Julie Bishop, CPA, and CTP, has more than two decades of demonstrated financial leadership and expertise, including her previous experience in public accounting and a variety of finance roles with technology companies as a senior member of Financial Management, most recently as Chief Accounting Officer at McAfee. She has extensive experience in global finance, accounting and reporting, treasury, shared services, statutory reporting, payroll, equity administration, internal audit, leadership and talent development, mergers and acquisitions, integrations, dispositions, automation and process efficiencies, and finance transformation in both publicly traded and privately held companies.
Recently, in an exclusive interview with CXO Outlook Magazine, Julie shared her professional trajectory, insights on diversity and inclusion in the accounting field, the secret sauce behind her success, future plans, pearls of wisdom, and much more. The following excerpts are taken from the interview.
Hi Julie. Please tell us about your background and areas of expertise.
I am an accountant by degree and trade and received my Bachelors and Masters of Science in Accountancy at Southern Illinois University of Edwardsville. From there, I’ve spent several decades coming up in the accounting field gaining experience in and around a variety of industries, mostly focusing on the technology and consumer space the last 13 years. I am currently the Chief Accounting Officer at McAfee, a global leader in online protection for consumers. Before McAfee, I served as an external auditor at EY for mid-sized to large public and private companies for nearly 7 years and then moved into the industry to hone my skills in accounting and finance, leading teams of increasing size and scope. After EY, I spent 2 years at HD Waterworks and almost 12 years in successive roles at Yahoo.
My areas of expertise include US GAAP accounting and reporting, auditing, external reporting and technical accounting, financial analysis, mergers and acquisitions, dispositions, due diligence, strategic planning, board committee presentations, ERP migrations, and full scale finance digital transformations, automations and process optimizations, treasury, accounts payable, travel and expense reporting, payroll and equity administration, international statutory GAAP accounting and reporting, leadership, and staff development and mentorship.
What do you love the most about your current role?
Beyond the day-to-day scope of my role as Chief Accounting Officer, I am currently overseeing a large finance digital transformation project that goes beyond a replacement of the traditional ERP system and encompasses modernization of the entire end-to-end process and ecosystem of Finance to better support the company’s future growth. This project has both been challenging and rewarding, one where I am continuously learning, innovating, and supporting the growth of our Finance employees.
What are the three major trends you foresee in your industry in the next 12 months?
At McAfee, I work in the consumer cybersecurity space, a fast-paced industry that frequently innovates and develops products to help people safely experience and interact with the evolving digital world. First, I see the need for consumer online security continuing to be necessary to address new and emerging online threats to help protect consumers. Second, the role of generative AI in personal online protection and utility will increase in importance in consumer’s everyday life. Lastly, the online security industry will continue to develop campaigns that help educate consumers on various cyber threats, build awareness of risks, and develop brand trust.
What are your thoughts on diversity and inclusion in your field? How important is it to have authentic conversations with leaders, professionals, and changemakers to create more acceptance across the globe?
Diversity and inclusion are critical in the accounting field as the demand for skilled talent remains high, and fewer students are choosing to study accounting which is causing a significant shortage of talent. By promoting diversity and inclusivity, accounting firms and companies can gain a recruiting edge and retain talent, as well as widen the perspectives and strengths of their organization. It is important to maintain ongoing discussions around this topic with leaders, industry professionals, and changemakers to ensure initiatives such as mentorship programs are built and maintained, equitable hiring and promotion practices are developed, leadership support is aligned and thus, available talent is retained in the profession. In the long term, a more diverse industry would show younger generations that the accounting profession welcomes all groups, including those traditionally underrepresented.
You were recently recognized as one of the Top 50 Women Chief Accounting Officers of 2024. Our readers would love to know the secret mantra behind your success.
I was raised to have a strong work ethic, which has served me well throughout my professional and personal life. I am self-motivated and seek to produce the highest quality work, as well as motivate team members to bring their best to work every day. In addition, I am highly organized and able to prioritize critical work, but also flexible to adapt to changing priorities. I value frequent communication with my team and leaders to ensure alignment at all times. Finally, I am a lifelong learner who enjoys reading and understanding history and futuristic topics, technology, etc. However, the biggest driver besides hard work and having a curious mind, is my commitment to maintaining my physical and mental health. As the saying goes, one cannot pour from an empty cup. I rise very early every day and devote time to working out, preparing healthy meals, and spending time reading and meditating for mental health. The combination of the aforementioned things has helped me reach my goals and maintain balance and longevity to stay the course of this exciting career.
How do you stay current with changing accounting standards, regulatory requirements, and industry trends?
I stay current in a variety of ways. I follow the Big 4 accounting firms’ standards publications, and webcasts, and take various continuing professional education courses to maintain my CPA and CTP licenses. I seek out various industry sources to stay current in the cybersecurity space. Some of my favorite news outlets include the Wall Street Journal, Worldwide Exchange, and Squawk Box on CNBC.
Is there a particular person you are grateful for who helped get you to where you are?
I’m lucky to say I have had several leaders throughout my career who supported me and provided honest and objective feedback that helped me grow and learn valuable lessons. I’ve had one or two leaders at almost every company I’ve worked at take me under their wing and enable my development, for which, I am very grateful. I try to pay that support forward to others as they try to build their careers.
What does the term “authentic leadership” mean to you?
For me, authentic leadership is based on leading by example. I try to lead by working with integrity, respect, empathy, transparency, personal accountability, and self-awareness while maintaining my core values and beliefs and holding myself to high standards. I hope this leadership style inspires the team to trust, focus, engage, and succeed together for the good of the company.
What are some of your passions outside of work? What do you like to do in your time off?
When I am not working, I enjoy working out and reading. I love Peloton strength training classes, using my Hydrow rowing machine, walking and listening to podcasts, and infrared sauna workouts at HOTWORX. I have a curious mind and typically read multiple books at once, and often find myself part way through each book simultaneously. I switch between business and self-help books, as well as historical fiction, non-fiction, and psychological thrillers. However, I spend most of my free time with my husband, two children and two dogs. I am in my competitive dance mom and sports era, with my children being very active in competitive and recreational teams. I am in my happy place when I get to watch them do what they love.
What is your biggest goal? Where do you see yourself in 5 years from now?
In 5 years, I hope to have expanded on my current CAO experience, scope and role or as a CFO while continuing to lead teams to develop and succeed. My biggest long-term goal is to serve on a board of directors and audit committee.
What advice do you have for professionals who are just starting out?
Work hard yet smart. Always have a curious and mind and learn as much as you can where you can. Be proactive and self-motivated and don’t be afraid to ask questions to ensure understanding and alignment. Be open to new and unique opportunities, raise your hand to help, particularly when a problem arises that is challenging and no one else is willing to tackle the task. Be indispensable to your team and leader and learn to take and grow from feedback. Find a mentor, coach, and sponsor (three different people) to help support and grow your career and make an effort to pay it forward to future generations.