Good morning. David Kennedy has spent greater than 27 years at Dell Applied sciences—an virtually unimaginable tenure in an period when many Gen Z staff see altering firms because the surest path to development.
Kennedy took a distinct path. He constructed his profession by constantly altering roles inside one firm. In November 2025, that path culminated in his appointment as CFO. His path wasn’t linear, but it surely was deliberate, Kennedy mentioned. He joined Dell as an intern in Limerick, Eire, after graduating from the College of Limerick. Early on, Kennedy set a purpose to rotate via completely different finance features each 18 to 21 months. “I’ve done a tour of duty in every finance function you can think of,” he advised me.
He additionally pushed past finance, taking assignments in gross sales, enterprise unit management, and worldwide postings in India, and, now, the U.S.
At a time when youthful staff usually really feel strain to modify employers as a way to achieve various expertise and transfer up, Kennedy’s profession affords a counterpoint: breadth, reinvention, and development also can come from transferring deliberately inside one firm.
In response to Deloitte’s 2025 Gen Z and Millennial Survey, youthful staff are extremely targeted on development however much less drawn to conventional management tracks. But Kennedy’s trajectory means that even in a company panorama outlined by job-hopping, the standard route of constructing vary and credibility at a single employer stays a viable one for youthful staff.
Kennedy made his ambitions identified and pursued alternatives as they arose, even after they weren’t apparent matches. These experiences stretched him. “I said, ‘I’m looking to learn new things,’” Kennedy defined. “And then you lean on the mentors you have, and then they say, ‘Okay, go over here and do this job.’”
That openness to experimentation additionally modified how he seen his profession. Kennedy at all times knew he needed to be an accountant. “But I started to get the bug for the story within the numbers,” he mentioned.
Cross-functional roles, significantly these working alongside gross sales, provide chain, and providers leaders, turned a turning level. These positions gave him a broader enterprise perspective and helpful context on the corporate’s actions, which he mentioned was a important a part of his improvement.
Kennedy went on to function senior vp and chief monetary officer of the shopper options group, chief working officer of world gross sales, and senior vp of world enterprise operations and finance.
“It’s one thing knowing the numbers,” he mentioned. “It’s knowing the context of the numbers and the risks and opportunities in those numbers. That’s the extra secret sauce.”
That perspective helped put together him for the highest finance job. And whereas Kennedy’s 27-year run at one firm could also be uncommon immediately, the underlying lesson is that significant profession development comes from regularly increasing one’s vary, deepening judgment, and in search of out stretch alternatives—whether or not that occurs inside one firm or throughout a number of.
Have an excellent weekend.
Leaderboard
Fortune 500 Energy Strikes:
Amie Thuener was appointed CFO of Broadcom Inc. (No. 88), a semiconductor and infrastructure software program supplier, efficient June 12. This appointment follows the retirement of Kirsten M. Spears as CFO, who will proceed in her position till that point and can function an advisor for 9 months. Thuener, an skilled expertise government, joins Broadcom from Alphabet Inc., the place she has served as VP, company controller and chief accounting officer since 2018. She held a number of management positions at Alphabet and has expertise overseeing world exterior reporting and monetary operations. Earlier than Alphabet, Thuener was at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and served as a managing director in transaction and accounting advisory providers.
Each Friday morning, the weekly Fortune 500 Energy Strikes column tracks Fortune 500 firm C-suite shifts—see the latest version.
Extra notable strikes this week:
Wadih J. Khayat was appointed CFO of Driscoll’s, a contemporary berry firm. Khayat joins Driscoll’s from The Coca-Cola Co., the place he spent greater than 20 years main main finance organizations worldwide. Most just lately, he served as senior vp and CFO for Coca-Cola’s Europe enterprise. He beforehand held senior management roles inside Coca-Cola, together with CFO for the Asia Pacific Group, and CFO and head of technique for Coca-Cola World Ventures.
Linda S. Huber was appointed CFO of Accelerant (NYSE: ARX), a danger change platform. Her appointment follows a beforehand introduced CFO transition. She brings almost 20 years of expertise as a public firm CFO. Huber beforehand served as EVP and CFO of FactSet. Earlier than that, she served as CFO and treasurer of MSCI, and EVP and CFO of Moody’s Company. Earlier in her profession, she held a sequence of more and more senior roles in monetary providers.
Michael Dixon was appointed CFO of Zaxbys, a fast-casual chain that makes a speciality of rooster, starting March 30. Dixon brings over 30 years of monetary management expertise throughout restaurant, retail and leisure firms. Most just lately, he served as CFO of GoTo Meals. Earlier than that, Dixon spent a number of years serving as a monetary chief at organizations throughout the restaurant and QSR industries. His expertise contains Ignite Restaurant Group, Pinkberry, and Cheesecake Manufacturing facility, the place he served almost a decade.
Hagit Ynon was appointed CFO of Pentera, a cybersecurity firm. Ynon brings over 25 years of monetary management to Pentera. Most just lately, she served as CFO of WalkMe, the place she was instrumental in main the corporate’s IPO on the Nasdaq and its subsequent acquisition by SAP. Earlier than WalkMe, Ynon spent almost 20 years at NICE, rising to VP of finance. In her new position, she might be accountable for Pentera’s finance, IT, authorized, and income operations.
R. Brent Jones, EVP and CFO of Avantor, Inc. (NYSE: AVTR), a supplier of life science instruments, will depart the corporate on or earlier than June 21. Steve Eck, SVP and chief accounting officer at Avantor since 2019, will function interim CFO upon Jones’ departure. Avantor has initiated a seek for the subsequent CFO.
Peter Kuipers is stepping down because the CFO of Clover Well being Investments, Corp. (Nasdaq: CLOV), a doctor enablement firm, efficient March 30. Kuiper’s will stay as an advisor via April 24. Clay Thornton, the present CFO of Clover’s insurance coverage plan, was appointed interim CFO, efficient instantly.
Massive Deal
E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley’s month-to-month evaluation finds the three most-bought sectors in March have been client staples (+5.80%), industrials (+4%), and financials (+2.88%)—the primary two being among the many weakest performers final month. The sectors with the best net-selling have been power (-8.86%), utilities (-2.14%), and communication providers (-0.91%). The info displays web purchase/promote exercise in S&P 500 sectors on the platform.
March noticed the S&P 500 put up its largest month-to-month decline in a yr, however E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley shoppers have been web patrons in six of 11 sectors, Chris Larkin, managing director of buying and selling and investing, mentioned in a press release. “In some cases, clients appeared to be buying relative weakness and selling relative strength,” Larkin mentioned.
E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley
Going deeper
Listed here are 4 Fortune weekend reads:
“Ford CEO Jim Farley says America is sleepwalking past its ‘essential economy’ crisis. Goldman Sachs just showed how big it really is” — Nick Lichtenberg
“Should you trust AI to manage your money? The finance industry is betting you will” — Jeff John Roberts
“The AI era has a message for every CEO: Adapt or die” — Beatrice Nolan
“Major 4-day workweek study suggests that when we work 5 days we spend one doing basically nothing” — Orianna Rosa Royle
Overheard
“Software-defined vehicles for the automotive industry is what the smartphone was for the phone industry.”
—Erik Severinson, chief business officer of Volvo Automobiles, advised Fortune in an interview.
