INTHEBLACK June 2022 - Magazine - Page 45
AS TOLD TO ADAM COURTENAY PHOTOGRAPHY LIAM WEST
THE NEXT
PHASE
ROHIT SELVARATNAM FCPA HAS SEEN HIS ORGANISATION
THROUGH SEVERAL OPERATIONAL GROWTH PHASES. HE
NOW EAGERLY LOOKS FORWARD TO THE OUTCOME OF ALL
THE ENVIRONMENT, SOCIAL AND GOVERNANCE INITIATIVES
THE COMPANY IS CURRENTLY PUTTING IN PLACE.
MY ROLE
OPTIMISING OPERATIONS, MANAGING EXPECTATIONS
I head the finance function at Celsus. There have
been several different phases in the operational
growth since Royal Adelaide Hospital came into
commercial operation in 2017.
My initial work was to bring stability to the
finance function of the business because, like all
new public-private partnerships, there are always
teething issues.
Now, one side of my role is to ensure the
operational side of the hospital is working at
an optimum level and that we are fulfilling
commitments under contractual arrangements
– the asset side of the balance sheet.
The other side is about working with the
securityholders, the board and CEO in the capital
structure and funding of the business – the liability
side of the balance sheet. Both are important.
Celsus is owned by four investor groups who
have considerable public-private partnership and
hospital experience. Managing investor
expectations is another element of the role and,
while the investor groups have a common
objective, each one has its own nuances. Celsus
also has a large portfolio debt – over A$2 billion.
When I first started, we had a 28-strong banking
group, and managing relationships was not easy.
I’m now more involved in supporting
operations and excited about the environmental,
social and governance (ESG) initiatives we are
putting in. A great CFO – indeed a great leader
– needs to develop an empathetic and socially
conscious style of leadership and be able to take
that across the business and its people.
GAME CHANGERS
THE IMPACT OF MENTORSHIP
Mentors have been important game changers
for me.
One was Professor David Ward at the
University of Wisconsin. Understanding his
strategic mindset has enabled me to position
finance as a value-add function within the
business.
At Yellow Pages in New Zealand in 2007,
I worked under Dudley Enoka, who had
relationships with most of the 550 staff across
the business. I loosely term Enoka’s style as
“management by walking around”. This taught
intheblack.cpaaustralia.com.au June 2022 45