Matt Wild
CFO
FyterTech Nonwovens
I am the CFO for FyterTech Nonwovens, a manufacturer of nonwoven and spill control products. I oversee accounting, finance and IT and have had the opportunity to play a key role in acquisitions, integrations, divestitures, and many projects driving the company forward. My professional career has always had some connection with manufacturing, which maybe should not surprise me. The values and skills that I learned during my early years growing up on a very business-minded family farm stay with me today and influence how I manage my team, make decisions, and approach problem solving.
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Give us a brief overview of the path that led to your current role.
As with many people, my first job was not one I had considered at a younger age. I joined Kimberly-Clark Corporation and held various financial roles supporting various teams and business units. My goal was to learn as much as I could about all the other functional teams while staying within my financial career path. Those experiences and drive to learn opened a path that led me to FyterTech Nonwovens. As a small company relative to K-C, it afforded me the ability to apply my business acumen in an environment where I truly had visibility of all pieces of a business.
What is one of your guiding leadership principles?
Be inquisitive and listen. I have met some very smart people during my career; however, some of the best leaders I have met are amazing at being able to ask the right questions to find the underlying drivers of a situation. Then listen!
With disruption being a key theme of the past year, where do you see your role as a financial leader going in the next 1-2 years?
The theme of 2020 is “pivoting,” and as the CFO, you lead and support change leadership. We will continue to pivot within a changing world and marketplace; there doesn’t need to be a crisis to cause change. In my role, I want to ensure my teams are ready to adapt to new products, markets, customers, and processes. The next couple years will include creating an environment that can efficiently support that business model.
What advice would you give to someone just starting out in the role as a CFO?
Don’t say no to conversations, use them to learn and ask questions. I may receive more cold calls because of it, but I was talking to as many people as I could when I started. It helped me understand the landscape in areas I did not have much exposure to previously.
Tell us a couple fun facts about yourself.
I love being outdoors, so any sport or activity that can get me outside is of interest.
What is the value of participating in a professional community through Evanta?
Every company and person has different experiences; these events and networking opportunities allow us to share stories and experiences to learn from each other. You may discover lessons in unusual places that can apply to situations you may not have ever considered.
Evanta Governing Body members share their insights and leadership perspectives to shape the agendas and topics that address the top priorities impacting business leaders today.
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