Speaker highlight: Bona Allen

Great finance leaders aren’t just experts in numbers—they’re experts in people. And few embody this more than Bona Allen , SVP/CFO at Kajima Building & Design Group, Inc. With a career spanning real estate, construction, and hospitality, Bona has built his leadership philosophy around respect, transparency, and a commitment to lifting others. In today’s unpredictable job market, he believes the key to attracting and retaining top finance talent isn’t just about pay or perks—it’s about culture, engagement, and shared leadership.

Ahead of his appearance at World Finance Forum Dallas, we sat down with Bona to discuss the biggest challenges facing finance leaders today, his approach to leadership development, and the small but meaningful ways he keeps his team motivated. From boardroom insights to dad jokes, his perspective is one every finance leader can learn from.

Tell us a bit about yourself and how you’ve ended up where you are today.

My career has focused, primarily, on the real estate industry - development, construction, architectural/design, ownership, management, and disposition. The companies include Dutch owned, Japanese owned, another with Chinese partners, and a publicly traded hotel company.

For the last 12 years I have served as the SVP/CFO at Kajima Building & Design Group (KBD Group). KBD Group’s niche is design and construction of advanced manufacturing plants, warehouse/distribution facilities, and office build-out in the New York City market – industrial and commercial. We have a nationwide presence, and are a US subsidiary of Kajima Corporation, which was formed in 1840 and is based in Tokyo.

Previously, I have been the top finance person with companies that owned and managed hotels and apartment communities (student, market rate, and affordable housing). I believe my background in hospitality and multi-family is critical in the evolution of my perspective and leadership style. Everyone should feel comfortable, welcomed, and treated equally, while also being professionally challenged, and having opportunities to earn advancement and leadership roles.

While my background is finance & accounting, I am known as a people person. Beyond technical accounting and finance expertise, I believe a key to the path that led me here is my high respect for everyone, and my goal of lifting everyone.

"It has been said that the CFO, many times, is the 'adult in the room'. I try to manifest this by maintaining a persona of quite strength."

Yes, there are times when I can be passionate about an issue or topic, but overall and day to day, I try to be a stabilizing force, especially in times of turmoil and uncertainty.

What’s the biggest challenge finance leaders are facing today?

Not just finance leaders, but all leaders face uncertainty in the marketplace, in the workforce, and in the global economy. I believe a key to success is having an open mind, and the ability to evolve as markets evolve, while also staying true to corporate and personal core values.

How are you developing yourself as a leader, and how important do you think it is to spend time doing that?

"I believe it is critical to always be learning, and developing leadership skills. Beyond growing personally, we enhance our value to our companies."

Over the years I have reported to corporate boards of directors, and have served on non-profit and community boards. More recently, I have become active in the Private Directors Association (www.privatedirectors.org), serving in a leadership role in the Atlanta chapter. I am also active, and have earned the Directorship Certification, in the National Association of Corporate Directors (www.NACDonline.org). These two organizations provide opportunities to learn from, and interact with, other board level leaders. This higher level view is a great way to see issues and potential solutions from a different perspective.

These groups also have resources to learn about corporate governance and current leadership/governance trends and rules/regulations. Especially in times of uncertainty, they provide resources and connections to incredible leaders who are also dealing with the same challenges.

What are you doing to attract and retain talent in today’s unprecedented and unpredictable job market?

Be open, transparent, engaging and (as much as possible) flexible. Share leadership.

With the trend of working in the office more than remote, we try to make it worthwhile for our team to commute to the office.

"Keep in mind that everyone is probably dealing with something serious in their personal life, in addition to the daily stresses of work."

Without diminishing the seriousness of any of this….tell a few silly Dad jokes whenever possible.

This is just a glimpse of what’s in store at World Finance Forum Dallas. If you want to hear more game-changing insights from finance leaders like Bona , make sure you’re there on May 8-9!

Grab your ticket here ?? https://lnkd.in/eCUrZWRR