BUSINESS PROBLEM: An infrastructure contractor for one of the world’s largest telecommunications firms needed a financial/management professional to run operations as part of a multi-year contract it had won to build dozens of cell phone towers, from site acquisition to delivery of fully functional units.
SOLUTIONS: This assignment began by helping the owners set up a special purpose entity and finalize contract negotiations to set milestones, disbursements, and cash flow expectations. We oversaw staffing, which entailed hiring a rotating team of 40 subcontractors from eight countries who worked on the phases of this multiyear project. We managed back-office staff, bank and investment accounts, and worked with lawyers and accountants, signing off on payroll, taxes, and contracts. We set up and oversaw a financial control system, with continuous reporting to both the telecoms carrier and the contractor’s owners. At the end of the project, we wound down operations, terminated contracts, and wrapped up loose ends.
ASSIGNMENT: 5 years
RESULTS: We successfully completed the project, building and delivering all the cell phone towers on time and on budget.