Winistella Minayo Opati

Responsible for Strategic, commercial, supply chain and overheads business control functions. I spearheaded the implementation of the Evergreen strategy and OpCo Ambition, overseeing strategic planning, annual planning, rolling forecasts, and performance management for a €100M revenue operation.

I led the finance workstream in the integration of the Distell acquisition (contributed to +40% incremental revenue & Gross profit, over 20 brands of ciders, wines & spirits to the existing beer portfolio) ensuring seamless alignment of processes, systems, and reporting, including advocating for and implementing standard costing for imported finished goods in line with anticipated future adoption of new reporting standards.

Restructured and enhanced the Business Control team, clarifying roles, supporting professional development, and building a sustainable business partnering framework.

Drove the successful deployment and embedding of a global Profitability & Variance Analysis tool and recognized as a best practice within AME region.

Developed and implemented advanced Excel-based financial planning tools and trackers, significantly improving forecast accuracy, budget management, strategic decision-making, and performance tracking. Played a key role in route to consumer change through extensive value chain reviews, white space and opportunity analysis and scenario planning, identifying and unlocking new growth opportunities.

• Business Partner, Management Team: Facilitated the execution of the Evergreen strategy and OpCo Ambition, enhancing strategic and annual planning processes and rolling forecasts. Spearheaded revenue and cost optimization initiatives through comprehensive business analysis.
• Leadership in Business Integrations and Mergers: Directed finance integration during the AMEE & Europe Export and Global Duty Free merger into EMEA & GDF. Ensured robust finance process alignment and reporting, managed critical business transfers (e.g., Bosnia to Croatia), and streamlined consolidation reporting. Led the development of a new business control team to enhance post-merger operations.
• Business Case Development: Pivotal in formulating business cases for growth, focusing on new delivery models, market entries through licensing or brownfield investments, and optimizing sourcing strategies (e.g., sourcing Amstel Malt from Egypt, Mutzig from Burundi, and establishing a new greenfield operation in UAE).
• Advanced Planning Tool Implementation: Spearheaded the adoption of the PBI planning tool, transitioned to S&OP Fit Blue Yonder, and Anaplan systems to bolster financial planning and operational efficiencies. Successfully rolled out RoFo and AP PBI tools, significantly enhancing financial planning capabilities.

• In my role, I served as the primary business partner for the Africa, Middle East, and Eastern Europe (AMEEE) Export organization, specializing in planning & governance, revenue management, and commercial controlling across 47 export markets
• As an individual contributor, I reported directly to the Finance Manager of AMEE Export and had a dotted line reporting relationship to the Revenue Manager of the AMEE region
• Although I had no direct reports, I actively collaborated with the export teams to drive strategic initiatives and achieve organizational goals
• KEY ACHIEVEMENTS
• Heineken Governance Cycle Execution: Successfully implemented a new integrated forecasting process and tools, facilitating the OpCo's transition to the newly introduced Rolling Forecast (RoFo)
• Strategic Partnership with Area Export Managers: Collaborated closely with Area Export Managers to support strategic and tactical decision-making, develop commercial business plans, and build business cases
• Also focused on identifying risks and opportunities to enhance business outcomes
• Analysis and Insight generation during COVID-19: Provided crucial analyses and business insights that steered the company through the COVID-19 pandemic, effectively protecting margins and sustaining growth despite widespread disruptions
• Revenue Management in Export Markets During COVID-19: Implemented Revenue Management best practices in a challenging export environment during the COVID-19 pandemic, including deploying a SKU Mix Covid response tool and revising discounts and trade terms in 2020 to drive growth
• Credit Management Process Overhaul: Revamped an inefficient and ineffective credit management process, which led to a significant EUR 10 million reduction in receivables and fostered a positive credit management culture within the business

• As part of a newly established OpCo with greenfield ambitions, I was responsible for setting up the Business Control Function, implementing the global finance agenda, and driving efficiency within Business Control
• I supported the Opco MT in strategy development, facilitating effective business decision-making and optimizing resource allocation
• KEY ACHIEVEMENTS
• Established and led the Business Control function in East Africa, pioneering local business control activities, integrated the HEINEKEN Governance cycle and developed a team/operation in accordance with the business-partnering framework
• I led the HEINEKEN East Africa Business Model Review project team, conducting comprehensive gap assessments, market analysis, and stakeholder management, which culminated in strategic recommendations for either local sourcing or maintaining an export-only model
• Innovated distributor incentives and trade term structures, which simplified operational schemes, elevated customer satisfaction, and reversed negative sales trends, yielding an increase of over EUR 2 million in annual revenue starting in Q1 2018
• Initiated and guided a cost optimization team (COT) that identified key operational efficiencies and implemented scalable improvements, resulting in EUR 1.4 million and EUR 600,000 in cost savings in 2016 and 2017, respectively

• I was the Business Partner for the newly established OpCo Management Team and Commercial Teams, and ensured effective business decisions were made
• KEY ACHIEVEMENTS
• I co-led the transition and set-up of the region’s finance activities from an external company to an in-house back-office
• This involved implementation of systems as the SAP roll out manager, documentation of finance processes, and collaboration of all key stakeholders locally and in the regional and global office
• Kick-started the CIL finance reporting in East Africa, previously handled by the global finance team, and ensured stabilization and improvement in OTIF scores
• I was appointed as the Subject Matter Expert on global reporting
• Aligned local planning and budgeting practices with HEINEKEN's global standards

• I led the planning, execution, and completion of financial statement audits across multiple sectors, directing teams of 2 to 7 audit associates
• I was responsible for presenting comprehensive audit reports to the Board Audit Committees and Management teams of the client organizations, ensuring clear communication of key insights and recommendations
• KEY ACHIEVEMENTS
• Development of Financial Prospectus for one of the largest public listing in Nairobi Securities Exchange
• Client winning the financial reporting (FIRE) award for high-quality financial report in 2012