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John Bower

Director - Finance

Phone number: +41 41 588 1861

Email: john.bower@emearecruitment.com

Director - Finance

John is a specialist recruiter with over 20 years of experience across several varied disciplines, 11 of which have been dedicated to Finance & Accountancy.

Originally starting in Industry recruitment, he moved to B2B Marketing and evolved into Finance, giving him a solid understanding of the recruitment process.

Now, as Director of Finance Recruitment for the Suisse Romande region, John specialises in a variety of Finance roles, including Accounting, Controlling, M&A, Tax, Treasury, FP&A, Audit, Risk, E2E Project, and Strategy.

He is highly skilled in coaching and providing career consultations for Finance & Accountancy professionals, either on a one-to-one basis or in partnership with accredited financial associations and universities. John is very thorough in his approach to providing a value-added service to job seekers.

Having worked in Switzerland for over ten years, John shares his knowledge and market insights with clients and candidates. Being able to continuously learn about people, their roles, motivations, and experience allows him to champion talent and manage expectations.

He hosts exclusive networking events for middle management to executive level Finance & Accountancy professionals operating in Suisse Romande to share market insights and develop relationships. If you are interested in attending, please reach out to John directly.

John’s Interests

John enjoys the stimulation that new technology provides. In the past, he has built a PC for his parents and has completed another PC build with his daughter.

He is a keen gamer, enjoys reading, politics, and learning about international affairs, with an interest in global news.

John's Successful Candidates

  • Finance Director
  • Finance Controller
  • Treasurer
  • Global Indirect Tax Director
  • BU Controller

Director - Finance

Interests

  • TechnologyTechnology
  • International AffairsInternational Affairs
  • GamingGaming
  • Politics
  • ReadingReading

John Bower

Director - Finance

Phone number: +41 41 588 1861

Email: john.bower@emearecruitment.com

John is a specialist recruiter with over 20 years of experience across several varied disciplines, 11 of which have been dedicated to Finance & Accountancy.

Originally starting in Industry recruitment, he moved to B2B Marketing and evolved into Finance, giving him a solid understanding of the recruitment process.

Now, as Director of Finance Recruitment for the Suisse Romande region, John specialises in a variety of Finance roles, including Accounting, Controlling, M&A, Tax, Treasury, FP&A, Audit, Risk, E2E Project, and Strategy.

He is highly skilled in coaching and providing career consultations for Finance & Accountancy professionals, either on a one-to-one basis or in partnership with accredited financial associations and universities. John is very thorough in his approach to providing a value-added service to job seekers.

Having worked in Switzerland for over ten years, John shares his knowledge and market insights with clients and candidates. Being able to continuously learn about people, their roles, motivations, and experience allows him to champion talent and manage expectations.

He hosts exclusive networking events for middle management to executive level Finance & Accountancy professionals operating in Suisse Romande to share market insights and develop relationships. If you are interested in attending, please reach out to John directly.

John’s Interests

John enjoys the stimulation that new technology provides. In the past, he has built a PC for his parents and has completed another PC build with his daughter.

He is a keen gamer, enjoys reading, politics, and learning about international affairs, with an interest in global news.

John's Successful Candidates

  • Finance Director
  • Finance Controller
  • Treasurer
  • Global Indirect Tax Director
  • BU Controller
Circle Image

Interests

  • TechnologyTechnology
  • International AffairsInternational Affairs
  • GamingGaming
  • Politics
  • ReadingReading

Clients

Testimonial

John supported me in recruiting a new person for my team (manager position), and I was very happy with how it went. 

John spent time to understand the requirements, including the cultural aspects. He rapidly returned with a short list of candidates who perfectly matched the request, so no need to further filter [the list] on my side. 

Quick and smooth process: a message describing why the candidate was selected before each interview, feedback discussion afterwards and good support to wrap up the deal. 

John also kept in contact with the selected candidate until the start date and even a couple of weeks afterwards to ensure any potential issues could be addressed. I can recommend him without hesitation.

Christopher Vanhoren, Group CFO at Allseas

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Latest Insights from John

John Bower JOBS

120,000 CHF base salary
Posted 2 weeks ago

On behalf of our international client, we are looking for a Finance Manager. This position is developmental.

Working closely with the Country CFO, you will push a steep learning curve to move into a succession position as soon as possible

The opportunities to grow will be greatly accelerated, and exposure to strategic stakeholders will be maximised.

The main duties of the Finance Manager include:

  • Analyse, present, and oversee financial reports, ensuring their accuracy and timely delivery
  • Manage accounting services, business strategies, and investment plans
  • Direct the annual audit process, ensuring the precision of financial statements and their compliance with financial regulations
  • Oversee internal controls, and tax
  • Develop, review, and monitor financial plans, budgets, and long-range (5-year plan) strategies
  • Spearhead human resources development, maintaining personnel guidelines in accordance with Swiss regulations and payroll
  • Direct procurement processes, collaborating with Group procurement teams and legal representatives
  • Negotiate commercial terms with suppliers and oversee administrative functionalities for streamlined operations

 

 The required skills and experience of the Finance Manager are:

  • Entrepreneurial spirit with previous exposure to international business
  • Master\'s degree in Finance and Administration or equivalent
  • In-depth knowledge of Swiss accounting standards
  • Proven responsibility in overseeing financial data, reporting, and audit coordination
  • Strong presentation creation and delivery skills – FP&A and business controllership blend
  • Exceptional communication and negotiation skills, capable of liaising effectively with diverse stakeholders
  • Strong analytic, organizational, and problem-solving skills, supporting informed decision-making
  • Procurement and HR exposure is a benefit
  • Fluency in both English and French

EMEA Recruitment is committed to promoting Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in the workplace. We act as a neutral third party in the recruitment process, basing our candidate searches on skills and experience. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, sex, relationship status, disability, race, religion/beliefs, or sexual orientation.

110,000-130,000 CHF
Posted 2 weeks ago

We are seeking a strong Financial Accountant for one of our multi-national clients in Canton Vaud.

As part of its transformation process, the business requires assistance for its Corporate Accounting team.

The Corporate Accounting team has direct exposure to the strategic leadership of the organisation, and this role will involve a variety of exciting projects.

The duties of the Financial Accountant are:

  • Delivery of internal and external financial reports in a timely and efficient manner
  • Contributing to the improvement of the financial control environment
  • Half-year and year-end (annual report) reporting contribution
  • Involvement in statutory accounts preparation under IFRS (particularly IFRS 16) and Swiss Code of Obligations, US GAAP
  • Balance sheet analysis and notes to accounts for annual report
  • Assisting external auditors with audits
  • Ad-hoc projects

The main skills required of the Financial Accountant are:

  • Strong Audit and/or Accounting background (Accountancy qualifications are highly desirable)
  • Experience (internal or external) of group Reporting for a public company
  • The ability to manage high volume of complex tasks, and to constantly prioritise
  • Autonomy – problem-solving attitude
  • Strong IFRS knowledge (particularly IFRS 16), US GAAP desirable
  • Good understanding of Accounting and Reporting tools (Hyperion, Essbase), and ERPs (MS Dynamics)
  • Fluent English

EMEA Recruitment is committed to promoting Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in the workplace. We act as a neutral third party in the recruitment process, basing our candidate searches on skills and experience. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, sex, relationship status, disability, race, religion/beliefs, or sexual orientation.

Competitive salary
Posted 2 weeks ago

On behalf of our international client, we are seeking a Senior Financial Accountant to join a dynamic team and make a difference.

Working primarily on projects, this position offers both challenges and rewards, with the opportunity to develop through the Accounting team into a role with broad responsibilities.

The main deliverables of the Senior Financial Accountant are:

  • Assisting on financial accounting projects and consolidation processes as required
  • Oversee the financial accounts’ reliability for designated companies
  • Regularly implement efficient internal controls on closing activities
  • Preparation of annual statutory and quarterly management accounts
  • Serve as a principal contact for external auditors
  • Coordinate and prepare general ledger entries through comprehensive financial data analysis and cross-functional collaboration
  • Act as the primary Finance link for specific companies, supporting all functions

Skills & experience required:

  • Qualified Accountant (CA/ACCA/CPA/Expert Comptable or similar) - prior experience with Big 4 firms is highly regarded
  • Proficient in Accounting and Auditing principles, including IFRS and statutory accounting
  • Detail-oriented with excellent analytical skills, interest in learning and strong communication skills
  • Proficiency in SAP (a bonus), Excel, and Word
  • Outstanding verbal and written communication with the ability to liaise internationally
  • Self-starter with the capability to operate alone
  • Fluent in English - knowledge of French and other languages is advantageous

EMEA Recruitment is committed to promoting Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in the workplace. We act as a neutral third party in the recruitment process, basing our candidate searches on skills and experience. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, sex, relationship status, disability, race, religion/beliefs, or sexual orientation.

180,000 CHF + hybrid working
Posted a week ago
On behalf of our international client, we are seeking a Senior Accounting Process Manager.

For someone with a technical Accounting background, this is an opportunity to grow, lead, and influence strategy at every step.

You\'ll be challenged to innovate and push boundaries, ensuring your professional growth aligns with the organisation’s evolution.


The main responsibilities of the Senior Accounting Process Manager are:
  • Spearhead global A2R process enhancements, amplifying efficiency and reliability in Finance reporting
  • Oversee global Finance projects, e.g. SAP roll-out, harnessing cross-functional resources, and overseeing project trajectories
  • Collaborate with group Auditors ensuring financial statement compliance with IFRS
  • Draft the consolidated financial statements\' notes
  • Audit the yearly financial statements for text precision
  • Conduct in-depth Accounting research and lead IFRS Accounting standards\' incorporation
  • Craft complex financial models for better business comprehension
  • Analyse financial performance, identifying variances and underlying reasons
The skills and experience required for the Senior Accounting Process Manager are:
  • Business Economics/Accounting Management qualification or qualified Accountant
  • Significant consolidation, Accounting, end-to-end process, and IFRS reporting skills and experience
  • Experience in global matrix organisations
  • Familiarity with SAP S/4HANA and COGNOS Controller is a bonus
  • A history in financial process or system implementation
  • Exceptional communication, influencing, and presentation prowess
  • Analytical aptitude to decode intricate problems and devise solutions
EMEA Recruitment is committed to promoting Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in the workplace. We act as a neutral third party in the recruitment process, basing our candidate searches on skills and experience. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, sex, relationship status, disability, race, religion/beliefs, or sexual orientation.