Robert Decusati knows how to build a successful long term career as a finance professional, because he’s done it. He offers the following advice to those embarking on a finance career:
Consider the skeleton of the herring. It has a straight central line (the spine) but leading off that to right and left is a series of lateral bones. A successful career follows the herringbone pattern: you start at the bottom (the base of the spine) and you progress towards the head, but as you go you take diversions on some of those lateral pathways to pick up business knowledge to augment your career “toolbox”. Each time you return to the central path you are that much better equipped – that much more competent – because of the extra knowledge and experience you’ve picked up.
Robert has followed his own advice to great effect. After graduating, he joined Cytec Inc. as a junior accountant, but by the time he left he had focused for a while on cost accounting and then taken responsibility for procurement and planning in a small plant. His next move was to Rubbermaid where he progressed from Controller to Director, Production Inventory Control, taking on responsibility for a $22 million restructuring program on the way.
As Director, Finance and Administration at Fuchs Systems, Robert Decusati designed and implemented a restructuring plan that returned the company to profitability. Further moves gave him the confidence and the skillset to buy a fabrication company where he used the widely varied experience he had to restructure the company and sell at a profit.
Consider the skeleton of the herring. It has a straight central line (the spine) but leading off that to right and left is a series of lateral bones. A successful career follows the herringbone pattern: you start at the bottom (the base of the spine) and you progress towards the head, but as you go you take diversions on some of those lateral pathways to pick up business knowledge to augment your career “toolbox”. Each time you return to the central path you are that much better equipped – that much more competent – because of the extra knowledge and experience you’ve picked up.
Robert has followed his own advice to great effect. After graduating, he joined Cytec Inc. as a junior accountant, but by the time he left he had focused for a while on cost accounting and then taken responsibility for procurement and planning in a small plant. His next move was to Rubbermaid where he progressed from Controller to Director, Production Inventory Control, taking on responsibility for a $22 million restructuring program on the way.
As Director, Finance and Administration at Fuchs Systems, Robert Decusati designed and implemented a restructuring plan that returned the company to profitability. Further moves gave him the confidence and the skillset to buy a fabrication company where he used the widely varied experience he had to restructure the company and sell at a profit.
