Karen, can you share a brief overview of your career journey to date? How did you get to where you are today? Can you believe I started in finance 27 years ago? I started in accounting practice, then I moved out into technical training, where I became technical enough to allow me to build a consultancy business. Most consultants are somehow thrown into consultancy and I was no exception, more on that below. I took each day as it came and never overstayed in any role, meaning that I got comfortable with change. My consulting career started with technical projects that internal teams didn’t have the bandwidth or sometimes the technical capability to do, and then when there were less technical changes in the accounting world, I drifted into M&A and finance transformation, where I spent most of my consulting career. I was promoted to a CFO role almost four years ago, and although it’s a huge responsibility, the position suits my style perfectly. I thrive on the ambiguous nature of the role and the constant battle between being in the weeds and being suitably clear of the details to drive strategy and see the bigger picture. Prior to my current role, I have most enjoyed working in private equity backed businesses, as I like the no-nonsense approach and the energy from M&A transactions. After many years of searching for that perfect fit, I’ve now landed in a fantastic business in the fresh produce industry. It is run ethically by inspirational and decent people and long may it continue. Our business continues to grow, and it is an honour to work there. What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced as a woman working in the financial sector, and how have you navigated and overcome these challenges? I know that in the past 27 years, things have changed a lot for women in business. To succeed, you need to be uber-competent and have a highly honed influencing style. My personal style is non-threatening and relaxed but underpinned by experience and competence, and this has served me better than trying to be either too masculine or feminine. I have held each role due to competence and my ability to fit into the organisation, not because of or despite my gender. What are some key milestones or pivotal moments in your career that you consider particularly significant? There are definitely two standout moments. Firstly, when I launched into consulting, like most consultants, I didn’t feel I had the appropriate experience, but a bad experience with a terrible manager threw me into taking whichever opportunity came first, which happened to be consulting. Consulting was the best thing to happen to my career as I gained so much experience in technical areas, systems, people, management styles, investment and ownership structures. I learned more in 10 years of consulting than many will learn in a lifetime of permanent roles, and it opened so many opportunities. My first CFO role was also a pivotal moment. I’d taken a role as a consultant and there was a need for someone to take the reins and properly integrate the business, ready for an onward sale. I’d already impressed the US parent company but I was surprised and thrilled to get this step up as the CFO. The move “I know that in the past 27 years, things have changed a lot for women in business. To succeed, you need to be uber-competent and have a highly honed influencing style.” Finance Monthly Global Awards 2024. UNITED KINGDOM 23
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