Jakson Peters’s journey from humble beginnings to becoming a global CFO is a tale adaptability, and continuous learning. Born in Brazil, he had initial career expectations far removed from the finance world that had their roots in the start of his working life as part of the family’s milk delivery business. This early experience, so remote from his eventual home in the c-suite, laid the foundation for his future success, he explains..
From 1998 to 2002, Peters worked for DaimlerChrysler in São Paulo, a stint that marked the beginning of a corporate finance trajectory that would eventually lead the young financial planner to embark on a journey of self-improvement that would include mastering English and pursuing an MBA from Wharton in United States. With the latter in hand, Peters returned to Brazil to serve as a member of Mondelēz International’s FP&A team before stepping into a number of CFO roles with midsize firms.
Read MoreTransitioning from his established Brazilian CFO credentials, Peters next embraced the challenge of moving to Malaysia. This move represented not just a change of location but also a leap into a new cultural and business landscape. In Malaysia, tasked with navigating the complexities of merging two competing online businesses, Peters learned how to communicate and lead in a cultural setting where “yes” can mean different things.
After 4 years in Malaysia, Peters resumed his journey by moving to Dubai, where he was appointed CFO of Property Finder, a leading online real estate marketplace. Here, he leveraged his online experience to drive the company forward in the vibrant expatriate community that characterizes Dubai’s business landscape. Peters’s time in Dubai was not about just professional growth, though—it was about contributing to a thriving business ecosystem and reinforcing to all that his path from Brazil to international shores was continuing to be a narrative of constant learning and leadership evolution.
Made Possible By
CFOTL: Tell us about TourRadar … what does this company do, and what are its offerings today?
Peters: We are a tour operator marketplace with about 2,500 members. For example, my wife and kids just took a cruise on the Nile and went to Cairo—all of which I booked it through TourRadar, of course. From the time that you arrive at the airport until when you are back there, TourRadar takes care of everything.
I should also point out that sometimes you might be in a country whose language you don’t speak—or even know about, for that matter—yet you need to be able to get this cultural translation in order to understand the place’s rich history, understand what’s behind the monuments, and so on. If you try to do this on your own, it’s painful.
Read MoreBut if you would like to go on an organized adventure, you could choose to join a group, maybe of five, maybe of 15. Through TourRadar, you can do something like this—or, you could choose to have a private group with just your own family and a private guide.
You can even personalize things. Say that you don’t want to stop in this-or-that city. You want to go somewhere else. All of this can be arranged through the TourRadar website. Your can choose experiences that are either tailer-made or more group-oriented. Whatever you want, anywhere on the globe, we can make it happen for you.
Our finance function priorities this year are, first, to support the business in the accelerated growing process that we are already in. Second, we need to take care of the margins and make sure that we are growing in a healthy way that is sustainable, so that we can reinvest properly not only in the business but also in our team—and not necessarily in that order. We need to keep developing our team so that they can continue to improve how they interact with other teams. Third, as an organization, we need to keep growing consistently together. These are my top three priorities, and I am super excited about our future prospects. jb
“Understand all parts of the business, ask many questions—and then be brave. Don’t overthink, act fast, and learn from your mistakes. And—don’t forget!—keep up to date with all things that can impact your business.” –Jakson Peters, CFO, TourRadar
TourRadar | www.tourradar.com | Vienna, Austria