S4 Hana key user (performing several UAT)

• P&L and Balance Sheet responsibility, including providing reports, analysis and communication of such to management for the French, German and UK subsidiaries

• Support Finance in the monthly, quarterly and annual booking of accruals, provisions, display inventories and capitalization, as well as other manual adjustments

• Support the commercial affiliate teams to ensure that they properly record their activities, whether from revenue or cost perspective and are able to undertake their internal controls / SOX obligations (e.g. cost centers reviews)

• Work with affiliate management, Controlling and Regional management to prepare budgets, forecasts and other annual Corporate deliverables such as Long-Range Plans (e.g. Three-Year Strategic Plan)

• Safeguard the assets of the various affiliates through the application of appropriate internal / SOX controls (e.g. oversee regular inventory cycle counts, supervision of annual full physical counts, variance explanation and approval )

• Approve electronically all cash payments related to the affiliates as well as manually for compliance purposes (i.e. sign-off)

• Act as the financial counsel for the local commercial management for strategic reviews and various ad hoc projects (e.g. SAP Go-live, Stock move of watches, spare parts and POS materials, EU Central Warehouse Implementation….)

• Provide specific support for the French subsidiary for financial reporting, tax reviews.

• Handle the French Accounts receivables as well as the relation with the recovery agency.

• Provide regular support to the Business Controls department (e.g. internal audit assignments and special investigations, due diligence…).

- Statutory Audit: Execution of several statutory audit projects conducted for French & International companies. Strong expertise in a large range of audit-relating tasks including financial analyses, risk assessment procedures, reviews and controls of clients' financial processes, and completing summary of review memorandum.

- Internal Audit: Involved in several internal audit assignments in the areas of Cash & Banks, Purchasing, Treasury, Inventory, Credit Management, T&E Management, Fixed Assets, Accounts Payables, Accounts Receivables…. Compared current practices with corporate leading practices and provided recommendations for improvements where deficiencies were noted

- Transaction Services: buy-side Due Diligence in Algeria as part of the acquisition of a major local insurance company by one of the largest French insurers. Main tasks included the review of processes and the writing of a Due Diligence report.

- Risk Management: preparation and completion of Risk matrixes for several French insurers as part of the Solvency II Directive. Achievements included the identification of business and organizational risks, the evaluation of risk reduction factors, and the assessment of residual risks.

- Internal Control Advisory (SOX-J-SOX, LSF): Served in multiple Sarbanes Oxley Act assignments by producing detailed documentation, testing controls for numerous processes (Accounts Payables, General Accounting Close, Environment, Inventory and Costing, Accounts Receivables, Fixed Assets…) and executing follow-up of remediation plans. Coached teams to perform SOX testing (e.g. Rhodia Project for 2 years Feb 2006 to Jan 2008)

- Fraud: Performed several FCPA (Foreign Corrupt Practices Act) engagements, Conducted investigation and fraud audits & assessed fraud impacts from a financial perspective.

- ERP Training: Trained Accountants/Chief accountants/ Controllers…to use all Sage X3 ERP modules (accounts payables, accounts receivables, fixed assets….)