Christina Bui is Managing Director of Robert Half's retained executive search practice, bringing over three decades of experience across technology, healthcare, private equity, and venture capital sectors. Her remarkable journey began as a refugee from Vietnam during the fall of Saigon, where she and her family started from scratch, not knowing English, to build successful careers in America. She serves on multiple boards, including Son Foods, and advisory positions at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School and Fulbright University Vietnam. As a founding board member of How Women Lead, which has grown to 25,000 members nationwide, she demonstrates her commitment to breaking barriers for women in leadership.
In her conversation with Jan Robertson, Bui emphasized several critical insights for financial executives. She highlighted the evolving challenges CFOs face, including the visibility gap, where finance leaders often remain behind the scenes focused on numbers rather than building their professional brand. She provided practical examples of career advancement, such as her own path to board seats, which began with an ad tech startup and expanded to include a 71-year-old fish sauce company and various Vietnamese founder-led companies. Bui addressed specific needs for aspiring board members, recommending: building a network of 15-20 trusted advisors (including bankers, auditors, and lawyers), taking leadership roles in professional organizations, and maintaining an active LinkedIn presence. She emphasized key risks in the profession, including the perception challenge in recruiting young talent who view accounting as "boring" rather than strategic and technology-driven. The conversation also touched on current challenges like AI integration, system transitions (such as moving from QuickBooks to NetSuite), and post-election market dynamics affecting hiring and M&A activities.
Key Message: Success in today's financial leadership landscape requires being "unabashedly visible," building strategic relationships, and embracing technology while maintaining a forward-thinking perspective that goes beyond traditional finance roles.
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christina-bui-0922184/

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