S2, E4: Kate Denton | From Acting CFO to the Top Job

In this insightful chat of From Go to CFO, Kunal Gupta sat down with Vahistad Patel, Head of Commercial Finance and Control at Ausgrid to talk all things life and career. From humble beginnings at a small start up 20 years ago, to his current role at Ausgrid, Vahistad has had a very successful career. He talks about:The move from Mumbai to Australia and the opportunities it bought The keys to his success, including: volunteering for the difficult projects and going to places people fear to go. Why having leaders that give you the space to shine is critical for your own growth and development. The importance of building relationships across the organisation at all levels.Building a team that align to the vision and share the same curiosity and passion for what they do.It's a great listen, tune in now! 

In this episode of From Go to CFO, Nick Constain sat down with Andrew Walker, CFO for Sunnyfield Disability Services to talk about his transition from commercial organisations to for-purpose and what drives him. Key highlights include: Working at Woolworths and the importance of influencing - it was a big part of his role and shaped him to where he is today in a for-purpose organisation. Within an organisation, particularly in for-purpose, there is always a clash between hearts and minds and finances.The importance of building relationships and trust within an organisation can never be underestimated. How to explain financial concepts to non-financial people - taking them on the journey.Building rapport with and having open and transparent conversations with the Board is critical to your success as a leader within a for-purpose organisation. Creating a legacy - leaving an organisation in a better place than when it was received. It's an interesting listen, tune in now! 

In another insightful episode of From Go to CFO, Nick Constain sat down with Tim Peel, CFO for Scape, Australia's largest student accommodation provider. Tim has had a very impressive and interesting career and has achieved great successes in a short period of time. In this episode, he talks:   His international ‘yo yo’ career – moving from London to Sydney to London and back again.The university ‘milk round’ where all the big companies pitch different types of careers to to uni graduates.Leaving a corporate career to join a start up and scaling for growth – going from 4 employees to 800 in the space of 10 years. The importance of finding specialists for your team with skillsets that support each other and nurturing those skillsets as a leader. Why you need to be flexible as a CFO and have a broad skill set. Think broadly, be opportunistic in your approach. Check it out now! 

In this episode of From Go to CFO, Nick Constain sat down with James Plummer, CFO for City Chic Collective to discuss his career journey so far and what he has learnt along the way. James speaks with authenticity about the importance of backing yourself and having the confidence to step in into that next role, having good people around you championing and supporting you, finding your passion, being true to yourself and why the principles of running can serve you well in life and career! It's a very interesting listen, tune in now for some great insights. 

In this insightful episode of the podcast, Greg O'Shea sat down with powerhouse, Christina Katsibouba to discuss her career, key learnings and where to from here. Christina talks about her most recent role as CFO for The Star Entertainment Group, namely: The pressure that came with working for such a well-known company in a time when they were regularly in the news and there were complex challenges to manage / mediate.  The concept of 'imposter syndrome' and why you don’t need to go into a new role all-knowing and the importance of being able to grow and develop in your role.The skills you need to be successful as a leader in a high-profile organisation (namely: resilience, resourcefulness and agility).  Currently searching for her next opportunity, she also shared some amazing career advice, including the importance of having a positive attitude, giving things a go and having an open mind. It's an amazing listen, tune in now! 

In this episode of From Go to CFO, Kunal sat down with former colleague (and neighbour) Dave Newton, Director of Finance, ANZ at HelloFresh, to talk all things career, leadership and self discovery. David shares his insights on:The shift from being a contributor to a team vs the person leading the team Why it's important as a leader to be in a state of continual learning and adjusting your approach/style to what works for the individuals that are working for youGetting out of your comfort zone in your career; doing something completely different can be very rewarding and help you to build your capabilityLearning to accept feedback, taking the good with the bad and use it as a growth opportunity Go easy on yourself when you transition into a new role - if you don't change the world in the first 30 days, that's okay!Humble as he is honest, this is a refreshing chat and one not to be missed! 

In this episode of From Go to CFO, Kunal Gupta sat down with Hari Viswanathan to talk about his career to date and what it takes to be successful in the CFO role. Key insights included:Always be open to take on new challenges and push yourself out of your comfort zoneLearn to back yourself and identify where you can add value Building relationships and establishing trust is the most important thing to being a successful leaderDeliver what you say you're going to deliver - hold yourself accountable. Motivate your team, encourage their development and keep them engaged.It's a great listen, tune in now! 

In this insightful episode of From Go to CFO, Greg O’Shea sat down with Carolyn Beagley, Head of Commercial, Accent Group Limited to talk about life and numbers, her move from South Africa to Australia, her diverse career, working in the rag trade and her insights on how to get a seat at the table. Key highlights: How she has always been headhunted for roles for the majority of her career and has never had to actively interview.Finding her style as a leader and the pros and cons of being a ‘people pleaser.’How she’s avoided hitting the ‘career ceiling.’Taking calculated risks Balancing work and life and being present in the moment.Tune in now for this fun and candid chat! 

In this latest episode of 'From Go to CFO,' Greg O'Shea sat down with Kate Denton, Chief Financial Officer at Symbio to talk all things career, life and travel! Kate talks about her experiences working as the Acting CFO to stepping up into the top job, how she had to throw her hat into the ring and go through the 'process' with everyone else, why everyone has an opinion about CFOs and the importance of seizing every opportunity and backing yourself all the way! Kate is insightful, candid and very humble, making for an interesting listen. Tune in now! 

In this latest episode of From Go to CFO, Kunal sat down with Georgia Coulston, CFO for A W Edwards and president of the NSW Chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction in Australia to talk all things finance, being a female leader in a male dominated industry and how she balances work and family life.It's an incredibly insightful chat about what it's like being in the top job, the challenges new mothers' face when returning to a leadership position, IQ, EQ and PQ, and the way the construction industry and the role of the finance professional is ever evolving and changing. It's well worth a listen!