Senior Expertise in Internal Controls, SOX, and Finance Process Improvement
20+ years’ experience leading internal controls and SOX compliance for global and mid-sized organisations.
“Most control issues don’t arise because controls don’t exist — they arise because they are not working effectively in practice.”
The Founder & Expert
Imran Zafar is a senior Internal Controls, SOX, and Internal Audit expert with over 20 years’ experience leading compliance in complex, global environments. He specializes in bridging the gap between theoretical finance processes and practical, solution-driven delivery that works in real-world business environments. A former Big 4 advisor and NYSE-listed Head of Internal Audit, Imran brings the same level of discipline and professional rigor to every engagement—but without the jargon, juniors, or theoretical overhead. He focuses on fixing control gaps quickly and transforming finance processes to support scalable growth.
- Global Leadership: Extensive experience leading SOX and Internal Audit for multi-entity global organizations.
- Board-Level Exposure: Trusted advisor to CFOs, Audit Committees, and senior stakeholders.
- Transformation Expert: Proven delivery of end-to-end finance process transformation programmes.
- Direct Professional Delivery: Senior-led approach—you work directly, never junior consultants.
Proven Track Record & Quantified Impact
- Prevented Exposure: Identified and mitigated high-risk control gaps, preventing financial exposure ranging from £10K–£100K+ per issue.
- Cost Reduction: Streamlined SOX and audit processes to reduce external audit effort and consultant costs by £5K–£20K+ annually.
- Zero-Defect Readiness: Achieved consistent 100% first-time pass rates for external SOX audits in multi-entity environments.
- Process Efficiency: Reduced month-end friction and shortened reporting timelines while increasing data reliability for executive leadership.
Why Trust Barika Consulting?
- 20+ Years Direct Expertise
- Former Big 4 & NYSE Audit Leadership
- Fellow FCCA Professional Qualification
- Pragmatic, Solution-Focused Approach
Most consultants provide endless reports. We provide fast, actionable outputs. Our focus is on the practical reality of Internal Controls, SOX, and finance processes that work for your specific business size and complexity.
How We Fix Gaps
The Senior Difference
- Rapid Identification: Spot hidden control gaps before they trigger audit failures or losses.
- Scale Support: Strengthen finance processes to handle high-growth phases.
- Governance: Reduce risk profile through practical, senior-led SOX framework.
- Speed: Shorten month-end timelines by eliminating over-reliance on manual audit friction.
- No Juniors: High-stakes work should not be a training ground. You work with experts directly.
- Practicality: No-jargon, clear, and business-focused communication.
- Real-World Relevance: Frameworks built to function in your specific operating environment.
- Global Agility: Big 4 discipline applied with the speed and flexibility of a boutique expert.
Commercial Impact at a Glance
Prevented £10K–£100K+ exposure per control issue.
Reduced audit effort costs by £5K–£20K+ annually.
100% first-time pass rates for global SOX audits.
Finance efficiency improved by reducing manual friction.