As the former CFO of Microsoft North America, I bring real-world perspective to my clients’ leadership challenges. I understand the intensity of leading complex businesses because I've done it myself. I'm known for approaching each coaching relationship with a sharp sense of executive insight — and with a mindset of compassion, curiosity, and courage. www.rexleadership.com

I write about leadership grounded in authenticity, curiosity and humility. My articles give expert advice to help executives bring transparency and authenticity to their leadership roles by finding their own personal center of mindful curiosity.

Recruited to turn around the North American finance operation, leading a comprehensive transformation that included wholesale process improvement, talent upgrades, and transitioning away from transactional administration to drive business impact.Led all accounting and financial operations across a $23 billion organization spanning enterprise, SMB, OEM, and retail channels for virtually all Microsoft products – from Windows and Office, to Cloud offerings, Server & Tools, Dynamics, Windows Phone, and Xbox. Led 7 direct reports and 114 finance employees, with 9,000 total team members across the U.S. and Canada. Delivered full P&L performance metrics, created short- and long-range investment strategies, drove performance, oversaw financial and regulatory reporting, and represented Microsoft externally. ● Grew Operating Income faster than Net Revenue for 7 years consecutively; enabled revenue growth from $12 billion to $23 billion.● Cut $140 million in operating expenses to ensure delivery of annual profit commitments despite an economic downturn.● Integrated Six Sigma methodologies within Microsoft finance, reducing 15,000+ annual man-hours of waste. Built Shared Services Center for MSNA Finance. ● Led team to achieve 100% Sarbanes-Oxley compliance every quarter for 7 years.● Shifted finance work from 70% transactional / 30% analytical to 30% / 70% respectively, which improved business impact and increased business partner satisfaction from 43% to 95%.● Delivered $1+ billion OPEX budget to within 1-2% of annual commitments over 7-year tenure.

Held full global financial accountability for $1.6 billion operation with a world leader in vision and eyecare products. Oversaw all Finance, IT, and Procurement operations, leading a worldwide team of 300+ while reporting to the CEO of CIBA Vision. Established a culture focused on operational excellence and strong market/customer orientation. Directed budgeting, forecasting, reporting, analysis, control, accounting, capital management, and business partnership activities. Reengineered the entire Finance operation, including comprehensive talent upgrades, process enhancements, and technology integration to create a high-performing, lean organization.● Filled 19 key positions representing 66% of the global finance leadership team – all within a 9-month period. Established and recruited CFO North America and CFO Supply Chain & Manufacturing roles.● Created and implemented a series of worldwide financial processes for implementing monthly operational reviews. Improved forecasting accuracy from high unpredictability to ~2% variability.● Fast-tracked reengineering of CAPEX appropriation and approval process for $100 million annual spend. Secured funding for expansion and CIBA Vision growth projects; named “best in class”. ● Drove $50 million in annual savings utilizing Six Sigma methodologies to improve financial process productivity. Persuaded CEO to adopt a multi-year enterprise-wide Six Sigma improvement initiative.● Hired and mentored a Global Procurement Officer to develop a global procurement function where none existed. Achieved a 1.3% overall company cost savings and 1.8% cost avoidance within first year.● Drove 5-point improvement in net working capital as a percent of sales (worth $75 million in cash flow) by instituting tight process controls and monitoring all working capital elements and activities.

Earned 9 financial and marketing management promotions in 15 years, building a distinguished international business record of contribution and advancement with one of the world’s most prominent consumer products companies.Directed all financial operations of North America and Latin America, with annual revenues of $3.5 billion. Oversaw all financial functions and activities for Kodak’s largest region, including financial planning & analysis, budgeting, forecasting, working capital, fixed assets management, and internal controls, with 6 direct reports.Held concurrent roles leading all regional financial planning/analysis of Consumer Imaging as well as directing all financial personnel/functions region-wide in $750 million Latin America region.● Integrated Latin American and North American finance organizations seamlessly merging both reporting structures and organizational responsibilities.● Led turnaround within Consumer Imaging, creating SOX compliant operation; achieved a $146 million cash flow improvement and a 6-day improvement in Days Sales Outstanding.● Directed financial analysis and leadership of Kodak and Wal-Mart digital photo kiosks exclusivity negotiation, resulting in placement of 2,300 kiosks nationwide and a projected NPV of $27 million.● Reduced Total Consumer Imaging A/R from $75 million to $57 million, including a decrease in DSO from 49 to 39 and Past Due from 10% to 4%. Achieved $4.5 million savings.

● Decreased total A/R from $110 million to $75 million within highly volatile, macro-economic environment, including the reduction of DSO from 60 to 49 and past due from 11% to 10%.● Implemented financial reporting system across 12 countries (68 users) within a 60-day period, eliminated 1 day of work per month in each country.● Collaboratively led exclusivity negotiation with Mexico’s premiere drugstore chain, leading to estimated +1.4pp Latin America photo paper share and +0.8pp film share, achieving NPV of $6 million.● Built the first-ever Kodak Trade Marketing function for a 13-country, $550 million operation; increased revenues 20% through P&G alliance, captured $8 million in savings and 4.5 points of share gain.● Integrated and directed cross-border financial operations for a $1 billion region, capturing $1.2 million in annual cost improvement through integration of multinational financial operations.

● Integrated and led cross-border financial operations for $1 billion region including Mexico, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Panama, Caribbean cluster and Venezuela.● $1.2 million (15%) annual improvement in costs by integrating cross-country financial operations.● Drove regional past-due accounts below corporate target of 10% to just 4%.● Improved productivity 37% in 2 years, while reducing balance sheet defects by over $130 million.

Successfully integrated 3 country operations into a single organization and employed TQM methodologies to streamline operations and improve productivity.

Directed Accounting, Costing, Credit, Planning, and Treasury departments, driving significant quality improvements through TQM initiative.

Managed financial, acquisitions, and manufacturing restructuring analyses; designed training program for analysts.

Invited to participate in unique management development program for high-potential MBA's. Completed four six-month rotations in finance and marketing.