Kim Garrod, CFO, on breaking barriers in leadership

"Believe in yourself, don’t feel guilty, and know that you have something to say."

If Kim Garrod, our Chief Financial Officer (CFO), could sit down for a coffee with her younger self, that’s what she’d tell her.

Now a CFO in the defence technology industry, Kim’s career wasn’t something she had planned. In fact, finance wasn’t even where she thought she’d end up—and neither was the leadership seat she occupies today.

Her journey wasn’t defined by a straight path or a grand plan. It was built on saying yes to unexpected opportunities, standing her ground in a largely male-led world, and proving—to herself as much as anyone else—that she was capable of more than she imagined.

From law to finance—a career that almost didn’t happen

"There’s actually nothing that inspired me to pursue finance—I didn’t even want to be in finance! I wanted to be a lawyer."

Kim’s career in finance started almost by chance. Straight out of college, she joined the civil service, where she was assigned—randomly—to a finance role at the Royal Aircraft Establishment.

"I was only 18, but I knew I needed more qualifications, so I started a course in business and finance. Even then, I thought I’d go into legal work, so I trained to be a company secretary."

But that finance background opened doors. She was encouraged to become an accountant, and she thought: Why not?

"I found I really enjoyed it. And I was actually quite good at it! I enjoyed how finance links to business and how numbers tell a story. That’s my big thing. Numbers tell an important story."

Balancing a career and motherhood

For Kim, working in defence and finance meant existing in an environment with few females from day one. And at different stages of life, that challenge felt bigger than others.

"It’s tough. It’s been very tough. And there are different periods of your life where it feels tougher than others."

Becoming a mother while building her career was one of them.

"As a mum, it was really hard. You put added pressure on yourself. I always said motherhood was my first job and work was my second. But I felt like I had to work harder and stand out far more than any man did, in my opinion, in order to get recognised or a promotion."

She recalls how workplace culture often rewarded presence over productivity.

"I remember a male colleague saying, ‘I’m going to stay late—I don’t want to get home for bath time.’ But for me, getting home for bath time was really important. And actually, that man was deemed to be working hard, being late in the office. But he wasn’t—he was just stretching out his time in the office. And I was seen as being less effective leaving early."

Kim saw firsthand the unconscious bias—the different expectations, the way men and women were judged by different standards. That shaped the way she navigated leadership.

Can women really have it all?

Kim firmly believes that women can have fulfilling careers and personal lives—but it requires a shift in both mindset and workplace culture.

" What we need to do is get women believing in themselves more. Believing that they absolutely can have everything. That belief needs to start at home, at school: that a woman is capable of having whatever she wants to have. I see so many women hold themselves back, questioning whether they can balance it all. You can.

“But workplaces also need to recognise that success doesn’t mean following the same rigid patterns that worked decades ago."

She credits flexible working as one of the biggest enablers of women in leadership—and not just for those with children.

"Flexible working has been a godsend. And it’s not just about kids—it's about life. Whether it's looking after children, an elderly parent, or just managing work in a way that makes sense, it helps everybody – it’s not just for women.

" As I've said throughout my career, it’s give and take. I never missed a school assembly - and that's with five children. But that's because one, I was determined to do it. And two, the company knew that if they gave me that, they'd get a lot more back from me because, you'll go that extra mile. So, it really works.”

Lessons in leadership

Kim describes herself as having an ‘alpha woman’ streak, but leadership wasn’t just about being tough—it was about knowing when to push back.

"You have to fight your corner and say, ‘That’s not acceptable’—and that can be quite a hard thing to do."

"The problem with fighting is that it puts your head above the parapet. You don’t want to be that person who’s seen as problematic, but you have to fight your corner and say, ‘That’s not acceptable’—and that can be quite a hard thing to do."

But even as she climbed the ranks, self-doubt was something she had to work through.

"Even when I was in senior finance roles, I didn’t really see myself as senior. I think a lot of women do that—we downplay our own achievements. But stepping into a CFO role made me realise just how much I had to offer."

One of her biggest lessons? Believing in herself.

"I would probably have moved company sooner if I’d had more belief in myself. I see it in women all the time—we limit ourselves because we second-guess our abilities. Men don’t do that as much, I don’t believe. We need to take more risks."

If Kim could sit down with her younger self, the message would be clear:

✔ Believe in yourself. You’re more capable than you think.

✔ Don’t feel guilty. Women carry too much guilt—about work, home, and everything in between. Let it go.

✔ Know your worth. You have something to say. Speak up.

Taking the leap: saying yes before you feel ready

Now, as CFO of Concurrent, Kim represents the company to investors, shaping its financial strategy and future growth. And do you think she felt ready when she was offered the role?

"I didn’t feel ready at all. It didn’t even cross my mind to think about being a CFO, not until Miles [CEO at Concurrent] mentioned it. And then I thought: Give it a go, why not? I know finance, I know business. I never even thought about the fact that I could be in such a great position in a company. And represent that company.

"So, to get the opportunity to do it… And to be sitting here, nearly three years in: it’s been phenomenal. I’ve learned masses and I’ve got so much more I want to learn."

Looking ahead

As Kim reflects on her career, she knows she’s had incredible opportunities. But what does she hope her future self will tell her?

"I hope she tells me that my daughters and granddaughters live in a world where their choices aren’t restricted by gender. That we’ve moved past these conversations."

And most of all?

"I hope she tells me, ‘You did really well, girl.’"

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