Abani K. J.

The Pinnacle of Industry Stewardship & Policy Advocacy As the Chairman of the CFO Council at ASSOCHAM, one of India’s most influential apex chambers, I lead an elite think-tank of the nation’s top financial minds. This role positions me at the critical intersection of global finance and national policy, where I represent the collective voice of India’s corporate sector to drive fiscal reforms and economic growth. Strategic Impact on the Industrial Ecosystem: I serve as a high-level liaison between private enterprise and the highest echelons of government, including the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, and SEBI. Policy Architecture: I lead representations on transformative issues such as GST rationalization, International Tax treaties, and the 'Public-Ready' framework for mid-market firms. Institutional Endorsement: By promoting world-class governance and ESG-led standards, I help the Indian industry attract the FDI, FPI, and Multilateral financing essential for large-scale expansion. Systemic Problem Solving: I act as a strategic mediator to resolve regulatory bottlenecks affecting critical sectors like Renewable Energy, Manufacturing, and DeepTech. Unparalleled Strategic Value to My Organization: My leadership at ASSOCHAM provides my current and future organizations with a unique "Strategic Moat": Anticipatory Governance: I gain early-stage visibility into legislative shifts, allowing the Board to adopt a "first-mover" advantage in risk mitigation. Regulatory Diplomacy: My direct connectivity with ministries facilitates the seamless resolution of complex fiscal issues, from tax litigation to project approvals. Global Network Access: I leverage an elite ecosystem of multilateral banks and PE giants, significantly lowering the barrier to low-cost global capital and M&A opportunities. In this role, I do not merely manage finance; I lead the platform that defines how finance operates in the world’s fastest-growing economy.

Strategic Capital Markets & IPO Engineering: Landmark Main Board IPO: Spearheaded the end-to-end execution of the IPO for India’s youngest and fastest-growing solar module manufacturer. This involved navigating extreme market volatility to achieve a 10x oversubscription. I personally managed the drafting of the DRHP, lead manager selection, and conducted extensive global roadshows to anchor the book with marquee institutional investors. Complex Debt Architecture: Successfully syndicated a monumental ₹2,000Cr($240M+) term debt facility for a massive greenfield expansion in Odisha. Additionally, I secured ₹1,500Cr for the MP project, ensuring a zero-gap funding plan for the group’s aggressive manufacturing roadmap. Multilateral & Global Credibility: A key highlight was securing high-value funding from a consortium of government banks and multilateral financial organizations. This was a strategic move to validate the group's ESG framework, corporate governance, and operational integrity on an international stage, effectively lowering our long-term cost of capital. Innovative Funding: Engineered a ₹200 Cr structured quasi-equity solution for the promoters, providing the necessary leverage to launch new business verticals without diluting core control prematurely. Operational Excellence & Digital Transformation: ERP & Systems Leadership: Directed the full-scale implementation of SAP S/4HANA (RISE). This project wasn't just a technical upgrade but a business transformation that integrated multi-locational manufacturing plants into a single "Digital Core," enabling real-time P&L tracking and automated internal controls (ICFR). Strategic Expansion & M&A: Led the acquisition of a prominent agro-chemical business from a global private entity, overseeing due diligence, valuation, and post-merger integration. I also played a pivotal role in launching the Solar Pumps, Inverters, and Solar Cells divisions, transforming the group into a 360-degree renewable energy player.

Global Scaling in DeepTech/SaaS: International Market Entry: Architected the financial and legal framework for global expansion across the USA, Canada, Singapore, Dubai, and SE Asia. This included setting up overseas subsidiaries, optimizing global tax structures, and managing multi-currency cash flows for a high-growth AI-powered SaaS platform. Equity & Venture Debt Syndication: Successfully closed a $25M Series-A funding round by pitching to top-tier global Private Equity firms. Complementing this, I raised $12.5M in Venture Debt from two major Indian funds to fuel R&D and global sales team expansion while minimizing equity dilution. NASDAQ Readiness & SEC Compliance: Led the internal audit and financial restructuring required for a planned NASDAQ listing. I coordinated with Big-4 auditors and US-based legal counsel to align financial statements with US-GAAP and established a robust "Public-Ready" governance culture. Strategic Financial Management: Transfer Pricing & International Tax: Developed a sophisticated transfer pricing policy to handle cross-border IP licensing and service fees, ensuring 100% compliance across all operating jurisdictions. Board & Investor Relations: Functioned as a core Board Member, providing the founders with strategic data on CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost), LTV (Lifetime Value), and Burn-Rate optimization. My role was critical in professionalizing the board-reporting standards to match international PE requirements. Digital Governance: Implemented automated financial modeling and BI tools to provide the leadership team with predictive analytics, moving the finance function from a descriptive to a prescriptive state.

1. Spearheaded Jindal's ambitious endeavour to secure a USD 90mn debt infusion from a premier American financial institution. 2. Orchestrated and guided a consortium of top-tier consultants including EY and McKinsey in multifaceted projects targeting enhanced productivity, heightened profitability, and streamlined processes, with a special focus on elevating our reputation management initiatives. 3. Swiftly secured tax refunds exceeding USD 8mn,demonstrating agile financial acumen and resourcefulness. 4. Directed the strategic acquisition of two prominent companies in Italy, fortifying Jindal's global footprint and market presence. 5. Pioneered the strategic initiative to list Jindal's American business on the prestigious NYSE, amplifying brand visibility & investor appeal. 6. Catalysed a comprehensive drive to liquidate obsolete inventory across our USA facilities, optimizing operational efficiency and capital allocation. 7. Guided Jindal's leadership cadre in a paradigm-shifting exercise to redefine logistics expenditure, resulting in recurrent savings amounting to millions of dollars annually. 8. Architected innovative incentive schemes tailored for our dynamic sales force, incentivizing peak performance and fostering a culture of excellence. 9. Crafted and executed comprehensive global manufacturing and sales strategies, aligning organizational objectives with market dynamics for sustained growth and competitiveness. 10. Spearheaded targeted research efforts to identify prime M&A prospects and conceptualized robust strategies for greenfield ventures, driving Jindal's expansion into new markets & sectors. 11. Led multifaceted initiatives in COPT,efficiency enhancement & proactive cost reduction, driving bottom-line improvements and Ops excellence. 12. Headed a global team overseeing comprehensive compliance measures encompassing tax,audit & other regulatory obligations,while also mitigating risks across technology, finance,operational domains through robust MIS.

IPO & Crisis Leadership: • Orchestrated a successful IPO despite COVID challenges, achieving a 160x oversubscription. • Implemented a 3-phase disaster recovery plan during COVID, ensuring uninterrupted operations and employee well-being. Financial Expertise: • Led EMT IPO, ensuring compliance with SEBI regulations and managing global F&A operations. • Implemented robust financial controls and optimized operational efficiencies across diverse regions. Growth & Strategy: • Guided team to expand existing ventures and explore new opportunities, focusing on value-added services and strategic partnerships. • Championed comprehensive risk management and implemented mitigation plans for business agility. Financial Performance & Communication: • Managed working capital, facilitated agile decision-making with data insights. • Formulated and executed a successful fundraising strategy, exceeding targets. • Conducted performance evaluations, implemented corrective measures, and optimized financial processes. • Presented financial reports & insights to leadership for strategic decision-making. Investor Relations: • Cultivated strong investor relations, fostering trust and transparency for long-term growth.

As Global CFO of Epoxy I provided comprehensive leadership across diverse sectors including mfg, services,and trading. My role extended beyond traditional financial management to actively shaping company strategy & growth initiatives as a member of the High Empowered Team. One of my key contributions was enhancing financial decision-making through insightful analysis, projections,and reporting. By implementing scalable financial controls and innovative pricing models,I ensured the company's financial health remained robust amidst market fluctuations.Additionally, supported sales teams in strategic pricing initiatives & facilitated the development of business cases for new ventures,driving revenue growth & profitability. Managing risks was another critical aspect of my role.I took a proactive approach to identify and mitigate risks,enabling the organization to navigate challenges effectively.My efforts in developing compliance models and factoring strategies contributed significantly to achieving performance and expansion goals, such as establishing a repackaging center in Houston for specialized chemicals. Budget optimization was a continuous focus area.I spearheaded the creation/execution of annual budgets,prioritizing working capital optimization,profit monitoring and internal control strengthening.This disciplined approach ensured financial resources were allocated efficiently,supporting sustainable growth objectives. Collaboration with the Board and Leadership was instrumental in translating overarching strategies into actionable regional business plans.By fostering strong financial alignment,we were able to drive execution excellence & achieve targeted outcomes across geographies. I also played a pivotal role in the company's growth trajectory through successful acquisitions & customer acquisition initiatives across Europe and the US.These strategic moves expanded our market presence and diversified revenue streams, enhancing overall business resilience.

Worked with Aditya Birla Group; proven skills in managing end-to-end Finance, Accounts & Commercial functions in manufacturing, service and trading industry Member of the High Empowered Team; shouldered with the responsibilities of managing company’s strategy, growth, capital deployment and execution. Provided insight to the financial decision-making process through analysis, financial projections (planning, budgeting and forecasting) and reporting; introduced scalable financial controls in operations; developed unique and flexible pricing models. Provided support on pricing decisions and creation of models; assisted Sales in the development and evaluation of business cases for new business lines and products & capital expenditures Managed corporate, operational and financial risks; identified risks, proposed and monitored action to be taken by the board and senior executives Key role in developing Sustainable Model for compliance, Stock & Sales Model across Europe, USA for achieving top/bottom line Performance & Factoring Model for expanding business in Eastern Europe and Turkey which resulted in achieving THB 15 M at profitability level Significant experience in conceptualizing and implementing annual budgets with working capital management, profit monitoring and building internal financial controls Worked closely with the Board & Top Management in devising a financial plans that supported the company’s business strategy; formulated business plans, translated strategies into executable plans in the region with a large team Impressive success in providing leadership on acquisitions; successfully developed 100’s of new customers in Europe and USA Ensured statutory reporting, annual accounts, audits, taxation & legal compliances with rich experience of Income Tax, GST in India. Successfully drove new systems including SAP implementation, managed financials, and negotiated with the Banks & FI's.

Significant Accomplishments: Managed variety of tasks such as development and implementation of SOPs, process manuals, internal control procedures, hiring of managers, establishment of marketing office and so on Formed tie-ups with competition for common benefits against the government competition.

Significant Accomplishments: * Assisted Business Head in planning & Execution of Fruits & Vegetable vertical within Foods & Agri Business and presented many research papers and business plans to the chairman office/Business Head office. *Handled multiple role as Head- Finance & Commercial for Fruits & Vegetable business in India and at the same time worked as State Finance & Commercial Head of Andhra Pradesh operation and Maharashtra operation and contributed significantly in starting up of first Sahkari Bhandar store in Matunga, Mumbai and Reliance Fresh store in Panjagutta, Hyderabad. * Worked also as SAP- Lead for configuration of entire fruits and vegetable business across India. * Worked as Central Master guardian for Suppliers, Customers, Credit and Material for across verticals. * Handled cash distribution for purchases across 1800 fruits & vegetable mandis in India. *Negotiated and entered into the largest wholesale Apple contract in India from the farmers directly

Was responsible for operation of Indian Center which including all activities likes Accounting, Finance, Commercial, Operations, Contracting etc from the suppliers from countries liked India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka etc and report to head office at MA, USA.

Responsible to handle following: 1. Statutory Audit 2. Internal Audit 3. Incorporation of Companies 4. Tax compliances & Tax Audit 5. Process Audit 6. Investigation Audit 7. Business Process Reengineering 8. Individual/Partnership tax files & Returns