Receive your free commercial brochure Request Now
We Take 5 With Chris, Our New CFO
Chris has become a valuable part of the Tasbuilt team. Find out more about the experienced CFO.
Tell us a bit about yourself
I grew up in England, married my incredible wife and qualified as an accountant before coming to Australia in 1988. We spent 10 years in Darwin and had two wonderful children (and now a beautiful fun-living grandson as well) before moving to Dayboro, just outside Brisbane, where we spent 15 years, before coming down to Tasmania in 2016. So, we’ve been gradually moving south, and we don’t really want to keep doing that otherwise we’ll end up at Mawson’s hut!
My faith, family and friends are important to me. I am a long-suffering Tottenham supporter and LA Angels fan. I enjoy reading, travelling, camping, bushwalking and spending time outdoors.
What drew you to the CFO position that Tasbuilt advertised?
The opportunity to really make a difference in an organisation that has great potential and desire to grow.
What’s the first number you check when you start your day — and why?
Right now, it’s the bank account to see if anything has come in overnight.
What does a typical day in Tasbuilt’s finance office look like?
It kind of depends on what comes up. At the moment it’s a mixture of working on growth opportunities, working on our strategy, looking at our results, forecasting, several meetings depending on the day, and doing whatever might come up…questions, queries and anything people might need to support them.
If you could describe your CFO style in three words, what would they be?
Supportive, Proactive and Compassionate.
How would you describe the culture at Tasbuilt?
Friendly, Collaborative and Fun.
What is your 5-year plan as CFO of Tasbuilt?
To support Tasbuilt to grow, evolve and strengthen.
What’s one financial habit every growing business should adopt early?
Manage cash closely.
Your role would have its challenges. What’s your strong point in handling the pressure?
I’m a fairly calm person that doesn’t panic easily, so I can normally handle things that happen without falling apart, even when other people get overwhelmed.
Finish this sentence: ‘A CFO should never…
Panic.
And just for fun…
What would your dream home look like?
I won’t be cheesy and say a Tasbuilt home. It would have lots of natural light, beautiful views of nature, which we’re pretty close to now, outdoor areas, and not too big.
You’ve been given an elephant. You can’t sell it or give it away, what would you do with it?
I would take it to its natural environment and let it go.
