In celebration of International Women’s Day, we’re spotlighting the career journey of Alison Brogan, our CFO. In a recent webinar, Alison shared the experiences, decisions and defining moments that have shaped her path to leadership. From starting out on a Youth Training Scheme to leading finance for a major UK business, Alison reflects on what it really takes to build a successful career. What do effective leaders actually do to create exceptional careers and drive meaningful business impact? Here’s what Alison had to say.
As CFO, my role is incredibly varied from hour to hour, day to day. I’m there to support, to challenge and, when needed, to say no. My time is split across a wide range of priorities ranging from catching up with the team, detailed activities such as debtors’ reviews, group reporting and governance.
Where it all began
Being an accountant wasn’t always the dream, I was a very sporty child and had my sights set on being an Olympic gymnast. Sadly, due to an injury, that wasn’t the case. However, this instilled a strong sense of discipline in me from an early age. Those lessons have stayed with me throughout my career.
I didn’t really take to school and had no intention of staying on at sixth form or college. I didn’t really know what I wanted to do, but I then took a YTS (Youth Training Scheme) role at a local accountancy firm, studying for a BTEC in Business and Finance. Two years later, I began my ACCA journey and realised that I was actually quite good at it! I studied alongside my full-time job and was fully qualified by 22.
After 4 years, I decided audit wasn’t my path, and at that point my ambition was to become a Managing Director. I moved into industry and had three/four different roles over a seven-year period. During this stage my career, I was really ambitious, probably too ambitious at times. I learned a great deal from different bosses, and that experience helped define the kind of leader I aspired to be and the kind I wanted to avoid becoming.
My first leadership role was a real challenge. I was promoted without any formal training and looking back, I probably wasn’t even a great manager, never mind a leader. I learnt quickly from those early mistakes, though, I’m glad I got the support and training in later years.
Stepping into leadership
In 2000 I joined Bidfood, so my time here has made up a significant part of my career. There were two Managing Directors who definitely took a chance on me in the early days, and I progressed to director relatively quickly. They could see my potential and understood that, with refinement and experience, I would provide excellent support to them and the business. Around the same time my career was accelerating, I had my son. I didn’t take a long period of time away from work but prioritising him and my family was – and still is – incredibly important to me. I was fortunate to have a supportive boss and team around me to allow me to strike the balance between work and home that can be so hard to reach.
Bidfood has always been a great cultural fit for me; opinions are encouraged, and the informal structure allows open communication at every level. The reason I have stayed so long is simple – the people. I’ve also been fortunate to find, amongst these people, a number of strong role models at leadership level, from handling conflict to the expectations of a director. There has always been someone to learn from.
In more recent years, I have a fantastic team who work well together. Allowing me to focus on my role and supporting other areas, too. Andrew, our CEO, is a fantastic support, he values input and opinions, and equally lets you get on with your job.
Staying connected to the wider business
A high proportion of my time is spent with internal customers, and I see that as a key part of my role. It’s so important that Finance are seen to be working with and supporting the business and not simply crunching numbers at head office. As part of the leadership team, I believe in being visible and truly understanding the challenges and opportunities across the business. We may be a large company, but we have a decentralised approach, and all our sites and businesses are unique and led by the local teams.
One of the most enjoyable parts of my role is visiting sites, new acquisitions, and meeting different teams. People really appreciate you taking the time to get to know their roles and businesses and I learn so much from those conversations. It brings the numbers to life and gives real context to decision-making.
I would encourage everyone to fully understand the business they work for. The same applies for audits. Businesses really appreciate you taking the time to understand and show interest in what they do. In our case, we talk about food, so it’s always interesting! I also ensure we have strong relationships with our external advisors as I want it to feel like an extension of the team rather than someone we call just when we have an issue. Relationships internally and externally are very important to me.
What I’ve learnt along the way
I was recently asked by one of our grads, “what would you go back and tell your 16-year-old self?” It’s a great question and my answer was simple: enjoy the journey.
It’s important to have a career plan but don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone and try something different. You never know where it may lead you. I really didn’t expect to take on a CFO role, but when the opportunity came up, I grabbed it with both hands.
I think finding your own leadership style is so important. Over the years, I’ve completed several leadership courses and there’s always a few elements that resonate. If you try to adopt everything, you end up sounding like a textbook. Instead, learn from the people you admire, take inspiration, and then put your own spin on it.
For years, I thought I needed to present like the best presenters in the business and I dreaded presenting. It was only when I stopped trying to be like someone else and presented in my own way that I began to enjoy it and, hopefully, became more effective. I also believe in continually challenging yourself to improve. Set personal goals and push outside your comfort zone. It forces you to grow, reflect, and better support change within the business.
Finally, building a strong team is essential. Encouraging them to develop, my team are constantly pushing for more which is fantastic. I have an open-door policy; anyone can ask me anything which allows us to avoid time-wasting and dedicate our efforts to the tasks that really push the business forward.
Prioritising what truly matters
There are always infinite career paths to choose from, but which is the right one?
To be successful in my role, I have to be highly organised and structured. I don’t have a PA so protecting my time and prioritising is essential. I also need to remain visible both to the finance team and across the wider business. In terms of impact, I like to think about ’biggest bang for your buck.’ It’s important to stay focused on your priorities rather than reacting to whoever is shouting the loudest.
A significant part of my focus is also people. I prioritise my team and wider stakeholders by diarising regular 1:1s, team meetings and catch-ups, while also encouraging open, informal communication. There should never be surprises if we’re communicating regularly and effectively.
In summary, the best advice I can give to anyone starting out on their career journey, or looking for continuous growth is to protect your time, be organised, communicate well and be open to change.
To hear more about Alison’s journey, leadership lessons and advice for aspiring professionals, watch the full Journey to CFO webinar.
