Damien Ash
Essendon West,Victoria
Summary
Organized and dependable candidate successful at managing multiple priorities with a positive attitude. Willingness to take on added responsibilities to meet team goals.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
Work History
Head of Investment Operations and Finance
Cooper Investors Pty Ltd
09.2023 - Current
- Head of Investment Operations and Finance duties involve: All items mentioned above under Fund Accounting Manager role
- Management of CI’s Client Communication and On-boarding Officer
- Responsible for sourcing and appointing CI’s new Custodian and Registry provider
- Responsible for CI’s transition to its new Custody and Registry providers (go live date Q2 2024)
- Key member of OMS replacement working group
- Key operational team member that supports CI’s Quant team
- Key operational team member that supports CI’s Marketing and Distribution team
- Responsible for the management of CI’s mandates surplus cash (including modelling and executing orders in CI’s OMS).
- Hired, managed, developed and trained staff, established and monitored goals, conducted performance reviews and administered salaries for staff.
Fund Accounting Manager
Cooper Investors Pty Ltd
06.2016 - 09.2023
- Fund Accounting Manager duties involve: Management of CI’s Fund Accounting (average team head count 5)
- Management of CI’s Custody and Registry partners
- Management of CI’s audits, GS007 and Financial Statements (both CI’s Trusts and CI’s corporate entities Responsible for monthly/quarterly mandate reporting production and delivery
- Responsible for reconciliation and production of all CI’s Factset based attribution reporting
- Key member of CI’s Risk Committee
- Responsible for the operational setup of all new CI products (Trusts and Mandates)
- Responsible for all CI transitions
- Responsible for driving new initiatives to improves CI’s operational capabilities
- Proving direct support to CI’s CFO on all corporate accounting and tax matters (BAS, Tax Returns, Financial Statements, Payroll Tax, FBT, Employee Share Scheme, Accounts Payable and Payment Times Reporting)
- Responsible for all CI products tax and accounting matters
- Member of CI’s IT initiatives working group
- Responsible for managing CI’s participation in Class Actions.
Fund Accountant/Senior Fund Accountant
Cooper Investors Pty Ltd
11.2007 - 06.2016
- Fund Accountant/Senior Fund Accountant duties involve: Daily investment reconciliations
- Preparing fee payment instructions (including the calculation of performance fees on both a gross and net of tax basis)
- Instructing custodian on corporate actions
- Ensuring corporate actions are processed correctly (including off market share buy-backs in respect of offering clients guidance on the after-tax outcomes of participating in these events)
- Reviewing unit prices on a weekly basis
- Reviewing performance attribution/contribution to return monthly for Australian Equity, Global Equity and Asian Equity portfolios
- Reviewing gross and net performance reports monthly
- Reviewing After tax performance reports monthly (includes both pre and post liquidation methods)
- Reviewing and lodging quarterly BAS for several Trusts
- Reviewing Trust statutory accounts
- Reviewing Trust distribution calculations
- Preparing and reviewing Trust tax returns
- Liaising with brokers and custodians daily to ensure domestic and foreign trades are settled.
- Liaising with Fund Managers to ensure front office investment system is updated and reconciled before trading begins each day.
- Reviewing ABS surveys
- Preparing quarterly consultant reports for Australian Equity, Global Equity and Asian Equity clients
- Monitoring foreign exchange hedging daily for both Trusts and mandate clients
- Preparing registry instructions
- Reviewing registry transaction
- Run and analysis various risk models throughout the month to monitor various risk matrixes.
- These results are included in a monthly risk management meeting
- Coordinating and instructing on transitions
- Preparing various reports to meet Superannuation clients My Super requirements
- Checking and reviewing pre trade compliance on trading in respect of the after-tax consequences of the proposed trading
- Completing CI company BAS
- Reviewing CI company accounts
- Key member of CRM implementation team
- Key member of Attribution system implementation team
- Updating and maintaining CRM database
- Direct point of contact for clients
- Direct point of contact for auditors
- Directly managing a Fund Accountant within the Fund Accounting team.
Assistant Team Leader-Fund Accounting & Investment Accounting
National Custodian Services (NAB)
11.2004 - 11.2007
- Assistant Team Leader-Fund Accounting duties involved: Calculating quarterly and annual distributions
- Calculating quarterly and annual tax provisions
- Preparing half yearly and annual statutory accounts for both Unit trusts and PST’s
- Preparing consolidated statutory accounts
- Calculating MER’s
- APRA returns quarterly and annually
- ABS surveys
- Registry reconciliations
- Reviewing of distributions, statutory accounts and MER’s
- 45-day rule report running
- Training new staff members
- Timetabling
- Direct point of contact for clients
- Direct point of contact for auditors
- Investment Accounting duties involved: Checking trades were processed correctly
- Checking corporate actions
- Checking NAV’s
- Checking derivative valuations and processing
- Preparing fee payment instructions
- Bank reconciliations
- Daily General Ledger reconciliations
- Reviewing of daily deliverables
- Meeting strict daily deliverable deadlines
- Liaising with client daily
- Liaising with different areas of the custody business such as corporate actions, registry, unit pricing, ISV and information control on a daily basis.
Education
CPA program -
CPA
01.2009
Bachelor of Business Accounting -
Victoria University of Technology
Melbourne, VIC01.2004
Year 12 (V.C.E.) -
Salesian College "Rupertswood"
Sunbury, VIC01.2000
Skills
- Have a strong knowledge of the fund management industry
- Experience with several of Australia’s leading fund managers
- Strong knowledge of the investment industry and have worked with derivatives, listed and unlisted property trusts and fixed interest products
- Work closely and supported all teams across CI Business (Investment, Compliance, Marketing/Distribution and Quant teams)
- Analytical and Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Flexible and Adaptable
Personal Qualities
- The desire to succeed and take initiatives.
- Exceptional communication skills.
- A sharp eye for detail and analytical competency.
- Proven financial analysis ability.
- Experience dealing with management of different levels from Managing Directors through to junior team members.
- Customer Service experience in several different industries.
- Effective presentation skills - to both individuals and an audience.
- Professionalism and business accruement.
- The ability to work individually, or in a team-based environment.
- High level of computer literacy
Other
Full Victorian Driver’s License., Playing sport., Camping, fishing, surfing, and travel., Reading books and listening to variety of music
Telephone
0412 819 653
Personal Information
- Marital Status: Married
- Date of Birth: 01/13/83
References
Available upon request.
Timeline
Head of Investment Operations and Finance
Cooper Investors Pty Ltd
09.2023 - Current
Fund Accounting Manager
Cooper Investors Pty Ltd
06.2016 - 09.2023
Fund Accountant/Senior Fund Accountant
Cooper Investors Pty Ltd
11.2007 - 06.2016
Assistant Team Leader-Fund Accounting & Investment Accounting
National Custodian Services (NAB)
11.2004 - 11.2007
CPA program -
CPA
Bachelor of Business Accounting -
Victoria University of Technology
Year 12 (V.C.E.) -
Salesian College "Rupertswood"
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