Some executives can have an academic background that seems surprisingly unusual for their chosen profession, but that mismatch could actually be a good thing, or at least a source of new ideas. CFO recently profiled a pharmaceutical officer who functions as CFO despite sporting a Ph.D. in organic chemistry. Although this might seem ill-suited on paper, this executive, Leland Gershell, told the source that he "picked up" the skills needed to raise financing during the course of his career.
Even though his degree didn't exactly prepare him for the career path he chose, Gershell's education was still an asset to the companies he joined. As he worked for different employers, Gershell says his science background was actually more important than any financial experience, at least at his former job as a securities analyst.
The disparity between one's higher education and the position applied for could suggest the importance of an executive recruitment strategy that looks at bits of personal information in context, not just on their own. Gershell emphasized the extra benefits of having a wide range of experience.
"If you come from a background where you've been following scientific developments that may be broader than what the company itself is doing, the types of conversations you can have with investors can be [richer]," he said.
While business degrees are fairly expected among high-level businesspeople, looking to candidates with a technical or scientific degree could be useful in placing the right CFO, especially for companies in those respective fields. To make sure the best professional is selected, executive search consultants can widen the net to include candidates whose knowledge extends beyond their job and to the industry as a whole.
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