Elise DiBenedetto is a skilled professional with a strong background in retail and corporate finance. Her proven track record in corporate finance, inclusive of liquidity modeling and managing challenging cash environments, is driven by the ability to provide strategic insights, actionable recommendations, and aligning cross-functionally for results. Elise has implemented cost saving measures and utilized data-driven fact-based analysis to drive conversation and actions.
Representative Experience
Director - Head of FP&A and Treasury at Christmas Tree Shops, $500MM chain of off-priced specialty retail stores. Implemented new financial systems as part of a carve out from Bed Bath and Beyond. Responsible for financial analysis, financial reporting, cash management, driving the annual budget process, and articulating insights.
Manager of Talbots, a women’s clothing retailer. Utilized financial modeling to analyze and forecast costs and reconcile spend. Reviewed contracts and costs with business partners, constructively challenged spending, created cash flow forecast for critical expenses. Navigated through challenging COVID-19 period in women’s apparel retail.
Director of Finance for Hudson’s Bay Company. Drove average yearly profit improvement of $50MM through operational cost reduction and margin expansion. Experienced with analyzing business by merchandise areas and by site. Utilized tranche-based target setting for various store initiatives to influence buy-in from store managers and ensure that process improvement expectations were achievable. Leveraged six sigma philosophy and P&L modeling to initiate and achieve returns reduction in mattresses.
Credit Analyst / Junior Relationship manager at Wells Fargo Bank Retail Finance Group. Responsible for credit analysis for Asset Based Lending Facilities of 20 retail companies between $8MM and $1B. Responsibilities included portfolio monitoring, underwriting, and managing loans through “workout” process.
Led construction and implementation of shortage audits across three banners of a Canadian department store conglomerate. Focused on processes, controls, and standards.
