INTHEBLACK December 2021 - Magazine - Page 21
MEET THE
EXPERTS
LAWRIE TREMAINE FCPA
03
02
L O R E T TA S E A M E R F C PA
P H I L I P N E U T Z E F C PA
C F O , M AT E R G R O U P
CFO, AUCKLAND AIRPORT
Since the onset of the pandemic, CFOs have worn
many hats to support organisational challenges and
co-design solutions. We’ve called upon critical
planning, risk management and complex problemsolving skills, as well as our knowledge of operational
models and performance to adapt quickly to the
changing environment. These fluid skills have helped
steer organisations through uncertain times.
However, other skills have come to the fore since
the pandemic. Managing teams remotely and
balancing the challenges this presents for them,
while also prioritising inclusiveness, employee
wellbeing and productivity, has required compassion
and strong communication skills.
From a health sector perspective, we’ve also
needed to adopt new processes and technologies
to meet health needs and support the front line from
our finance and operational support systems.
While we don’t know what the year ahead has
in store for us, my experience in the health sector
shows we will need to continue to adapt quickly
to new technologies. COVID-19 has changed our
models of care, and we need to embed this and
review our investment priorities and risks, especially
the risks surrounding cybersecurity.
We’ll also need to continually invest in team
capabilities. Recruiting talent has become more
difficult since the closure of international borders, so
a focus on team culture, talent acquisition and skills
development will be critical.
Finally, CFOs will need the ability to monitor and
predict changes and adapt quickly. This is something
we’ve continued to fine-tune since the start of the
pandemic. Analytics and performance insights will
help us prepare for any challenge.
COVID-19 has badly impacted the global aviation
sector. Auckland Airport’s growth plans are largely in
limbo, pending a sustainable return of international
traffic. We shut down well over NZ$2 billion
(A$1.9 billion) of aeronautical infrastructure projects,
and we scaled back staff and operations to slash
operating expenses by 30 per cent.
Our world has permanently changed, but I’m not
quite sure that “fluid skill set” precisely describes
what’s needed going forward. That’s because the
key skills required under COVID-19 restrictions will
also be critical when we learn to live with COVID-19.
They won’t change. Yet, fluidity or, perhaps more
specifically, flexibility will be key. I’d also add
resilience and nimbleness for businesses like ours
facing heightened uncertainty for years to come.
CFOs and other business leaders must be
attuned to staff morale and actively settle nerves,
especially while we are all working from home and
feeling a bit disconnected. We must be open and
honest about our current circumstances and be
clear on the triggers that will put us back on a path
to the new normal.
We need strong analytical and forecasting skills
and great intuition, so that we can plan for a finite
set of potential outcomes, despite the uncertainty.
Recruitment and retention practices that enhance
diversity will foster innovative recovery thinking.
Open, honest, yet firm conversations will also be
critical with our suppliers and our lenders, so we
can work together as a team and reduce
unexpected surprises.
This is why flexibility, nimbleness, resilience,
intuition and honesty are the “fluid skill sets” that
I think will be most important in 2022 and beyond.
_
We will need to continue to adapt quickly to new
technologies. COVID-19 has changed our models
of care, and we need to embed this and review our
investment priorities and risks, especially the risks
surrounding cybersecurity.
_
CFOs and other business leaders must be
attuned to staff morale and actively settle
nerves, especially while we’re all working
from home and feeling a bit disconnected.
Lawrie Tremaine FCPA joined
Origin in 2017 to lead the teams
responsible for all finance
activities, corporate strategy,
corporate development,
procurement and investor
relations, as well as health,
safety and environment.
He has more than 30 years
of experience in financial
and commercial leadership,
predominantly in the resource,
oil and gas and minerals
processing industries, having
previously worked with
Woodside Petroleum
and Alcoa.
LORETTA SEAMER FCPA
Loretta Seamer FCPA has more
than 30 years of experience as
a finance professional, health
planner and consultant. For
the past 18 years, her expertise
has been focused in the
healthcare sector in Australia,
the UK and the Middle East,
with public and private tertiary,
academic and research health
organisations. Seamer holds
a bachelor of business degree
and an MBA, and is a graduate
of the Australian Institute of
Directors program.
PHILIP NEUTZE FCPA
Philip Neutze FCPA was
appointed CFO of Auckland
Airport in December 2015. He
is also a director of Auckland
Airport’s Novotel and Pullman
hotel joint ventures. Neutze
holds an MBA with
distinction, and is a certified
member of the Institute of
Finance Professionals NZ. In
his decade-long investment
banking career, he held
senior roles with Ord Minnett,
JP Morgan and PwC. He
has also served as a tax
policy adviser with the New
Zealand Treasury and as a
scientist with the Ministry of
Agriculture and Fisheries.
intheblack.com December 2021 21