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Aggie Russell
PERSONAL STATEMENT
I am a bright and determined ACCA qualified accountant. My pro-active attitude is strengthened by
my enthusiasm and passion for accounting. I have become a quick and efficient learner who can
implement new procedures and proccesess accurately.
My experience to date has exposed me to broad range of financial activities. I am strongly motivted
by challenge in my professional as well as my personal life, driven by problem solving, deadlines,
personal growth and achievement. I am a keen team player, competent with managing my own
personal projects and workload. I have gained excellent knowledge of Excel (including Pivot Tables,
formulae, V lookups, recording simple Macros), SAP – daily use, Cartesis Magnitude, Business
Objects, AS400 Accountancy Software, DPS and Lotus Notes.
EDUCATION
2012 - 2016
ACCA – First Time Passes with 82% in Business Analysis
2007 – 2010
Awarded Diploma in AAT
2003 - 2001
MA in Business English Studies and Economics
School of Marketing Management and Languages, Poland
EXPERIENCE
Nov 10 – Present
FremantleMedia Group, London
FremantleMedia is one of the largest creators, producers and distributors of television brands in the
world. FremantleMedia is part of RTL Group, the leading European entertainment network. It has
some of the world’s most famous formats in its catalogue, and globally produces such programmes
as: Idols, Got Talent and The X Factor
Corporate Accountant, Business Analysis Group, Fremantle Media, London
April 2016 – now
 Key point of contact in absence of Corporate Controller,
 Prepare monthly and quarterly management accounts, producers share, business written,
forecasts and budgets fo the corporate headquarters cost centres,
 Assisting in the production of reports and analysis for annual budget and operating reviews,
 Manage and oversee the Asia licensing management cost centre and rolling forecast for this
region’s revenue,
 Reviewing upload of licensing Budgets and Forecasts to FMIS,
 Monitoring, reviewing and managing the recharge (and allocation) of internal costs against
the format licensing income statement and analyse its profitability. Monitor the timeliness
and accuracy of this recharging process.
 Ensuring efficiency of processes and pro-actively identifying opportunities for process
improvement and commercial enhancement,
 Overseeing credit control for format licensing and licensing for Asia region. Analyse and
monitor Debtors with the Business Services Group AR team, including advising AR on
quarterly bad debt provisions and attending monthly debtors meetings with territories.
 Preparation of management fees (transfer pricing) for a tax department review,
 Two direct reports
This CV has been carefully prepared, in good faith, from details provided by the candidate and is supplied in the strictest confidence.
All introductions of candidates are subject to our Terms of Business, a copy of which is enclosed. References on permanent candidates have not
necessarily been established and we recommend that clients take up their own references upon appointment
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Responsible for the financial side of a project to interface the intercompany billing engine
(SAP platform) with DPS – the royalties distribution system to eliminate problems with
intercompany reconciliations and simplify the processes,
Overall responsibility for a month end close for two legal entities (FremantleMedia Group
and RTL Services UK),
Assistant Corporate Accountant, Business Analysis Group, Fremantle Media, London
January 2014 – March 2016
Following the implementation of two new systems my role has changed considerably and the new
responsibilities were assigned. The role is a pivotal part of the Corporate Controlling Team reporting
to the Corporate Controller. The team is responsible for the accounting of the Corporate Centre, IP
and Central Licensing function.
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Preparation of monthly management accounts for cost centre managers including detailed
variance analysis against the latest forecast and prior year phased budget with
commentaries,
Review of assigned cost centres P/L actuals on monthly basis and preparation of month end
journals, ensuring POs are raised accurately,
Quarterly balance sheet reconciliations ,
Preparation of information needed for the statutory reporting for two entities, assisting in
the review of the statutory packs on quarterly basis
Monthly analysis of prepayments and accruals for corporate centre, preparation and posting
of journals, ensuring the relevant back-up provided to enable accurate balance sheet
reconciliation,
Attend routine meetings with Departmental heads to ensure they aware of their
expenditure, costs are being appropriately controlled and to understand the nature of
departments and issues they face
Detailed ‘bottom up’ forecasting for cost centres (Facilities & Building, Human Resources,
Business Affairs)
Keeping track of Asian and Latin America ancillary, licensing and production deals, reviewing
all supporting documentation and ensuring the transactions are processed in accordance
with contractual arrangements, Fremantle policy and external regulatory requirements,
authorisation of deals in the rights management system,
Working closely with Asia and Latam Fremantle entities to resolve any queries in relation to
the management view for these regions, providing financial information and support to local
management as required,
Challenging overseas entities to ensure accurate reporting and control of the inter-divisional
royalty process,
Responsible for the quarterly forecasting and annual budgeting process for both regions
revenue. This includes the review of the information provided by partners, ensuring the
information is accurate and margins are correct, working closely with Financial Accountant
to ensure all intercompany balances are reconciled on quarterly basis,
Maintenance of rolling forecast for Asia and Latam revenue, liaising with managers and sales
executive to understand the variances, monthly management reporting for these regions.
Ensuring revenue and costs are accrued if necessary, deferred income released according to
revenue recognition rules,
This CV has been carefully prepared, in good faith, from details provided by the candidate and is supplied in the strictest confidence.
All introductions of candidates are subject to our Terms of Business, a copy of which is enclosed. References on permanent candidates have not
necessarily been established and we recommend that clients take up their own references upon appointment
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Analysing and monitoring of Debtors with the Accounts Receivable team, the submission of
quarterly proposal for bad debt to be written off with documented justification,
Assisting in the preparation quarterly transfer pricing (management fees).
Periodic month end assistance to Group Reporting during any team member absence, this
includes EBITA checks for Fremantle partners, intercompany production and ancillary’s
revenue reconciliation.
Review of system generated Embedded Derivatives report.
Preparation of the information and analysis for National Statistics office.
Ensuring Compact Collection Revenue is analysed, uploaded onto system and cost of sales
calculated correctly,
Reconciliation of Petty cash bank account on monthly basis, ensuring the bank account is
regularly top up to meet the production team expenditure requirements,
Review of the cash packs for three UK entities,
Ad-hoc analysis for management reporting, statutory accounts and internal or external
auditors
Key achievements:
Creating the costing master data for Compact Revenue and incorporated into the margin check
report to enable fast review of margins.
Incorporating a new month end P&L check for Intercompany declarations’ billing. This has
resulted in reducing the issues during intercompany elimination process.
Billing Accountant, Business Analysis Group, Fremantle Media, London
December 2012 – January 2014
The newly created role during December 2012 Corporate Centre re-structuration, reporting directly
to the Corporate Controller some responsibilities from previous role were kept and new added
including:
 The control of management budget recharges process (IT Recharges, Rent, SAP License),
 Monthly balance sheet reconciliations for third party royalties account and recharges
account,
 The control of billing to third parties and intercompany partners (management fees, format
production and licensing revenue, IT recharges),
 Assisting in quarterly forecast and annual budgets for worldwide production revenue.
 Assist with the quarterly reconciliation of intercompany balances,
 Monthly margin checks for production and format revenues,
 Monthly management reporting packs,
 Responsible for periodic expenses claims review to ensure the internal policy is followed
 Ensuring income from collection societies is correctly allocated to management view or
distributed to third parties,
 Monthly reconciliation of Inter Divisional Royalties to ensure that third party costs have
been booked correctly, profit margins and all coding are accurate (IDR/TPR Rec),
 Ensuring the recharges balance sheet account is kept to a minimum, the costs are recharged
to third parties and foreign entities in a timely manner
 Working closely with other members of team to improve and speed-up processes in the
newly created department, documenting all procedures and assisting in implementation of
new system,
 Ad-hoc billing as required,
This CV has been carefully prepared, in good faith, from details provided by the candidate and is supplied in the strictest confidence.
All introductions of candidates are subject to our Terms of Business, a copy of which is enclosed. References on permanent candidates have not
necessarily been established and we recommend that clients take up their own references upon appointment
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Preparation of quarterly National Statistics for IT revenue and expenses and management
fees.
Key achievements:
Changed the procedures around third party recharges to speed up the process (changing from
paper filed to electronic back up, sophisticated and consistent coding enabling quick matching
relevant back up to the cost) I have documented this process. This has resulted in decreasing
recharging process from around 8 to 3 months and the reduction of balance sheet cost value by
half.
I have worked with the system developers to successfully implement our team onto new system.
Assistant Accountant UK Intellectual Property Fremantle Media, London
June 2012 – December 2012
This role was made redundant in December 2012 following the announcement of corporate
restructure. The main responsibilities:
 Ensuring intra-divisional royalty declarations are within the group reporting deadlines, are
invoiced or accrued, and the related third party royalty calculated and booked,
 Preparation of invoices to third parties and intercompany partners with thorough supporting
back up documentation,
 Maintaining deferred income and expense balance sheet account
 Responsible for third party royalties accruals balance sheet account reconciliation, regular
allocation of the royalty payments,
 The preparation of the accruals, pre-payments and month end journals,
 Preparation of month-end reconciliations and reports (royalties payable/aged debt)
 Allocation of the flying producer costs ensuring billing of time and expenses is accurate,
 Ensuring production and licensing costs are being appropriately allocated or recharged,
 Support the audit requirements and involvement in the periodic P&L and Balance Sheet
reviews, following through with any required reconciliations or journal adjustments,
 Providing key support to the Financial Accountant in all areas of day to day accounting for
the Business Unit,
 Monthly management reports including: Embedded Derivatives, Aged Debtors and hedging
commitments reports.
Royalties Assistant Fremantle Media, London
November 2010 – June 2012
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Preparation and reconciliation of the beneficiary and agency royalty statements as defined
within the contractual agreements ensuring the royalty files hold sufficient detail for audit
purposes,
This CV has been carefully prepared, in good faith, from details provided by the candidate and is supplied in the strictest confidence.
All introductions of candidates are subject to our Terms of Business, a copy of which is enclosed. References on permanent candidates have not
necessarily been established and we recommend that clients take up their own references upon appointment
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Preparation of the financial journals and payment headers for input into the accounting system
SAP,
Initiating payments to beneficiaries, either by preparation of self-billed invoices or by requesting
the beneficiary to invoice,
Identifying any process improvements to the Royalties manager for discussion,
Communicating both internally and externally to resolve any queries.
Key achievements:
- Few months into the role I was entrusted with the accounting for Got Talent, which is one of
Fremantle’s biggest formats. This task would normally be assigned only to senior member of the
team,
- First person in a couple of years who managed to reconcile NBC statement for America’s Got
Talent, which contained many historic problems and required methodical and persistent
approach.
Credit Controller National Magazine Company, London
March 2008 – November 2010
Accounts Assistant SCF Legal and Corporate Management Services, London
June 2006–March 2008
 Managing the company’s petty cash and preparing expenditure reports. Responsible for petty
cash reconciliation,
 Chasing clients for outstanding payments and negotiating prices,
 Controlling all payments, making sure they are settled on time,
 Processing and dispatching invoices, preparing standing orders,
 Assisting in preparation of annual financial statements for small UK and dormant Gibraltar
companies,
 Assisting in setting up new companies by making sure all legal documentation is accurate.
This CV has been carefully prepared, in good faith, from details provided by the candidate and is supplied in the strictest confidence.
All introductions of candidates are subject to our Terms of Business, a copy of which is enclosed. References on permanent candidates have not
necessarily been established and we recommend that clients take up their own references upon appointment