Hans Hupje – Expertise Experience and Fortitude

Innovating: Creating the first-ever electronic audit working paper solution

At PwC, after the partner shared his program with me to automatically generate lead sheets from last year’s accounts and this year’s trial balance, Hans Hupje suggested to him that if he were a partner, he would want to know for sure that the audit work was carried out to his standard. We talked about what it should consist of. Shortly afterwards, Cor shared his first product, and Edwin, who had some experience in computer science, joined. I said goodbye to my 25kg Olivetti computer, which ran on floppy disks, and received a brand-new IBM portable computer with a hard drive and the prototype already installed. The process of developing the first-ever electronic audit working paper solution was not without challenges. The first time my screen showed only Tutti Frutti and Gremlin icons, I really had no idea that the program had crashed and destroyed the IBM computer in the process. Ultimately, the electronic working paper solution, with standard audit procedures and enforced review of electronic working papers, was implemented across PwC The Netherlands. Later, it was sold (or shared?) with PwC UK.

Creating better processes – reducing months of work to just weeks by using data analytics

Waiting for expensive third-party audit providers to deliver their work can be a painful experience, especially when the results cannot be used to claim what is rightfully due. Being right and getting justice are not always the same thing. The traditional way to audit licensing contracts follows the steps of getting the licensee to deliver evidence that all goods, or quasi goods, have been using the trademark. The auditors then review the documentation and produce a report, which the licensee validates. This takes several, if not many, months. It is a painful process for all involved. While working for one of the world’s best-known brand management companies, I convinced the CFO that there was a better way to relaunch the royalty audit program.  My solution is a data analytics-driven audit methodology that delivers results in a few weeks. I have been using audit data analytics tools since their introduction. Therefore, I recognise that obtaining accurate data takes time.  As part of this process, licensees are required to make available one of their IT staff members who has a good understanding of their applications and data structures on the first day, in the first few hours.  Until today, the data extracted by these people has never been correct or complete the first time. Therefore, working with them saves time and speeds up the process. The first day involves extracting the necessary data. A few days later, I have analysed all the data down to the last transaction. Within two weeks, the work, including the audit report, will be completed. The downside of this approach, and why few other providers use it, is that few auditors possess the relevant skills in audit data analytics.

Learning from the best in any sector

When you want to be the best, you do not learn from the best people and organisations in your own sector. You learn from the best people in any industry. Cross-functional experience provides the opportunity to apply best practices and innovative ideas. It helps you broaden your mind and combat groupthink. You learn to take an unbiased perspective to solve complex problems. You become more creative and develop better problem-solving skills.

Working for a Big Four Audit firm

Hans Hupje’s experience with the Big Four audit firm has enabled him to develop skills for rapidly and objectively implementing solutions. You learn the benefits of rigorous processes, solid management, internal controls and how insightful management reporting is critical to deliver long-lasting results. From day one, you manage multiple stakeholders at all levels of the organisation. You learn how to effectively transfer knowledge to internal teams, offering a substantial return on investment.

Working in the pharmaceutical and chemical industry

In the chemical and pharmaceutical sector, you learn the importance of regulatory compliance in safeguarding your license to operate. Strong skills are developed to support long-term decision-making. Operational efficiency and managing result-oriented actions, such as delivering cost savings, are key to profitability in the pharmaceutical and chemical sector.

Working in family brand management and the sports and fashion industry

Developing, acquiring or developing intellectual property is also critical in the outdoor, sports and fashion sectors.  You create a strong understanding of aligning business strategy with brand promise and continuously enhancing the customer experience. Working in a family business, you learn to question what you contribute today, respecting the family’s values, entrepreneurial spirit, and long-term commitment to their business partners, the environment and employees.

The most challenging sector to work in

Few environments are as unpredictable as working in fragile states. As an interim manager with experience in working for humanitarian organisations, Hans Hupje knows how to tackle crises, delivering cost-effective leadership with measurable, results-driven outcomes in an environment of insecurity, unpredictability, and political volatility.

Building culturally aware teams

International experience means you learn from people who are culturally different from you. You constantly need to adjust, learn and build relations.  You learn to thrive and adapt in unfamiliar situations, and  learn from different cultures why they excel in some cases. That is also how you develop essential skills to work in an international environment. Hans Hupje has learned to thrive in the international business community.

Asia Pacific

Countries where I have completed assignments of several weeks or lived (*):

Australia

China

Hong Kong

South Korea

Thailand

Maintaining fortitude by overcoming challenges and delivering

Implementing the impossible

As part of a significant transformation effort, I convinced the CFO that without proper access controls, the company could never rely on the advanced and embedded internal controls that the new ERP system could provide, nor on the improved management reporting. This would jeopardise the business case for the newly implemented ERP system. Once the software and implementation partners were chosen, it was agreed that I would step back and allow them to carry out the implementation. During my holiday, the software was supposed to be installed and the first configuration delivered. Upon my return, the technical installation had not been completed. Only after we dismissed the technical infrastructure partner and the software vendor enlisted their best technical consultant was she able to get it running, only for it to collapse after the core configuration was finished. I soon found myself on first-name terms with the software developers in the United States. Based on their advice, we had to reinstall everything three more times due to a recurring fatal error, which necessitated the release of a new support package. The entire process took two years. During this time, maintaining the support of the CFO and the head of IT projects proved critical, and at times challenging. Ultimately, we became the second team in Western Europe to successfully install the software and the first to implement all available modules in the region.

Deja vu

A few years later, I was asked to support a group of consultants implementing a new module of the same software. It was one of the earlier implementations. My task this time was to ensure that the external and internal audit providers would accept the new system. Two major, well-known global consultancy firms, as well as a Big Four firm, failed to install and implement it. We planned to go live with the first group. That was until the implementation lead called and explained that, since yesterday, he had encountered a fatal error. The two of us tested and escalated the issue, but with only a few days left, we were not ready to go live. This was to the amusement of several other implementors. With time running out, I convinced the lead consultant to de-risk and accept an enormous extra workload. We could not be confident of success, as we never managed to determine the cause of the error. With no alternative, we scrapped everything, reinstalled and reconfigured everything from the start. After several long nights and early mornings, we ultimately managed to do so and went live with the first group.