Could you describe your leadership style as CFO? What core values guide your approach to financial leadership?

‘Lead by example’ is without doubt my principal core value. I also ensure that I explain my decisions clearly so that the team can understand and adhere to them and ultimately meet and ideally exceed our objectives collectively. At all times, I keep a pragmatic approach, using this almost like a compass because when it comes down to it, great ideas are worthless if they can’t be implemented.

Can you walk us through your career journey that led to your current position as CFO at Gantrex?

After graduating from ESCP in Paris, I worked for Deloitte in Neuilly-sur-Seine for 5 years as an auditor. Following this, I joined the Fives Group, where I worked for 12 years across a range of roles. Starting as a Junior Controller in HQ in Montreuil, I then progressed to become Finance Manager in the Aluminium division in Saint-Germain-en-Laye. Next, I became CFO of a business within the Combustion division, moving to Marseille, before finally moving back to Paris to take on the role of CFO for the entire division.

Then, in 2019, I was offered the opportunity to join Gantrex as Group CFO, which I seized with both hands, and this leads me to where I am today.

What specifically made you accept the CFO role at Gantrex, and what were the initial challenges you faced when stepping into this position?

During my career, I developed some very specific skills and experience related to International Industrial Engineering, for example long term contracts, credit control,

international trade. I had also become accustomed to working in medium-sized organisations with a strong entrepreneurial mindset, with cultures that displayed a short line of command and rapid implementation of decisions. Both of these aspects were actually a very good culture match with the way in which Gantrex operates and drives innovation and growth. Naturally, I considered the culture fit a good match for my operational style and drive.

I recall that one of the very first challenges that I had to encounter in the early days of my role on the team on day one at Gantrex was about cash conversion. After some months of observing the operation and working practices, I could see an opportunity for some quick win enhancements by implementing only a few changes. With further discussions with key colleagues throughout the organisation, and clear explanation of my thought process and proposal, all the relevant departments within Gantrex have successfully adhered to new principles, new way of communicating and working. And those early days quick wins are still bearing fruits today, with continued positive impact and efficiencies.

What aspects of the Gantrex company culture and values resonated most with you, and how do they align with your personal beliefs?

There are several in fact, but if I had to choose only one, I would say the Gantrex value that resonates the most with me would be reliability.

Reliability supports product quality, creates trust between colleagues, and also between Gantrex and external stakeholders—clients, suppliers, and others. Reliability helps build a safe and sustainable environment for everyone, providing the structure and consistency from which innovation, challenge and new ideas can spring.

What have been some of the most significant challenges you’ve faced in your career to date, and how did you overcome them?

Supporting our growth strategy over the last few years has certainly been the most significant challenge in my career. It has been and continues to be very demanding in terms of the range and scope of areas that need to be carefully managed, usually all at the same time. But what has been great is the level of support and development that Gantrex offers, so that I can keep learning, challenging myself, remaining engaged and committed to the strategic vision, feeling supported at all times and excited about the opportunities that these challenges present, for both my professional and personal development.

Looking back at key moments in your professional life, what opportunities did you recognize that motivated you to move forward?

My involvement with the Gantrex strategic plan has been a pivotal moment in my career. Having the opportunity to participate in its creation and implementation has been hugely motivating for me. And being in a position to see the plans become reality, step by step each day, continues to inspire my commitment and professional growth and keeps me moving forwards.

How do you approach innovation within the traditionally structured finance function? What tangible impacts have your innovative approaches delivered for both the business and its customers?

With a focus on pragmatism and practical solutions! True innovation often stems from real-world observations. An example of this is how we now systematically request advance payments on projects from our customers. This approach was initially considered unworkable, which is precisely what makes it innovative.

On a more serious note, this seemingly simple observation was that a lack of process for advance payments was leading to unsecured projects, leading to loss of time and ultimately to late deliveries. The innovation in this instance was to do with the approach and the communication of the rationale and benefit for all. By demonstrating and getting acceptance that advance payment terms were for the benefit of all, not just Gantrex, we could show the positive impact it would have for the customer. Secured and properly funded projects benefit from project efficiencies, barriers are removed, production goes at full speed, deliveries are expedited as soon as possible, overall quality and execution times improve. This ultimately serves our customers’ best interests while transforming our operational approach.

How do you view your role as CFO in driving our strategic growth? Has this perspective evolved during your time with the organization?

My initial role was to “fix the engine,” “reconnect the pipes,” and “make the business flow smoothly.” While this might appear simplistic, implementing precisely the right solutions in the right places unleashed tremendous growth potential. That phase, however, has now concluded.

My role has evolved naturally into one of empowerment. By ensuring our team has the resources, authority, and support needed to accomplish their objectives, I’m helping to create an environment that will unlock even greater growth opportunities for Gantrex in the coming years.

In today’s rapidly changing business environment, what do you believe are the most critical skills for a modern CFO?

That’s an easy one to answer. Listen carefully… and decide quickly!

And finally, looking ahead, what financial strategies are you most excited about implementing to support our future growth?

I believe we have a real opportunity to make better use of our data and analytics. There’s still so much we can learn from the information we already have—about market trends, sales opportunities, and both financial and operational performance indicators. I’m looking forward to making decisions guided by insights from these different types of data. And while we are in the early adopter stages with AI, we know it’s just getting started, and our strategy for this is really very exciting.