Fi Dolan: Founding Member Profile

Introducing Fi Dolan, CFO, Finance Executive and Non-Executive. In this interview Fi shares her career journey to date, what helped build her self-confidence when she was starting out and why she wanted to get involved with Potentia.

Please outline the journey you have taken to get to this point in your career:

Like many I started at one of the professional services organisations thinking I would do my three years and, in that time, work out what I wanted to actually do. 22 years later I left PwC as a partner moving into ‘industry’ relatively later in my career!  At PwC, the options to live and work internationally, which I have done on every continent, working with hard working and fun people and the sheer variety of work kept me very engaged. I started with the faster growth start-ups in the Tech, Media and Telecom industries later graduating to FTSE10 listed companies in the same space. I learned that I had a passion for service – to customer and teams, loved a challenge, the bigger the better, and together with working with a diverse group of people was when I was at my best.

That need for a challenge led me to Rolls-Royce and the Aerospace & Defence industry. I was the CFO of the Defence division and Rolls-Royce North America. Once again it was the opportunity to make a difference, work with and develop great teams and the diverse nature of the business environment which I thrived on.

Aside from your career, what makes you, you? 

Music is my passion having recently started back playing piano. I have never lost my sense of awe of being able to travel the world and meet so many interesting people. When I am not traveling, I do like to move so lots of walking and spending time with family in the UK and Ireland.

What key things do your think would have supported you when you were starting out on your career?

Self confidence in my own abilities. I grew up in a small town in Ireland where I did not have role models of what I could be, particularly as a young girl. I was so lucky that mentorship and allyship happened naturally for me with some fabulous gents at PwC who really championed me and helped me understand what I could achieve if I wanted to.

Why Potentia?

That mentorship and allyship fostered a real sense of purpose and commitment to paying it forward and I am very passionate about supporting women (and others) in achieving their potential.  I am very proud to be part of Potentia and looking forward to what we can achieve as a group.

If you are interesting in joining Potentia, please register via https://www.potentianetworking.com/register