In this episode of The Diary of a CFO Podcast, host Wassia Kamon sits down with Dave DeFreitas, retired group CFO of Caterpillar Inc., to explore the unconventional career path that took him from staff accountant to the C-suite.

Drawing on over 30 years of experience leading finance teams at one of the world's largest manufacturing companies, Dave shares why he had seven different jobs in his first six years before getting his first promotion, and how those lateral moves built the foundation for executive-level thinking.

The conversation also explores:

• The situational leadership framework that allows leaders to adapt their approach based on where each team member is in their development,
• Why understanding how a company works matters more than functional expertise,
• The critical difference between managing change and leading improvements.

This episode is for CFOs, aspiring CFOs, and senior finance leaders who want a realistic roadmap to the C-suite and the leadership skills that matter most once you get there.

Key Timestamps

01:19 Three things that made the difference to group CFO

03:25 The power of lateral moves in career progression

12:06 Situational leadership framework explained

15:41 Leading a team where most direct reports are older than you

24:04 The difference between managers and leaders

28:16 Value stream mapping and process optimization

42:09 How university curriculum needs to evolve for AI

47:37 What finance professionals must do to adapt to AI

Learn more about the podcast at https://www.thediaryofacfo.com

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