UK
EUROPE
Q Q
What do you look for in your successor?
A strong technical understanding is a given but what I look for is a strong commercial brain with excellent communication skills.
What advice do you give to rising CFOs?
I still see myself as a rising CFO but if I was asked I would say ‘focus on incentivising your people on the metric your shareholders value’. I am always surprised at how many companies miss this simple method.
Q
Do you admire another CFO or a leader (current or historical)?
Why?
Richard Meddings of Standard Chartered. He helps run an international bank with enormous complexities and it’s consistently a strong performer.
Q
How do you manage organizational politics, and
conflicting personalities, interests, and views?
Again, the best argument wins the day.
We don’t entertain office politics as it’s a poor use of energy but we listen to all points of view on any decision affecting the business.
Q
How do you balance and manage various stakeholders’
interests?
All our stakeholder’s are ultimately aligned to improving profitability it’s a matter of balancing the ways we achieve that goal. At different times the ways can change,
Q
How do you describe your leadership style?
Open but challenging. I am a great believer in ‘thinking time’ where all too often you can get caught in the daily grind and don’t take time to think if it’s the right course.
Q Q
How do you compete in a global business environment?
Differentiation by quality.
How do you compete in a recession?
Differentiation by quality.
Q
How do you see the future of your industry?
The shift towards digital outdoor will continue and the way in which it is traded will move closer to the online and mobile advertising worlds. This is still a way off unfortunately but innovation can not be held back.
Q
What advice would you give to policy makers to help the economy and your business?
More tax incentives and breaks should be given to innovative companies. The admin burden on small and medium sized business can stop growth in its tracks.
Q
Can you please share any life or personal lessons that other CFOs
might relate to?
Negotiating the last knockings of the deal at midnight, then signing the MBO papers at 3am in the lawyers’ office and then being back in for our first board meeting at 8am. My wife asked why it had to be at 3am and I didn’t have an answer!
Finance Monthly CeO AwArdS 2013 25
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