26th June 2025
Mackie Myers, the independent recruitment partner, hosted the brand’s first event with NOVA - a community of female leaders dedicated to supporting and delivering more women into leadership roles.
The networking and learning event included a panel discussion, with female CFOs sharing their career journeys and providing tips and advice on how finance professionals can successfully navigate their way to their first CFO role.
With nearly 50 years’ combined experience, the panel included Yifat Steuer, Group CFO of ES Media Group, specialists in providing professional services to the broadcast industry, Emma Brown, CFO of CUBE, a market leading RegTech business, backed by Hg Capital and Stefanie Brown Hawkins, CFO of Med-Tech INOTEC AMD.
Each CFO shared her personal journey, highlighting the varied backgrounds that lead to leadership, before answering a series of questions designed to give insights into career development and the path to success.
Topics ranged from the importance of networking to how to identify which corporate environment bests suits your own leadership style, before the panel answered questions from the audience of over 30 female finance professionals.
One interesting area that was explored in detail was the increasing overlap of CFO and COO responsibilities, with the rise of the ‘CFOO’ phenomenon – Chief Financial and Operating Officer.
Discussion was centred around the blurred lines between operations and finance. CFOs are responsible for the financial performance of an organisation, and to do that successfully, they need to have oversight over how it operates.
On the topic of how a CFO role differs from other senior finance jobs, Yifat commented:
“You need to be comfortable speaking with senior professionals from non-financial backgrounds, explaining financial concepts in a way that’s clear, relevant, and engaging. ”
Emma added: “At CFO level, you are working alongside the C-Suite and those peer-to-peer relationships can feel very different to the hierarchical structures many people are used to in Financial Director roles. It can take practice to work and build relationships in that environment.”
The importance of establishing and nurturing board relationships was also covered, as was the need to be aligned with the CEO on strategy in a board setting.
Rounding off with practical advice for FDs and Senior Financial Controllers looking to make the step up to the role of CFO, Stefanie explained the importance of knowing your own sell:
“Everyone’s story is different. It’s key that you understand what value you will bring to an organisation and that you are able to articulate your USPs. Be creative around getting into situations that will allow you to learn, get greater exposure and develop your skills.”
The panel was the first in a series of events that Mackie Myers is planning in collaboration with the NOVA Community. The recruitment landscape plays a crucial role in shaping the leadership ecosystem, and through this partnership Mackie Myers aims to support more females in their career development journeys, foster positive conversations, and help to build more inclusive leadership pipelines.
For more information about securing your next role or making the step into leadership, contact the Mackie Myers team on: hello@mackiemyers.co.uk
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