Erika Taurel, 39, started hercareer as an engineer working on offshore oil rigs in both theNorth Sea and the Gulf of Mexico for Shell International, beforeswitching to finance. “I got really specialized,” says Taurel,adding that at the age of 29, she realized she was one of 10 peoplein the world who did a particular kind of work.

“I'd boxed myself in,” she says. “So I went back to businessschool. Coming from an engineering background, operational financewas a very natural progression because it combines two skills: afacility with numbers and a curiosity at how things work.”

Taurel joined Pfizerin 2002 and her tasks at the $50 billion drug company have includedrestructuring the worldwide biopharmaceutical unit; financialreporting and oversight of the Wyeth integration for the $23billion primary care business; and risk management, budgeting andforecasting for Europe, Canada, Latin American and Middle Eastregions.

“My engineering background made things relatively easy for me inthe beginning,” she says. “But the real key was finding a strongmentor.”

Tell us about this mentor and why he was soimportant.
This person became my boss three or fouryears ago. It was at a time when I was making a very importanttransition into a leadership role. And he stretched me. I used tojoke that he'd set the bar for me, and then just when I had almostreached that level, he'd raise it another notch.

What's been your biggest challenge or learningexperience?
I think the greatest challenge has beendealing with many, many different cultures. My personal challengehas been to understand that there are many different ways ofapproaching a conversation. So working on my soft skills has beenmy biggest personal challenge, but also my biggest success.

What do you like best about your job?
Thefreedom to do the things that are right and right for the business.While there are obviously very strict rules in which we play, thereare also opportunities to say, this would be better this or have wethought about it that way.

What advice would you give newbies starting out intreasury and finance now?
First, always look foropportunities that grow you and that open doors for you. The secondwould be: Find the stuff that you love to do. And thirdly, believein yourself and find a mentor who does, too.

What finance area now offers the mostopportunity?
That's hard for me to answer. But Iwould say in general that businesses are so much harder to operatethat management needs much more insight to make good decisions.Numbers can provide the insights they need.

If you look at any business in the world, there are moreopportunities for finance to take the lead and provide insight–notjust provide financial sheets, but the perspective or story on whatthose sheets are saying. I often tell my team that it's not aboutshowing volumes of numbers; rather, it's how would you communicatethis question or decision to your mother?

What skills are the most sought afternow?
Synthesis. Business savvy. Leadership skillsare essential, even though that's not something you would thinkabout in a finance professional. The more a person is able to thinkabout the business and not just the finances, the stronger theyare. I think that is true of any CFO.

What are your goals in the coming years?
I am in a new role as the lead finance person for our U.S. consumerhealth business, which is a brand new business for me. It's a $1.2billion business. My goals are to continue to have a positiveimpact at Pfizer, and to help my colleagues realize their fullpotential.

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