Sunshine brought Van Bui, the treasurer at Genentech, to SouthSan Francisco from the Windy City, but the challenging treasury workkeeps this former actuary motivated. Bui, 37, joined biotechcompany Genentech in 2000 in computer systems support. A chancemeeting with the company's then-treasurer, Thomas Thomas, who wasimpressed with her actuarial background, shifted her careerpath.

“Treasury was so exciting,” she says. “It brought in thefinancial aspects of an actuary, but it's a different spin onfinance. I was really intrigued by it. The learning curve is almostaddictive for me, and it was huge learning curve.”

Bui's first role in Genentech's treasury was as a portfoliomanager for a $10 billion fixed-income short duration portfolio.When Roche Holding bought Genentech for $46.8 billion two yearsago, Bui led the treasury integration, including cash pooling,foreign exchange and investments.

What led you to corporate finance?
I started off inChicago, and after two years, it was so cold. A recruiter calledand said, “How would you like to work in California?” I ended up inSan Francisco, and then after four years as an actuary, I got tiredof taking exams, so I decided to try something new, and I went toGenentech.

I was on a project where all the systems developers were workingin a warehouse. Every day I'd take the shuttle. One day, thetreasurer, who also took the shuttle, asked me why I walked into awarehouse every day. I gave him my background, and when he heardthe word actuary, he said, “I have an open position in my group.”And I looked at him and asked, “Well, who are you and what do youdo?” He told me he was the treasurer and what the treasury groupdid, and I guess the rest is history.

What did he like about your background?
Hehad just inherited the insurance group, and he had this wholeconcept of enterprise risk management that he wanted to kick off.He heard actuary, and he was just so excited. He said, “You'regoing to come into my group, you're going to take the CFA exam, andyou're going to manage a portfolio.” I left the actuary worldbecause I didn't want to take exams, and the CFA is a three-yearexam, so it was pretty funny. But I did it.

What has been your biggest learningexperience?
For me, managing change has been a hugechallenge, but it's really good, because it's allowed me to focuson operational efficiencies for the company. The last couple ofyears have taught me about working in a global environment, andmanaging cultural differences as well.

How did you come to manage the huge job of integratingtreasury?
Back when I first joined treasury, therewere two of us, myself and my manager. You learn everything soup tonuts, and we built the team over the years into a six- orseven-person team. When the treasurer of Roche came in, he met withall of us and we talked about what was needed, and who would beworking on these projects. It was so exciting, because yet again itwas something new. You think you know treasury, and then it changesfor the better. It's been fantastic.

What has been your most rewardingproject?
Integration was one of them. I've learned alot in the last two years. And one of the most important was earlyon with the enterprise risk management project. It taught me aboutthe treasury and insurance world, but also the Genentech business.I developed my first real Monte Carlo simulation that assessed theERM identified risk and determined how much cash we should keep onhand. That culminated in our first debt issuance in 2005.

What do you like best about your job?
Theculture here facilitates innovation and thinking out of the box,and the people are so smart. You put those together, and you have afantastic work environment.

How did you get on the career fasttrack?
It's about being nimble. It's the ability toadapt quickly to a changing environment. You also have to be opento taking on new projects. Taking that chance shows you and seniormanagement what you're capable of accomplishing. For example, I'veworked on our CFO's project, Care for Cash, on cash-flowefficiency, and this year, I've taken part in a project called theGreat Manager Initiative.

What advice would you give to those just startingout?
Create your own opportunities. Don't wait formanagement to give you projects, and then be disappointed that youdon't have any. You have to take the bull by the horns, and createyour own, and sell your ideas. Don't wait for projects, go outthere and do it.

For the complete 2011 40 Under 40 list, see Readyto Take Charge.

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