for over 20 years
About Us: Background on MAF development.
Our Purpose:
Provide small and medium size organisations with the best monthly management reporting system on business performance.
Our Values:
Industry: commitment to hard work and continuous quality improvement.
Initiative: continuous support for invention, research, and growth.
Integrity in Reporting: consideration and respect for honest dealings with all stakeholders.
Our History:
The company GLW Analysis Services Pty Ltd is privately owned by the Director, Geoff L Williams, and is based in Melbourne city business district.
Geoff studied Commerce (Accountancy) at the University of New South Wales in Australia, and subsequently Economics /Mathematics /Operations Research (Hons) at the University of Lancaster in England. He qualified as a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia. He has over 30 years' experience in accounting and company secretarial services, most recently through an accountancy practice in Melbourne, Australia, and before that with multinational companies operating in England, Ireland, and Venezuela. His computer programming experience included Fortran and Basic, and he developed an original approach to tax-based cross-border leasing for a banking group in London. In 1988 he received the Member in Commerce Award from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia and Solution 6, based on a paper about software errors.
His private work has included preparation of annual and monthly budgets, the set-up and supply of regular internal management reports, including comments on performance against budget, and forecasts by month. Examples follow:
"The work included preparation of annual and monthly budgets, and the set up and supply of regular internal management reports, including comments on performance against budget, and monthly forecasts. These reports were very helpful to Directors in analysing revenue and costs, reviewing overdue accounts, preparing for cash flow fluctuations, and forecasting the effect of changes in profitability margins... We found Geoff very easy to work with, and have no hesitation in recommending him to any organization that needs general accountancy or secretarial support, and in particular the provision or review of internal management reports on performance..." Joe de Bruyn, Director, WT Travel Pty Ltd, 2003
"He set up and operated an internal management report system for the Fedsda Trust, covering financial and operating performance, and presented comments on performance against budget for the benefit of the Board of Directors at regular meetings. Over the years, the Directors have relied upon the reports as useful guides for monitoring building management performance, deciding on major maintenance expenditures, and deciding on a long-term strategy for the organisation." Michael Donovan, Chair of the Board of Directors, Fedsda Pty Ltd.2014
Geoff patented his forecasting control system in USA (1999), Australia (1999) and UK (2000).
Publications and papers are as follows, in reverse chronological order:
“The Information Conduit” : Keeping Good Companies – Chartered Institute of Company Secretaries. March 2012. A company calendar of significant activities, and follow-up discipline on the company minutes, are promulgated as part of the company secretary’s role to act as an information conduit to the directors.
“Internal Management Reports” : Paper given at conference of Australian Society of CPAs, 2000. pp1-5 Copy slides of presentation tracing history of reporting and arguing for a strategic approach, KPI, forecasting, and formulation of internal management reporting standards.
“Deception Lies in Deceit” : Australian CPA, July 2000. pp 76-77. Review of book by Professor Charles Ford describing deception in human society, leading to Groupthink, and highlighting the danger of mutually reinforced self-deception.
“Towards Better Management Reporting” :Charter May 2000 pp 62-63 Argument that Directors’ decision-making is aided by internal management reports that include operational data as well as financial data, and updated forecasts of year-end results. The significance of GST is high-lighted.
“Strengthen the Company Secretary” : Chartered Secretaries Year Book 1998/99 pp 49,69. Argument for a company secretary to contribute to clarity in Board communications, express an opinion on the adequacy of information, and seek advice on governance problems. Non-executive directors cannot function if they are kept in the dark.
"Value Adding in the Accounts Department”: Charter, Feb 1998 pp60-62 This article argues that trends in management reports to include both non-financial data and forecasts, and to change key data of interest, make spreadsheets a natural choice in preparing reports over programmer-written packages.
“Financial Control on a Large Construction Project” :Cost Engineering – American Association of Cost Engineers, April 1982 pp71-76. Role of financial controller on a major construction site is described to include the development of management reports that compare actual and forecast costs by physical percentage completion of the project to provide an early warning of cost increases.