E304 That Great Business Show - The CFO Who Interviews for a New Job Every Year — Vineta Bajaj, Holland & Barrett

Vineta Bajaj interviews for another job every year. She is also Group CFO of Holland & Barrett.

That may sound like a dangerous combination, but Vineta says interviewing is a muscle. Let it go soft and the day you genuinely need another job, your first few interviews will be dreadful.If you are in the corporate world, or want to understand that world, this is an essential episode.

Born and raised in Limerick, she finished school at 16, entered the University of Limerick before she was old enough for the pub, taught piano and developed a teenage fascination with trading options in oil refinery companies. As you do.

Since then, she has worked with KPMG, Kerry Group, Ocado and Rohlik Group before taking charge of the finances at Holland & Barrett, a company with over 1,200 stores globally. Vineta explains why you should never say “that’s not my job”, why “busy” often means ineffective, how she told a CFO that she wanted his job, and why you must ask directly for the career you want. She also reveals the extraordinary full-circle moment when she hired two of the men who once hired and managed her.

Hire in a Heartbeat: Vineta attempts to dodge the compulsory name, admits her admiration for Michael O’Leary and ultimately chooses something more valuable—a leader with a genuine founder mindset. With thanks to De Facto Shaving Oil, the longstanding sponsor of That Great Business Show. Find all episodes at www.ThatGreatBusinessShow.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.