Leader League. If the label “business
partner” is somewhat overused these
days, that doesn’t diminish the fact that it
perfectly sums up your style as Chief Fi-
nancial Officer. Can you explain how your
department works?
Mathilde Bluteau. My team is made up of
22 people, including three managers and
two individual contributors, covering the
following areas: compliance control, finan-
cial planning and analysis, business control-
ling of the commercial, general public and
Consumer Channels Group divisions. Each
manager is a true financial director for the
division they support. And as a member of
the management team of their division, they
must know how to analyze and communi-
cate its performance, plan and accurately
predict the evolution of its
activity as well as bring their
leadership to each and every
decision with a view to the
profitable development of
their division. They are true
business partners, capable of
understanding the complexi-
ties of each licensing agree-
ment and the dynamics of
each division. They must all
be leaders and have a very strong sense of
responsibility in the decision making pro-
cess. For my part, I strive to stay very close
to our partners and clients. I have redoubled
my efforts and those of my team to share our
experience and business intelligence solu-
tions with our clients.Leaders League. What makes your finan-
cial department different?
M. B. I am quite demanding but at the
same time benevolent. My staff are given a
great deal of freedom to get on with the job.
The team has proven to be quite optimized
thanks to the efficient use of shared services
centers, for tasks with limited added value
such as transactions and standard reporting.
We use Microsoft’s productivity solution
products such as One Note and Sharepoint.Having access to these tools is a big advan-
tage that encourages more flexibility at work
and the development, notably, of women’s
careers.Leaders League. Women are often under-
represented at the top level of manage-
ment, in financial and other roles...
M. B. We do a lot to promote diversity of
all types, be it gender, culture, experience
or whatever. Our objective is to create an
environment that is favorable to the deve-
lopment of women, not only in France but
around the world. It’s something I feel really
strongly about.Even today, there are big social and familial
pressures on women. Many give up their
professional lives or settle
for less because they fear the
impact a demanding career
would have on other aspects
of their lives. We are wor-
king to develop flexibility
in a proactive manner. I can
highlight my example. We
are at a crossroads and there
are strong cultural convic-
tions to be dealt with. I of-
ten go out of my way to explain to women
that they are just as capable as men. There is
no difference. When it comes to skills, they
have just as many as their male counterparts.Leaders League. Which of your qualities
do you find yourself drawing upon the
most these days when doing your job?
M. B. Courage. This is key for me. I think
that we must always be brave and take the
decisions that need to be taken. A manager
must have a clear vision about the choices to
be made. Often in big companies managers
come up against large groups which hold
certain beliefs, and are rendered inert. It is
also very important to stay true to your va-
lues. We mustn’t kid ourselves, it takes guts
to make progress. We find success when we
really believe in something.Mathilde Bluteau has been Microsoft France’s CFO for three years. Very “business partner,”
she spends much of her time with clients getting feedback on Microsoft’s Business
Intelligence solutions. For her, doing this is a no-brainer. “I wouldn’t be a good CFO if
I were not passionate about the job and our company.” If I don’t understand the business,
what added value can I bring to the company? With these few words Mathilde Bluteau
sums up her enthusiasm for and commitment to Microsoft France.“Women are just as capable as men”
MATHILDE BLUTEAU
CFO, MICROSOFT FRANCE
EXPRESS BIO
A former high-level sportswoman, Mathilde
Bluteau was captain of the first ever French
women’s ice hockey team. Today she plays
tennis, practices the transverse flute and
runs a charity for Latvian orphans (Grasu
Children’s Village).
“EACH MANAGER IS
A TRUE FINANCIAL
DIRECTOR FOR
THE DIVISION
THEY SUPPORT”