Thank you to the 1,400 leaders who’ve generously done the 7 questions!
I hope reading
7 Questions with Pedro De Matos
helps you in your leadership.
Cheers,
Jonno White
7 Questions with Pedro De Matos
Name: Pedro De Matos
Current title: Group CFO
Current organisation: Ingenia
C-Level Executive with extensive experience across finance, operations, IT, HR, Procurement and Supply Chain. Experienced at board level with having held Statutory Directorships across several jurisdictions; South Africa, UK, Europe (Spain, Italy, Luxembourg), Scandinavia – Sweden, North America (USA and Canada), Middle East (Dubai) and SouthEast Asia (India). Industries experience; Manufacturing, Banking, Mining, Technology, Education and Gaming within listed and privately owned enterprises. Completed articles with Deloitte South Africa and is a registered Chartered Accountant with the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants. He also has a Bachelor of Accounting Honors and a Bachelor of Accounting Science Degrees. A European passport holder. Excellent knowledge of Microsoft Suite of products and extensive experience in SAP, Great Plains, Hyperion, Pastel and other accounting platforms.
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1. What have you found most challenging as a CEO or executive of a large enterprise?
Trying to get people to take the base foundation we have in place which is a good one but lift it to the next level. There is a reluctance to change.
2. How did you become a CEO or executive of a large enterprise? Can you please briefly tell the story?
I was headhunted for the CFO position I applied for and got accepted.
3. How do you structure your work days from waking up to going to sleep?
I get up at 5am everyday. I do an hour of exercise every morning. Then off to work. First hours are clearing emails, then focused work and afternoons are for calls.
4. What's the most recent significant leadership lesson you've learned?
Complacency is a trap that you can fall into easily especially when you have driven a high automation program.
5. What's one book that has had a profound impact on your leadership so far? Can you please briefly tell the story of how that book impacted your leadership?
There is not one book there are several from Jack Welch to Steve Jobs to Nelson Mandela's long walk to freedom
6. How do you build leadership capacity in a large enterprise?
First evaluate and identify the talent you have then nurture it and protect it
7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as a CEO or executive of a large enterprise so far?
When I led my team in EMEA for another organization, I had to put a management structure in place and we hit a purple patch where numbers, strategy and people investment fell into place . It was a golden period.