Q&A with KB&D's CFO Bona Allen; stress grips 88% of finance teams; and driving a culture of shared financial accountability

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Bona Allen's perspective on the importance of people

Bona Allen , CFO of Kajima Building & Design Group, Inc. has used an authentic and people-centric leadership approach to help both his team and fellow CFOs achieve their goals. According to him, this approach can not only help promote a positive culture but also prepare for challenges.

"I also think it’s really important to encourage your team to build out so that when challenges arise, they don’t overwhelm our people. We encourage our people to take time off, and we staff the business accordingly. We have the right number of people, both in the back end and front end of the business. The leadership team has focused on instilling that into our corporate culture, and it’s worked well. Our people are happy, our culture is extremely positive and we are innovating and growing the business."

Read the full story here.

Kate Peachway, CFO of TS Imagine, really likes coffee

TS Imagine ’s Kate Peachway shares her favorite leadership lesson, the importance of expecting the unexpected and why her mom is her biggest inspiration in the latest edition of the 6 a.m. CFO. Throughout the interview, she mentions her love of coffee five times.

Here are the references Peachway makes to her favorite beverage:

• "I love coffee so much that I go to bed thinking about it the night before."
• "I work out every morning at 6 a.m. and then take my three kids to school. Then I drink coffee."
• "[My midmorning snack of choice is] coffee. Have I mentioned that I like coffee?
• "I have a dog and a coffee maker."
• "[My mom] is the bravest, most determined and kindest person I know. She’s also fun to grab a coffee with."

Read the full story here.

Stress grips 88% of finance teams

In a recent report by Yooz of U.S. finance workers, 88% reported experiencing stress due to shifting business priorities, and 66% rated their stress levels as moderate to extreme. Further, two-thirds of those polled said they think about work regularly during personal time, and 30% think about it “constantly.”

Read the full story here.

79% of CFOs expect net profit growth in 2025

In Grant Thornton (US) ’s recently published Q3 2024 CFO survey, more than three quarters (79%) of CFOs said they expect growth in net profits over the next 12 months. Although this figure is a 10-quarter high, CFO confidence is also coming at a four-quarter low. Confidence to meet goals for increased demand over the next twelve months fell 12 points to 51%.

Read the full story here.

How CFOs can drive a culture of shared financial accountability

A culture of?shared accountability, where all members share a set of expectations and are answerable for their common actions or decisions, can be as simple as practicing a series of behaviors that ultimately manifest as organizational habits. These habits must be taught early in each finance team member’s leadership journey, so that as they grow in their careers, they become better operational partners, shares Rahul Swali , chief financial officer of the NeuroLeadership Institute .

Read the full story here.

Jamie Dimon warns of geopolitical risks on US economy

In 摩根大通 ’s most recent earnings call, CEO Jamie Dimon discussed how his company has been monitoring current geopolitical threats that could affect the global economy. He warns that although the U.S. economy has appeared resilient, the largest U.S.?bank is preparing for all possible outcomes and economic conditions.

“Recent events show that conditions are treacherous and getting worse,” Dimon said. “There is significant human suffering, and the outcome of these situations could have far-reaching effects on both short-term economic outcomes and, more importantly, on the course of history.”

Read the full story here.

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This edition of Preferred Shares was created by reporter Adam Zaki .