Vishal Sawant
General Manager - Finance & Accounts
Dahisar East
Summary
Strategic leader with 24 years of experience in Accounts Payable, Procure-to-Pay operations, and Treasury Management within shared services environments. Expertise in managing PO and non-PO invoice processing, payment runs, vendor onboarding, reconciliations, accruals, and closing support, while ensuring robust approval controls, audit trails, and compliance with statutory requirements such as GST and TDS. Skilled in leading AP teams, resolving escalations promptly, and improving aging health metrics. Collaborative partnerships with Procurement, Tax and business teams ensure accurate, timely and compliant payments across multi-entity operations.
Overview
25
25
years of professional experience
1
1
Language
Work History
General Manager – Vendor Administration & Ordering (Shared Services)
ISS Facility Services (India) Pvt. Ltd.
06.2016 - Current
- Lead accounts payable, banking, and treasury functions, managing a team of 23 professionals.
- Led end-to-end Accounts Payable operations across invoice receipt, validation, posting, approvals, payment execution, and vendor reconciliations, improving payment predictability through tighter control checkpoints.
- Team aligning for workload distribution, daily priorities, escalation handling, and review cycles to meet payment schedules, and quality checks.
- Monitored AP aging and open items, then coordinated with business owners and Procurement to close mismatches faster, and prevent repeat discrepancies.
- Improved aging visibility and dispute closure through structured vendor reconciliations, and recurring follow-ups with Procurement and business owners.
- Supported month-end/year-end close by managing accrual inputs, GR/IR reviews, reconciliations, and audit schedules.
- Liaise with banks and financial institutions to optimize fund management and procurement processes.
- Improving Interest Yield on FD - Lock-In of Surplus Funds with Higher Interest Yields
- Handling Banking Landscape Project and ISS India Funds Management.
- Intercompany and Group Accounting/Payments.
- Owned month-end and year-end activities for AP, including accrual support, reconciliations, and schedules required for finance close.
- Updated SOPs and workflow documentation to standardize AP practices across the team, and reduce dependency on individual handling styles.
- Drive process automation, including GST compliance, bank reconciliation, and fund management.
- Oversee daily cash flow, PF trust funds, and investment portfolio management of Rs. 180 crores.
- Ensure compliance with internal controls and regulatory standards through detailed evaluations and audits.
- Monitored financial performance, set budgets and controlled expenses to provide financial stability and long-term organizational growth.
- Cultivated strong relationships with clients, vendors, and partners to ensure long-term success and loyalty.
- Formulated policies and procedures to streamline operations.
- Established comprehensive employee training programs to develop skills, improve productivity, and maintain compliance with industry regulations.
Sr. Manager – Accounts & Finance
Property Solutions (I) Pvt Ltd (Kalpataru Group)
10.2001 - 05.2016
- Managed financial analysis, budgeting cycles, and variance analysis for regional and corporate offices.
- Devised financial strategies in collaboration with CFOs, supporting business growth objectives.
- Budgeting and Forecasting - Preparing the yearly budget, which constitutes revenue, expenses, profit, and cash flow based on historical data, expected penetration/loss in existing business, new sales pipeline, anticipated growth in the market, inorganic growth, etc. Monitoring this against actuals, and modifying the numbers accordingly.
- Monitoring and analyzing the financial and business performance. Checking all the revenue avenues as per the contract to avoid any leakages, and scrutinizing every cost component booked in the system.
- Set up the Finance and Accounts departments across Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, and Delhi.
- Led initiatives to improve cost structures and margin growth through innovative pricing models.
- Directed monthly and annual financial closing activities, and tax compliance reporting.
- Hands-on experience in various FP&A activities, financial planning, forecasting, and P&L monitoring.
- Financial controllership experience in helping organizations drive benefits from low-cost structures through frugal approaches. Innovative pricing models for top-line growth and risk mitigation. Helping drives lower cost structures to allow margin improvement for the organization, including negotiating flexible contracts.
- Implemented and developed operational standards, policies and procedures.
- Established strong relationships with clients and stakeholders, ensuring long-term partnerships and repeat business.
Education
MBA - Finance
Southern New Hampshire University
USA01-2011
Bachelor of Commerce - Finance
Mumbai University
Mumbai01-2001
Skills
ERP System Implementation like P2P, SAP & Microsoft Dynamics NAV & Tally
Process Automation
Treasury & Fund Management
Accounts Payable & Receivable Management
Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A)
Budgeting, Forecasting, & Variance Analysis
Internal Control / Risk Management & Mitigation
Team leadership
Operations management
Project planning
Accomplishments
- Successfully implemented ERP systems (SAP MM Module, Microsoft Dynamics NAV) and GST compliance processes.
- Supported ERP and process transitions by maintaining continuity, updating SOPs, and aligning stakeholders on new workflows.
- Automated vendor payments via Host-to-Host systems, enhancing efficiency and accuracy.
- Implemented the Employee Reimbursement tool - Happay streamlining operational workflows.
- Implemented the Auto Bank Reconciliation.
- Conducted financial health checks and feasibility studies, driving informed decision-making.
- Spearheaded the setup of Finance & Accounts departments across multiple regions.
- Hands-on experience in Group Audits and Internal as well as External Audits.
- Functional expertise in P&L and Cash-flow management.
Timeline
General Manager – Vendor Administration & Ordering (Shared Services)
ISS Facility Services (India) Pvt. Ltd.
06.2016 - Current
Sr. Manager – Accounts & Finance
Property Solutions (I) Pvt Ltd (Kalpataru Group)
10.2001 - 05.2016
MBA - Finance
Southern New Hampshire University
Bachelor of Commerce - Finance
Mumbai University
Languages Known
English, Hindi and Marathi