Christopher Simmons
About Christopher Simmons
Christopher Simmons is a Business Manager specializing in Operations Financial Planning and Reporting at Penguin Random House in Westminster, MD.
Current Position at Penguin Random House
Christopher Simmons holds the position of Business Manager - Operations Financial Planning and Reporting at Penguin Random House in Westminster, MD. In this role, he facilitates the budgeting and forecasting process for the company's corporate production division. He works closely with PRH North America's COO Nihar Malaviya and the Production Operations management team. Simmons is responsible for uploading all budgets and forecasts into Oracle Hyperion using Microsoft Excel’s Hyperion integration, and he prepares variance analyses for monthly, quarterly, and annual reports to the PRH VP of Financial Planning and Reporting. Additionally, he creates presentations for the annual budget review meeting conducted by CEO Markus Dohle.
Educational Background
Christopher Simmons has a strong educational foundation in accounting and business advisory services. He earned a Master of Science (M.S.) in Accounting and Business Advisory Services from Towson University, where he studied from 2012 to 2017. Prior to that, Simmons completed a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Accounting at Towson University from 2009 to 2011. He began his academic journey at Century High School, where he studied business and obtained his High School Diploma from 2001 to 2004.
Previous Experience
Before his current role, Christopher Simmons accumulated a diverse range of experience in various industries. He served as a Sponsored Projects Accountant at Johns Hopkins University for 10 months in 2012. Prior to that, he worked at Kelly and Associates Insurance Group as Enrollment Reconciliation from 2008 to 2009. His earlier work experience includes a four-year tenure with the United States Marine Corps as Aviation Logistics, stationed in Mals-31 Beaufort, SC and Mals-12 Iwakuni, Japan.
Professional Skills and Certifications
Christopher Simmons is a Certified Management Accountant with substantial expertise in corporate finance, non-profit, and government fund accounting. He possesses intermediate to advanced skills in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and SAP, as well as basic knowledge of Oracle Hyperion, SQL queries, Microsoft Power BI, and Anaplan. These technical skills enable him to perform complex financial functions and deliver critical reports effectively. His experience includes support for internal audits, including fixed asset audits and various audit procedures related to T&E, software, and affidavits.
Involvement in Merger Processes
Christopher Simmons gained valuable experience in merger processes during his involvement in the merger of Penguin and Random House in July 2013. This significant career milestone provided him with insights into the complexities of merging two large corporate entities. As a result, he has an in-depth understanding of the financial and operational challenges associated with corporate mergers, making him a vital asset to Penguin Random House's business management team.