Work history:

Brian Miller BA CA MAC (October 2009 - present)

Coaching

Worked with a variety of clients across different business sectors including Oil & Gas, food manufacturing and public sector while working towards my Postgraduate Certificate. Clients included those seeking to improve business results or improve the quality of interaction with other organisations, others seeking career direction when considering new opportunities or early retirement options.

Charities

Provided financial management and governance support to three charitable organisations and acted as an Independent Examiner for one other. Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland e-consultation group on charitable issues.

Consultancy

Provided planning, performance and control services to a division of a major oil & gas company during a period of extended staff absence. Developed business plans and joint venture governance structures for a new voluntary sector initiative and provided tender response services to a voluntary sector client.

Employment with BP (May 1988 – Sept 2009)

Head of Finance – North Sea Infrastructure Division: (Jan 2008 – Sept 2009)
Provide all financial and commercial support for a division comprising Southern North Sea gas fields, UK onshore oilfields and the UK pipelines and terminals operations of BP.

North Sea Performance Manager: (July 2005 – Jan 2008)
Leading the team which developed annual plans and supported North Sea senior leadership in managing delivery from the extensive oil and gas development and production portfolio.

Business Enhancement Projects: (Oct 2003 – June 2005)
Project roles: leading projects to implement a new cost allocation system, implement a system to comply with US SEC reserve reporting and transform management information.

Business Transition Project: (March 2003 – Sept 2003)
Running a project to transfer operatorship of a number of BP’s gas fields to a new entrant company, establishing the company as a new operator in the North Sea.

BP Netherlands Development Manager: (Dec 1999 – March 2003)
Directing the commercial activities of BP’s gas production and storage business in the Netherlands and managing the evaluation and development of new gas discoveries.

Arco Integration Project: (April 1999 – Nov 1999)
Integrating the Arco UK upstream business into BP’s North Sea business to achieve a smooth transition following the major corporate acquisition.

Central North Sea Planning & Control: (Aug 1991 – March 1999)
Planning and financial management for a major development area within the company’s North Sea portfolio for the whole life cycle from exploration through major construction projects and commissioning to live operation of the ETAP fields. My role also included development and implementation of production management, cost sharing and commercial allocation arrangements across the fields as well as the planning and financial management activity for this part of the business.

Internal Audit: (May 1988 – Aug 1991)
On joining BP, I led the North Sea IT audit function until 1991, assessing risk and conducting reviews to reduce and mitigate risk to business delivery and continuity.

Employment with KPMG (August 1978 – April 1988)

I trained in audit work and subsequently led and managed a large number of company audits before specializing in IT systems work. In this role I acted as an external consultant to clients in retail (Co-op Retail Group), financial services (Scottish Mutual), oil and gas (Britoil) and local government (Glasgow District Council). The experience gained in this time provided an excellent general financial and business grounding essential to much of what I subsequently did in my time with BP. The opportunity to work with clients from many different sectors of industry and government helped me gain an understanding of how many different types of organization operate which is now of great value to me within my own business.

Education & Training

2010/11 - successfully completed Postgraduate Certificate in Coaching programme at the University of Aberdeen (award April 2011). Course research paper delivered on the subject of “Coaching as an Essential Element of Effective Line Management Today”.
2003/05 - participated in BP senior level leadership development programme focused on analysis and understanding of personal leadership strengths and capabilities and on building successful teams.
2001 - trained as coach and mentor for BP Developing Leadership Potential programme by coach and psychologist Richard Mindel of Mindel Cunnane Associates.
1994 - graduated from JMW sponsored ‘Manager of the Future’ programme: a programme dedicated to step change improvement in effective business delivery.

1986/87 - participated in KPMG senior management development training programme focused on the development of people leadership skills for managers from financial discipline backgrounds.

1982 - attended intensive 3 month in-house technical training course within Thomson McLintock to develop information system audit skills.

1978/81 - accountancy training with Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland while working through Training Contract with Thomson McLintock (now part of KPMG) to become a fully qualified CA.

1975/78 - obtained BA in Accountancy and Economics at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow.