CFO-As-A-Service · Finance Transformation
Ernest SONG
Chief Growth & Transformation Officer
15+ years across multi-entity, multi-country organisations (BE, FR, NL). I turn complex finance into clear, growth-driven decisions — from multi-year Medium-Term Plans to M&A due diligence and post-acquisition integration.
FP&A✦P&L✦Financial Modelling✦Consolidation✦Group Controlling✦Cash Flow Management✦CAPEX Planning✦M&A✦Finance Transformation✦RPA✦Business Intelligence✦Change Management✦ [object Object][object Object][object Object][object Object][object Object][object Object]
15+ Years ✦ Finance & transformation leadership
4× ✦ Valuation multiple · Vinci Airports
50+ ✦ Locations deployed across countries
€3M ✦ Capital raised as interim CFO
1,500+ ✦ Bookings ingested per close (zero-intervention ETL)
12 ✦ Senior roles across BE · FR · NL · PT
15+ Years ✦ Finance & transformation leadership
4× ✦ Valuation multiple · Vinci Airports
50+ ✦ Locations deployed across countries
€3M ✦ Capital raised as interim CFO
1,500+ ✦ Bookings ingested per close (zero-intervention ETL)
12 ✦ Senior roles across BE · FR · NL · PT
At a glance
Numbers that back the narrative.
15+ yrs Finance & transformation leadership
4x Acquisition-value creation at Vinci Airports
50+ Locations deployed across countries
€3M Raised as interim CFO
1,500+ Bookings ingested per close (zero-intervention ETL)
12 Senior roles across BE, FR, NL, PT
Where the impact has been
Experience
From audit to boardroom — finance transformation, country by country.
Filter by field — every experience tagged with that category
Strategic Business Analyst & Finance Automation Lead
Engie SEM · Energy
Freelancer SAP / ERP Transformation Financial Reporting / IFRS Financial Planning & Control Business Analysis Finance Automation Project Management
▾ Show tasks
- Led the financial controlling pilot phase for the SAP S/4HANA migration across French subsidiaries, bridging IT architecture and strategic business operations.
- Designed, built and deployed an automated budget-modeling tool from scratch within a 2-week timeline, ensuring operational continuity during a resource gap.
- Streamlined financial closing for commodity trading with PowerQuery ETL workflows, safely ingesting 1,500+ bookings per close with zero human intervention.
- Reconciled financial data between middle-office databases (IVDB) and SAP S/4HANA while restructuring WBS project codes to optimize portfolio monitoring.
Senior Operational Excellence & Data Lead
Holcim · Construction Materials
Freelancer SAP / ERP Transformation Financial Planning & Control Business Analysis Finance Automation Data Management Strategy Project Management
▾ Show tasks
- Supported post-M&A integration and group controlling, leveraging data insights to restructure workflows and enhance efficiency.
- Managed SAP HANA migration, restructuring data and ensuring system integrity.
- Developed rebate models (matrix & automated SAP), aligning with commercial strategy.
- Implemented Qliksense with new data for financial reporting and insights.
- Ensured data reliability and liaised with auditors on rebate matters.
Cash Flow & Financial Modeling Specialist
Engie Tractebel · Energy
Freelancer SAP / ERP Transformation Financial Reporting / IFRS Financial Planning & Control Financial Modelling & Cash Flow Business Intelligence
▾ Show tasks
- Designed cash-flow reporting and cash-exposure modeling per project.
- Assessed financing needs in the local entity, with credit analysis of specific counterparts and impairment testing.
- Developed financial modeling from SAP HANA data and designed Power BI reporting.
Investment & Corporate Development Analyst
Shurgard · Real Estate
Freelancer Group Controlling & M&A Business Intelligence Artificial Intelligence Finance Automation
▾ Show tasks
- Analyzed and managed real-estate projects, including construction, redevelopment and acquisition of self-storage businesses.
- Maintained a project dashboard and initiated corporate-development projects to improve department policies.
- Designed the data model and visualization for the Investment department's Business Intelligence efforts.
- Collaborated on a new pricing model using Artificial Intelligence.
Head of Controlling
Magnetrap · Technology / Consulting
Internal Financial Reporting / IFRS Financial Planning & Control Financial Modelling & Cash Flow Interim CFO / Fundraising Business Intelligence
▾ Show tasks
- Implemented budgeting, forecasting, and financial control systems.
- Created cash flow projections, business plans, and long-term financial goals.
- Monitored company performance and implemented corrective actions as needed.
- Prepared operating results reports and managed financial models for long-term use.
Director Business Process Automation
Tobania · Technology / SaaS
Internal Finance Automation Business Intelligence Business Analysis Strategy Business Development Marketing
▾ Show tasks
- Led development and implementation of a citizen-developer business model using RPA and self-service BI, including pricing strategy and roadmap.
- Managed business development including marketing strategy, pre-sales and sales, and identified new opportunities.
- Implemented process optimization, standardization and harmonization to improve efficiency and profitability.
- Provided tailored reports to help customers monitor costs and established change-management structures for adoption.
Founder
Soap collect · Non-profit
Internal Non-profit & Community
▾ Show tasks
- Established a non-profit providing hygiene products to disadvantaged communities.
- Formed partnerships with luxury hotel chains to source used soap for reconditioning.
Performance Management Project Leader
Degroof Petercam · Construction
Finance Transformation Financial Reporting / IFRS Project Management Gap Analysis
▾ Show tasks
- Finance Transformation Operating Model (FTOM).
- Designed and implemented a client-centric performance-management system.
- Optimized the finance-close process for improved governance, internal control and data quality.
- Led projects related to regulatory-reporting sourcing and followed BPM standards.
- Conducted gap analysis of business requirements against existing procedures.
Managing Director & Head of Project Financial Modeling
Vinci Airports · Aviation / Infrastructure
Cursus Grand Talent Financial Reporting / IFRS Financial Modelling & Cash Flow Strategy Negotiation Financial Planning & Control Business Intelligence
▾ Show tasks
- Value creation: valuation at 4 times acquisition cost.
- Led deployment of airport operations at 50+ locations in various countries.
- Developed a long-term financial business model including macroeconomic impact, capital expenditures and concession valuation.
- Negotiated extension of the concession contract with Portuguese authorities and implemented a new financial model to improve budgeting and forecasting.
- Managed accounting and financial reporting in accordance with BE-GAAP standards.
Reporting Consolidation Manager
Rexel · Electrical Distribution
Internal Financial Reporting / IFRS SAP / ERP Transformation Financial Planning & Control
▾ Show tasks
- Led the implementation of IFRS financial reporting for Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Canadian subsidiaries.
- Spearheaded the restructuring and integration of SAP BPC and Cognos reporting systems.
- Performed annual budgeting, monthly forecasting and analyses of actual vs. budgeted results.
- Led the strategic-planning process for the organization.
Financial Auditor Supervisor
KPMG Audit · Professional Services (Audit)
Internal Auditing & Compliance Financial Modelling & Cash Flow Financial Reporting / IFRS
▾ Show tasks
- Conducted audits using various accounting standards, including testing key processes in accordance with SOX requirements.
- Experienced in auditing financial modeling for long-term contracts, especially Public-Private Partnerships (PPP).
- Certified FP7 Grant Agreements for the EU Research program and led audit teams.
- Developed partnerships and identified new markets to support business growth.
- Key clients span Construction (Vinci, Eiffage, Colas), Real estate (Nexity), Water distribution (Veolia), Parcels distribution (Geopost), Security (Brink's) and Healthcare (DomusVie).
Deputy CFO Trainee
ICM – Brain & Spine Institute · Healthcare / Non-profit
Internal Financial Planning & Control Auditing & Compliance
▾ Show tasks
- Implemented the budget system and prepared business plans for the scientific teams.
- Established the internal-control system for purchasing and donation processes and managed bank reconciliation.
- Prepared the institutional audit necessary for certification by the Comité de la Charte.
Proof of impact
Impact stories
Structured STAR cases with quantified financial outcomes — the numbers behind the roles.
4× Valuation Multiple
Concession Valuation & Value Creation
Vinci Airports
- Situation
- Led MD-financial-modeling for an airport-operations rollout across 50+ sites in multiple countries, requiring a consolidated, defensible financial model.
- Task
- Build a long-term financial business model capturing macroeconomic impact, capital expenditures and concession valuation.
- Action
- Negotiated the concession contract extension with Portuguese authorities and implemented a new budgeting/forecasting framework; delivered BE-GAAP reporting throughout.
- Result
- Realised a 4× valuation multiple on acquisition cost; scaled operations to 50+ locations across countries.
1,500+ Bookings / Close
Finance Automation & SAP Migration
Engie SEM
- Situation
- SAP S/4HANA migration across French subsidiaries needed financial-controlling continuity during a resource gap.
- Task
- Ensure operational continuity of the commodity-trading close while migrating to a new ERP.
- Action
- Built and deployed an automated budget-modeling tool in a 2-week timeline; implemented PowerQuery ETL workflows for the trading close.
- Result
- Ingested 1,500+ bookings per close with zero human intervention; restructured WWS project codes to optimise portfolio monitoring.
€3M Capital Raised
Interim CFO · Capital Raise
Magnetrap
- Situation
- Company required interim CFO leadership and growth capital to scale operations.
- Task
- Arrange debt/equity funding, establish financial control and produce a long-term financial plan.
- Action
- Acted as interim CFO, organised €3M in debt/equity fund raises and built cash-flow projections, business plans and long-term goals.
- Result
- Closed a €3M capital raise and stabilised operations with running results reporting.
Post-M&A Integration
M&A Integration & Group Reporting
Holcim
- Situation
- Post-M&A integration and group controlling required reliable, consolidated reporting.
- Task
- Ensure data reliability, align rebate strategy with commercial goals and migrate to a new ERP.
- Action
- Managed the SAP HANA migration; developed rebate models (matrix & automated SAP); implemented Qliksense for financial reporting.
- Result
- Delivered integrated group reporting and enabled data-driven workflow restructuring.
SOX Compliance Assurance
Audit & PPP / Grant Assurance
KPMG Audit
- Situation
- Audit coverage of Public-Private Partnership contracts and EU Research grant agreements.
- Task
- Assure compliance with SOX and certify EU Research grant agreements.
- Action
- Conducted audits against multiple accounting standards; certified FP7 Grant Agreements and led audit teams.
- Result
- Clean SOX compliance assurance and grant certification for the EU Research programme.
What I bring
Capabilities
Financial control, from the daily close to the strategy table.
Planning & Forecasting
Medium-Term Plan (Multi-Year Business Planning)
P&L Analysis & Forecasting
Reporting & Consolidation
Consolidation & Financial Reporting (IFRS / BE-GAAP)
Group Controlling
Cash & CAPEX
Cash Flow Management
Working Capital Management
CAPEX Planning
M&A
Investor Support & Financial Modelling
M&A: Due Diligence & Post-Acquisition Integration
Working tools
Working Tools
Business
B MS Office (advanced Excel, Power Query)
ERP
E SAP HANA
Business Intelligence
B MS Power BI
B QlikSense
B Business Object
B Cognos
B Hyperion
RPA
R UIpath
R MS PowerAutomate
Agile
A Jira
A Confluence
Data & Analytics
D VBA
D SQL
D R
Foundation
Education
ESCP Business School
Specialized Master's degree · Auditing and Consulting
Université Paris Nanterre
Master's degree · Management Science and Financial Control
Credentials
Credentials & Press
ESCP Business School
Specialized Master's · Auditing and Consulting · #1 FT 2026
Université Paris Nanterre
Master's · Management Science and Financial Control
FP7 Grant Certification
EU Research grant-agreement certification
CFO-As-A-Service for growth-stage SMEs
Finance Transformation · From audit to boardroom
Communication
Languages
Native
FrenchKhmerTeochew
Proficient
English
Basics
Dutch (A2)SpanishMandarin
Interpersonal: Fast-learner · Problem solver · Diplomacy · Driven · Autonomous · Teamplayer
Next steps
Let's build something.
Open to CFO, FP&A and finance-transformation engagements — remotely or on-site.
Brussels, BE · Available for remote & relocation
Book a 30-min intro call
Select a time that suits. I'll confirm by email.
Can't find a slot? Email me directly.