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Chris
BENHAM
British citizen
Financial Finance Manager. British
citizen residing in London.
Education: Degree in Economics from London
University; Associate of Chartered Certified
Accountants (ACCA).
Group seniority: 7 years: 2 years as Retail
Business Analyst, 6 months as Business Analyst
in Management Information and 3 years as
Financial Accountant before moving into
my present position.
Financial Background
I joined Total in 19967 as a Retail Business
Analyst, having previously worked as a Trainee
Financial Accountant for a Construction
Company. This was a newly created position
in a new team that involved the analysis
of various aspects of the Retail business
channel, from individual site profitable
analysis to reviewing and implementing new
working practices within the Retail analyst
team.
My second role was for six months as a Business
Analyst within the Management Information
department and was obtained as a result
of the 1999 Total-Petrofina merger. This
role was taken as a ‘stepping stone’
into the position of Financial Accountant
reporting to the Finance Manager.
After three years as Financial Accountant
I was promoted to Finance Manager. I am
one of five Financial Managers that report
to the Director of Finance – the other
managerial areas are; Credit, Accounts Receivable
and Payable, Treasury, Management Information
and Retail Finance.
Working with Other
Departments
I am responsible for three areas: Financial
Accounting (Technical Accounting), Product
Accounting (Crude Oil and Finished Product
stocks) and Taxation (Indirect (VAT) and
Direct (Corporation Tax)).
I manage a medium-size team of twelve people
who report to me on the financial activities
of each area. Financial Accounting is responsible
for the preparation and submission of quarterly
financial data for the inclusion within
the Total SA Group accounts. Product Accounts
is responsible for reconciling company product
movements together with duty payments to
the UK government. Taxation is responsible
for ensuring that the company complies with
UK taxation law.
I work at the UK’s headquarters with
approximately 30 to 40 % of my time communicating
with the Operational Teams, Business Managers
and Production Managers concerning the financial
management of their operations. My team
and I have to act as “policemen/women”
since we have to ensure the Company complies
with Group accounting principles and UK
taxation and accounting principles.
A Career within
the Group
Total supported me to complete my accounting
exams and they have offered many other training
opportunities including specific management
training and I am currently studying French.
I am satisfied with the way my career is
progressing. I intend to stay in my present
position for another two years because a
new Group European software system is being
implemented in the UK later this year. I
would like my next position to be abroad,
specifically the Group’s Head Office
in Paris. Although working in the UK Finance
department requires knowledge of specific
UK rules I also require knowledge of the
Group’s rules which are common to
all Group companies and should make a move
within Finance easier.
Total has a very positive image, it is an
international and very diverse company where
there are many opportunities for dedicated
people.
In conclusion, Total is a Group that rewards
people who are willing to work hard and
who are not afraid to go overseas by giving
them new and challenging career opportunities.
I would certainly recommend the Group to
young motivated people coming out of school
since Total will offer to those who are
interested and capable the possibility of
training in the field of their skills, to
travel to all parts of the world, to meet
new challenges, and to pursue a career in
a reliable and strong international company.
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