Karen Harrison

I am an experienced CFO, seasoned and inspired by a 30-year career in Finance leadership, initially in public practice (Big 4) and, since 2002, in business, (as a CFO or equivalent since 2005). I have lived, worked and thrived in the UK, USA, LATAM, Caribbean, East Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa. I have brought leadership and execution to Public Practice, to Media (broadcasting, film distribution, content sales, content processing, ISP), to Telcoms, to Manufacturing and to Solar Power. I have operated in B2B, B2C and B2B2C business models. I have worked for large multi-nationals, for listed businesses, for VC-backed businesses, with professional management and with founder-led organisations. I have specialised in organisations in transition, including high growth, post-acquisition integration, turnaround and redressing organisational debt. I have specialised in low-resource environments, concentrating on knowledge transfer, process development, cash management and profitability. I succeed through building corporate culture, establishing effective communications and cross-functional relationships. Although designated as Finance lead, I typically also develop HR and Business Intelligence capacity, lead ESG implementation, manage IT, including systems implementations. I regularly also lead Procurement and have taken responsibility for Inventory warehousing and dispatch, Sales and Marketing. I am a trusted collaborator and sounding board for senior colleagues. I offer high IQ and EQ insights. I lead and/or moderate timely strategic discussions. I build and/or polish implementation programmes. I help build the senior leadership into a team with common understanding and agreed goals. I invest in junior colleagues to encourage and develop talent and ideas wherever they are found within the organisation. My key personal contributions are integrity, ability, humility and persistence. At this stage of my career, I am looking to support one or more organisations as a vector of positive change, in an executive, advisory, project or non-executive capacity. I prefer a hybrid or on-site model because I believe in the importance of personal, physical interactions to drive culture, execution and the bottom line in normal times. However, I am open to a remote position.