Profile

Peter Edward Welch is a renowned finance and accounting expert with over 40 years of professional experience. All throughout his professional life, he has focused on topics including, but not limited to accounting, internal audit and risk assessment, internal control, treasury, and auditing.

He started his career as an accountant at the British Diplomatic Service / Foreign & Commonwealth Office in London, and then held other private-sector senior accounting roles before, in 1979, moving to the USA, where he worked mostly in the above-mentioned fields of specialization. Since then, Mr. Welch has worked for various different private sector companies, including USAID and EU projects, in countries such as Botswana, Kuala Lumpur, Kenya, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Ghana, Iraq, Afghanistan/Singapore, Egypt, Georgia, Sudan, Bosnia & Herzegovina, South Africa, Japan, India, UAE, Puerto Rico, and Bermuda.

Recently, in Bangladesh, Mr. Welch was engaged by USAID Consulting/GMG Management Consulting, to provide technical assistance/implement (Statement of Award Conditions) SACs in financial management, procurement, human resource, and program performance systems. He was tasked to transfer knowledge and essential skills to improve financial management, procurement, and human resource systems for the purpose of managing risk and sustainability. He has also developed expertise with implementing USAID Compliance Procedures including USG costing, 2-CFR 230 (A-122), and A-133/ADS-591 Auditing.

In 2003, under a USAID-funded project, he provided technical assistance services to guide the development of process reengineering/ information (infrastructure) mapping within the local public sector municipalities. In 2009, he provided advice to the South African National Treasury within the framework of an EU-funded technical assistance project. During this mission, and in his capacity as an IFRS trainer, he was responsible for the implementation of GRAP/IPSAS accounting training. Mr. Welch also worked in Georgia, under USAID, in 2002 where he taught ACCA final accounting papers, IFRS-based material, and assessed the financial sustainability and capacity of the local accounting standard-setting body.

He is a Certified Trainer with the International Academy of Business and Financial Management (IABFM) and globally teaches accounting and finance certification programs. Mr. Welch possesses solid managerial skills, for he served as Director of Investment Accounting for a US-based company. In this capacity, he led a team of five cross-functional managers/supervisors, delivered critical financial information to the Portfolio Managers, and provided decision support to the executive committee.

Peter has chaired the International Special Interest Group of the Financial Executives Networking Group (FENG); has served on the membership, and hospitality committee of the Financial Executives Institute (FEI); and served as a board member for professional accounting bodies.

He had been an adjunct professor at the business schools of both Golden Gate University and Southern New Hampshire University in the USA. He holds a Master’s Degree in Finance (distinction), obtained at Bentley University (USA) in 1988. From 1971-1973, he studied and obtained an Ordinary National Certificate in Business Studies. During the 1973-1979 period, he studied the ACCA Professional Accounting Examinations at the London School of Accountancy (UK).