THE JOURNAL

Insights & Strategies.

Executive career positioning, mindset shifts, and recruitment secrets from 25+ years on the inside.

"How Have You Influenced a Board?" Answering Board Influence Questions

Belinda Paris

Published on: 20/10/2026

How to answer the board influence interview question as a CFO or C-suite leader. What panels test, an answer structure, real examples and mistakes.

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From Business Owner Back to Executive Employment: Writing the Resume

Belinda Paris

Published on: 20/10/2026

How to write a business owner to employee resume that gets shortlisted. Easing employer doubts, titles, dates, reasons for returning and example bullets.

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Managing Director ANZ Resume: Running the Local Business for an Overseas Owner

Belinda Paris

Published on: 20/10/2026

How to write a managing director resume for an ANZ role that reports offshore. What head office wants, local P&L, matrix work and example bullets.

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Chief Transformation Officer Resume: Proving Change That Stuck

Belinda Paris

Published on: 20/10/2026

How to write a transformation director resume that proves your change lasted. Scale, timeline, results that held, people change and example bullets.

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Chief Strategy Officer Resume: Showing Decisions, Not Decks

Belinda Paris

Published on: 20/10/2026

How to write a chief strategy officer resume that shows the decisions you shaped and the value they created, with before and after example bullets.

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Tourism and Hospitality Finance Leaders: Seasons, Assets and Cash

Belinda Paris

Published on: 20/10/2026

What a hospitality finance director does across tourism and hospitality in Australia and NZ. Seasonal cash, property, owners, payroll risk and resume tips.

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Transport and Logistics Finance Leaders: Fleets, Contracts and Thin Margins

Belinda Paris

Published on: 20/10/2026

What a logistics finance manager or CFO really does in transport. Fleet decisions, contract pricing, fuel costs, working with operations and resume tips.

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Manufacturing Finance Directors: Costing, Capital and Supply Chains

Belinda Paris

Published on: 20/10/2026

What a manufacturing finance director does. Product costing and margin, capital and plant decisions, supply chain and inventory risk, and resume points.

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Professional Services Firm CFO and COO Roles: Law, Accounting and Engineering Firms

Belinda Paris

Published on: 20/10/2026

Professional services firm CFO and COO roles in law, accounting and engineering firms. Partners, utilisation, lockup, pricing and moving in from corporate.

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LinkedIn for Group Financial Controllers Aiming at CFO

Belinda Paris

Published on: 20/10/2026

A group financial controller LinkedIn profile that points to CFO. Headline, About section, experience entries, staying discreet and a before and after example.

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The CFO's First 100 Days in a Private Equity-Backed Business

Belinda Paris

Published on: 20/10/2026

A CFO 100 day plan for a private equity-backed business. What the investment team expects, cash, reporting, lenders, early wins and common mistakes.

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Retention Bonuses in a Sale or Restructure: What Senior Finance Leaders Should Ask

Belinda Paris

Published on: 20/10/2026

A retention bonus in a sale or restructure is worth reading closely. Common structures, conditions that can cost you, negotiating terms and your career after.

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Chief Financial and Strategy Officer: When Strategy Moves Under the CFO

Belinda Paris

Published on: 20/10/2026

The chief financial and strategy officer role explained. Why groups combine the roles, what the strategy half involves, how to win it and how to show it.

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When You and the CEO No Longer Agree: Options for a CFO

Belinda Paris

Published on: 20/10/2026

A CFO and CEO relationship breakdown is hard to come back from. Early signs, talking to the CEO, involving the chair and planning an exit on your terms.

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CFO Incentive Plans Explained: STI, LTI and What to Ask Before You Sign

Belinda Paris

Published on: 20/10/2026

CFO long term incentive and STI plans in plain English. How they work, vesting, leaver terms, change of control and what to ask before you sign.

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CFO Succession Planning: Building Your Successor Without Weakening Your Position

Belinda Paris

Published on: 20/10/2026

CFO succession planning without the fear. Why boards ask, who to develop, how to give a successor board exposure and how it helps your own next move.

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Second-Time CFO: Choosing Your Next CFO Role Better Than the First

Belinda Paris

Published on: 20/10/2026

Choosing your second CFO role well. What changes after your first seat, how to judge the CEO, board and owner, and the questions to ask before you say yes.

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Should Your Employer Pay for Your Career Coaching?

Belinda Paris

Published on: 19/10/2026

When employers pay for career coaching, development budgets versus outplacement, how to ask, confidentiality and a short business case example.

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Career Coach for Finance Professionals: When It Helps and When It Does Not

Belinda Paris

Published on: 19/10/2026

When a career coach for finance professionals is worth it, when you do not need one, how to choose a coach and what to expect to pay in Australia and NZ.

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LinkedIn Profile Writing Costs: What Executives Should Expect

Belinda Paris

Published on: 19/10/2026

What executive LinkedIn profile writing costs in Australia and NZ, what you should get, DIY versus paid, and the questions to ask before you hire.

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Executive Interview Coaching: What Happens in a Session and Is It Worth It?

Belinda Paris

Published on: 19/10/2026

What happens in an executive interview coaching session, how mock panels and feedback work, when one session is enough and how to judge cost against value.

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Executive Career Coaching Cost in Australia and NZ: What You Get at Each Level

Belinda Paris

Published on: 19/10/2026

What executive career coaching costs in Australia and NZ, the common pricing models, what you get at each level, questions to ask and red flags to avoid.

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Board Chair Interview Questions and How to Answer Them

Belinda Paris

Published on: 19/10/2026

Board chair interview questions with example answers. How chair selection differs, leading the board, working with the CEO, handling a crisis and what to ask.

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Board Vacancy Websites and Registers: Do They Work?

Belinda Paris

Published on: 19/10/2026

Do board vacancy websites and director registers work? The main types, what roles they fill, how to make your profile count and how much time to spend on them.

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Board Committee Chair: Stepping Up From Member

Belinda Paris

Published on: 19/10/2026

What changes when you step up from member to committee chair. Working with management, agendas, reporting to the board and which committee to chair first.

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Board Evaluations: How Directors Are Reviewed and Why It Matters for Your Next Seat

Belinda Paris

Published on: 19/10/2026

How board evaluations work, what chairs look for in each director and how your boardroom reputation follows you to your next seat in Australia and NZ.

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Conflicts of Interest: When You Sit on a Board and Hold an Executive Role

Belinda Paris

Published on: 19/10/2026

A practical guide to conflict of interest for a board director who also holds an executive role. Common conflicts, declaring them and when to step down.

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How to Read a Board Pack as a New Director

Belinda Paris

Published on: 19/10/2026

How to read a board pack as a new director. What is in it, the order to read it, the finance and risk pages, and how to prepare sharp questions.

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Director Duties: What New Directors in Australia and NZ Need to Know

Belinda Paris

Published on: 19/10/2026

Director duties in plain words for new directors in Australia and NZ. The core duties, key differences, NFP boards, protecting yourself and questions to ask.

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Fit and Proper Requirements for Directors in Regulated Industries

Belinda Paris

Published on: 19/10/2026

What fit and proper director requirements mean for bank, insurance and super boards in Australia and NZ, what is checked and how to prepare your record.

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