Samson Keter Cherwon
Strategic Business And Finance Expert
Nairobi
Summary
Accomplished financial operations professional with over 18 years of experience in regulated institutions, development finance environments, and complex multi-entity organizations. Expertise includes managing high-value settlement activities, cross-border transactions, and project and loan account administration, with a strong focus on guarantee documentation and reconciliation management. Recognized for effectively resolving legacy transaction backlogs and implementing accountability structures while utilizing performance tracking tools that enhance transparency, turnaround efficiency, and audit readiness. A trusted advisor on transaction governance matters, delivering actionable financial intelligence that aligns with and supports institutional objectives.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
5
5
Certifications
2
2
Languages
Work History
General manager-Finance and Administration
Total security surveillance ltd
02.2024 - Current
- Provide strategic leadership to finance and administration, ensuring payments operations and financial processes directly support organizational strategic objectives.
- Led the implementation of an ERP system to address the complexity of the business model, embedding approval hierarchies, automated controls and transaction visibility across finance and operations.
- Own and monitor payment operations metrics, including transaction accuracy, turnaround time and exception rates, using system-generated reports to drive continuous improvement.
- Oversee and process local and foreign payments, ensuring compliance with internal policies, timelines and regulatory requirements.
- Review daily and monthly payment summary and reconciliation reports, identify unreconciled items and initiate investigations to resolve anomalies.
- Strengthened cost control, accountability and efficiency through system adoption, resulting in improved audit trails and reduced manual intervention.
- Identify payment-related operational risks, report to management and implement process reviews and control enhancements to mitigate exposure.
- Work collaboratively with cross-functional teams to deliver on KRAs and reinforce a culture of performance, compliance and accountability
Head of Finance
Nine One One Group ltd (Sovereign Group)
02.2015 - 01.2024
- Accountable to the Board for end-to-end payment operations, including government-linked, foreign exchange and third-party transactions.
- Owned and monitored payment performance indicators, ensuring transactions were processed within approved timelines and in line with policy requirements.
- Oversaw project and special-purpose account operations, including account opening, funding oversight and reporting.
- Conducted regular reviews of bank, payment and intercompany reconciliations, escalating unreconciled items and ensuring timely resolution.
- Led payment investigations on disputed or unmatched transactions, coordinating with banks and internal stakeholders until closure.
- Designed and enforced payments SOPs, controls and risk mitigation measures, strengthening governance and audit outcomes.
- Leveraged systems and reporting tools to improve efficiency, reduce errors and enhance visibility of payment operations
Finance manager
Chemusian Farm ltd (Sovereign Group)
08.2013 - 01.2015
- Managed end-to-end payment workflows, including supplier payments, project disbursements and bank confirmations.
- Designed controls to track transaction performance and processing turnaround, improving operational reliability.
- Coordinated with banks on payment confirmations, guarantees and settlement clarifications.
- Spearheaded the development and implementation of strategic growth plans for a Kes 0.5 Billion Annual revenue service division. Was in - charge of the division's business planning, budgeting, P&L administration, and business management reporting.
- Develop processes and tools to measure, track, analyze, and report on financial progress and results across strategic and operational initiatives.
- Build and lead cross-functional project teams to ensure strong collaboration and the identification of the best way forward by leveraging team expertise/existing infrastructure and ensuring alignment with objectives across the organization.
- Promote collaboration among teams by troubleshooting reasons for non-collaboration and seeking ways to resolve them.
- Led the division as the Quality Management Representative toward successful ISO Certification.
Assistant manager Finance
Kenya Industrial Estates ltd
08.2010 - 07.2013
- Supported MSME financing program's within a state-linked development finance institution, facilitating capital deployment to productive sectors.
- Handled administration of disbursements, partner institution settlements, loan account creation and development project funding workflows.
- Performed daily scrutiny of settlement summaries, disbursement schedules and ledger movement analyses to identify irregularities.
- Assisted in managing collateral instruments and guarantee documentation linked to enterprise development funding.
- Coordinated offshore supplier settlements and foreign-denominated loan transactions, gaining exposure to international banking channels.
- Established procedural checklists and monitoring tools to improve transaction discipline and service consistency.
- Prepared management briefs explaining transaction flow challenges, control weaknesses and emerging operational risks
Accountant
Daystar University
06.2008 - 06.2010
- Oversaw payroll operations, ensuring timely and accurate salary payments to all employees.
- Streamlined accounting processes through the implementation of new software, enhancing efficiency and accuracy.
- Developed and maintained internal control systems to prevent errors and fraud in financial transactions. Performed cost-benefit analysis for proposed projects, guiding investment decisions and supporting business growth.
- Implemented sustainable cost-reduction strategies, significantly lowering expenses without impacting operational efficiency.
- Assisted in the negotiation of contracts with suppliers, securing favorable terms and reducing operational costs.
- Reconciled monthly bank statements and resolved discrepancies. Established procedures and controls to keep staff in compliance with accounting standards, regulatory requirements, and budget targets. Recommended strategies for optimizing taxation and minimizing liabilities in future tax periods.
Internal auditor
Clinix Health care (subsidiary of Nairobi West Hospital)
03.2006 - 05.2008
- Executed comprehensive reviews of end-to-end transaction cycles, with specific focus on settlement authorization integrity, documentation sufficiency and segregation of duties.
- Led payment integrity audits covering supplier, payroll and project-related disbursements, identifying control gaps and recommending corrective measures.
- Assessed adequacy of reconciliation frameworks and follow-up mechanisms, ensuring timely clearance of exceptions and unexplained variances.
- Conducted risk-based testing on high-value and sensitive transactions, strengthening early detection of processing anomalies and fraud exposure.
- Developed audit working papers and control matrices aligned to institutional financial governance standards.
- Provided management with actionable reports on transaction governance weaknesses, compliance lapses and operational risk exposure.
- Collaborated with operations and finance teams to implement remediation plans and track closure of audit findings
Education
No Degree - Investment &Financial Analyst
Star Collage
Nairobi 04.2001 -
Management course - Successfully completed Eight weeks senior Management course
Kenya school of Goverment
Nairobi07.2024
MBA - Accounting and Finance
Kenyatta University
Kiambu, Kiambu District, Kenya 04.2001 -
No Degree - Certified Public Accountant
Vision Institute
Nairobi 04.2001 -
Bachelor of Arts - Economics
Kenyatta University
Nairobi10.2005
Skills
Third-party payment management
Accomplishments
- Led financial strategy and oversight for the organization, ensuring financial accuracy and transparency.
- Implemented company-wide budget plans, successfully enhancing cost efficiency and profitability.
- Transformed the Group by improving profitability, balance sheet, and cash flow through strategic financial management.
- Revitalized brand awareness through strategic media campaigns, bolstering the Group's market presence.
- Successfully directed strategic financial analysis to drive revenue growth by 25% and maintain financial resilience.
- Overhauled financial reporting processes, reducing reporting time by 30% while enhancing transparency and accuracy.
- Developed innovative financial strategies leading to a 20% improvement in group cash flow management.
- Spearheaded the consolidation of Group companies, achieving operational synergies and cost efficiencies.
- Directed financial strategies that improved cash flow management by 20%, resulting in enhanced investment opportunities.
- Successfully spearheaded the consolidation of four companies into a unified entity, improving operational efficiency.
Certification
Analyzing Growth Drivers & Business Risks 03/2024
Interests
Reading Financial Journals, Developing financial model and Data analytics, Football, Participating in youth Mentorship
References
- Joseph, Koskey, Chief Executive Officer, info@privatisation.go.ke, +254722208660, Privatization Authority
- Charles, Omondi, Managing Director, Charles.o.omondi@gmail.com, +254 720929517, Blue River Technologies
- Kipkirui, Kimosop, Group Finance Manager, Kimosop@sovereignkenya.com, +254 72097310, Sovereign Group
Timeline
General manager-Finance and Administration
Total security surveillance ltd
02.2024 - Current
Head of Finance
Nine One One Group ltd (Sovereign Group)
02.2015 - 01.2024
Finance manager
Chemusian Farm ltd (Sovereign Group)
08.2013 - 01.2015
Assistant manager Finance
Kenya Industrial Estates ltd
08.2010 - 07.2013
Accountant
Daystar University
06.2008 - 06.2010
Internal auditor
Clinix Health care (subsidiary of Nairobi West Hospital)
03.2006 - 05.2008
No Degree - Investment &Financial Analyst
Star Collage
04.2001 -
MBA - Accounting and Finance
Kenyatta University
04.2001 -
No Degree - Certified Public Accountant
Vision Institute
04.2001 -
Management course - Successfully completed Eight weeks senior Management course
Kenya school of Goverment
Bachelor of Arts - Economics
Kenyatta University