Olena Shestakova

Profile

I'm an accounting and FP&A professional now focusing on the intersection of finance domain expertise and AI deployment — as an independent consultant, embedded with early adopters, or alongside teams building AI-native finance products.

What I bring

15 years of hands-on finance across SMBs and corporations, product and subscription businesses, service companies and beyond
Worked with data from inside and outside the finance team — operational accounting, analytical layer, and cross-functional interaction.
I translate finance into language non-finance people act on
Natural curiosity and creative thinking, grounded by years of disciplined hands-on work
Already using AI-native tools in my own practice

Skillset

Analytical layer

FP&A Budgeting & Forecasting Variance Analysis Cash Flow KPI Reporting

↑ built on

Operational accounting

Bookkeeping AR / AP Month-End Close Bank Reconciliations Accruals & Journal Entries

Tools & Platforms

QuickBooks SAP AI workflows Claude Google Antigravity Cursor VS Code Microsoft Office Google Workspace + Apps Script BI & no-code (Airtable) Oracle Hyperion

Career Timeline

Sep 2024 – Present

HMCS

Fractional Accounting & FP&A Consultant

Independent practice · US-based SMBs & SaaS · QuickBooks

Deliver fractional accounting and FP&A services — monthly close, reporting, budgeting, cash flow forecasting, KPI dashboards, and variance analysis
Execute QuickBooks cleanups (months to years of backlog)
Advise on AI-native tool adoption and finance process redesign for businesses in transition
Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor

Nov 2021 – Feb 2024

Samsung Electronics

Financial Analyst, FP&A

Full-cycle FP&A · SAP · BI tools

Led financial planning, budgeting, and forecasting cycles across Samsung Electronics Ukraine
Managed cost planning for logistics, marketing, and G&A; built cost allocation models in SAP CO/FI
Produced BI reports and variance analysis (actuals vs. budget/forecast) with detailed management commentary
Managed cash flow forecasting and treasury workflows
Primary contact for corporate HQ requests and external auditor inquiries on subsidiary financials

Jan 2016 – Nov 2018

Vodafone Ukraine

Sr. Financial Analyst, FP&A

FP&A for OPEX · SAP · Oracle Hyperion

Owned OPEX budgeting, rolling forecasts, and month-end variance analysis for marketing, G&A, and corporate expenses
Consolidated financial data and prepared executive-facing budget reviews with commentary
Published quarterly benchmarking report comparing financials and KPIs across 30+ telecom operators in Europe
Uploaded and maintained budget/forecast data in Hyperion and SAP; drove continuous reporting improvements

Oct 2014 – Sep 2015

Vodafone Ukraine

Business Analyst

Telecom KPI metrics · competitor analysis

Conducted competitive analysis on telecom KPIs: churn, ARPU, and subscriber economics
Supported investor relations — contributed to press releases and corporate reporting packages
Delivered ad hoc business analysis on commercial and marketing performance

Dec 2012 – Oct 2014

Vodafone Ukraine

AR / AP Specialist

Interconnect & roaming · carrier billing · SAP

Managed billing, invoicing, and settlements between Vodafone and 40+ national and international telecom operators
Resolved AR/AP disputes and coordinated stakeholders to ensure timely payments
Prepared aging reports and managed bad debt tracking
Supported month-end and year-end close with accruals and reconciliations (SAP)

Mar 2011 – Apr 2012

Academy of Financial Management

Research Associate, Internal Control & Audit

Public policy research · Ministry of Finance

Government-affiliated research institution under the Ukrainian Ministry of Finance.

Public internal control and audit policy — benchmarked Ukrainian legislation against EU standards, produced reports and guidelines to support evidence-based government financial decisions

2010 – 2012

Econia · Alfa-Bank · Medcom

Sales & Marketing Operations Coordinator

Accounting support for non-financial teams

Built early fluency in the revenue and AP/AR side of business — the commercial & marketing context that later made FP&A work more grounded.

Econia (baby food distribution): customer order processing, invoicing, shipping documentation, warehouse and logistics coordination
Medcom / Reckitt Benckiser (medical supplies): payment tracking, inventory monitoring, aging reports, and bad debt exposure
Alfa-Bank (banking sector): vendor agreements, purchase orders, and procurement support for the marketing department

Jun 2009 – Jun 2010

Darnytsia

Accountant

Accounting team · proprietary ERP

First accounting role at one of Ukraine's oldest and largest pharmaceutical manufacturers — a highly regulated, process-driven environment that set the foundation for everything that followed.

Processed daily payments and posted GL journal entries across all bank accounts
Performed daily bank reconciliations and completed month-end close for all banking activity
Prepared monthly cash flow forecasts and maintained rolling cash position reporting
Managed banking relationships: account openings, corporate cards, term deposits, loans, and FX transactions