Karen Williams didn’t follow the usual route into finance leadership – and that’s exactly what shapes her approach today. Now CFO of American Express Global Business Travel, she brings experience from a global career across London, New York and Stockholm, spanning strategy, general management and core finance.
Her leadership is grounded in resilience, risk-taking and the belief that confidence is something you build in others as much as in yourself. Balancing a demanding role with family life, mentoring and her love of running, Williams is focused on shaping teams who can thrive through uncertainty – not just survive it.
Here, she reflects on the lessons that shaped her, the opportunities AI is unlocking and why embracing discomfort has defined some of the most important decisions in her career.
How did you become a CFO?
I would say it came down to passion, hard work, resilience, a growth mindset and my network. I’m an introvert by nature, so networking has never been easy for me, but it has been incredibly important. My first role in FMCG taught me the hard way that just keeping my head down and doing a good job wasn’t enough. Over time, I realised that relationships and connections mattered just as much.
My path has not been traditional. I studied politics when I was at university, knowing I wanted to be in business, and I initially thought I’d start my own company. That drew me into finance because I wanted a broad understanding of how business worked. While I never did open my own company, I built a global career with roles in London, New York and Stockholm. I’ve been a general manager, I’ve led global strategy at IHG and I’ve taken on core finance roles along the way. That breadth of experience prepared me for the CFO role I hold today.
What skills or traits do you think a good finance leader needs?
I think there are two parts to this. On one side, you need to be the strategist and catalyst for change. That’s someone who thinks beyond the numbers and drives improvement. On the other hand, there’s the leadership side, which is just as important. For me, that means being an influencer and making people want to work for me. We need to be human because the human element makes such a difference.
I see it as my responsibility to pay it forward for others and give people a platform to shine. Sometimes all it takes is for someone to believe in you and the world opens up. Of course, there are the brilliant basics of finance and continuous improvement, but stepping outside your swim lane to make an impact is vital too. At GBT, for example, we’ve worked with our comms team to make our financial updates more accessible, using videos to cut through jargon and help people connect with what we’re saying.
What excites you most about your current role?
First of all, it’s an awesome company in an industry I love. Travel has always been a passion of mine, so it’s hugely rewarding to work in this space. I also have the opportunity to impact not just the business but also the people in it, which is equally important to me.
The last two and a half years have been one of the greatest learning journeys of my career. I’m still learning and growing every day. In this role, I’ve experienced everything from M&A to refinancing to the challenges of becoming a listed company. The variety and the pace of change make it phenomenal.
What’s the biggest challenge facing your sector at the moment?
I’d say there are two main challenges. The first is the sheer pace of change. That’s not unique to travel, it’s true across industries, but keeping up with it is critical. The second is uncertainty. Covid taught us how quickly the world can shift and how little control we sometimes have.
As finance professionals, we’ve had to adapt by focusing much more on scenario planning. It’s no longer about laying out a single path forward, because you can almost guarantee that path won’t play out as expected. Being able to pivot is what matters.
What single thing do you think would make your job easier?
I’m incredibly excited about the opportunity AI brings. One area we’re exploring right now is touchless forecasting. I’ve grown up in organisations where planning and forecasting consumed huge amounts of time. If we can automate much of that and instead spend our time pressure testing scenarios, the impact will be game-changing.
What is the best bit of business advice you’ve ever received?
Take risks and get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Early in my career, I moved to Sweden just as I was about to have my first child and I was also moving out of finance. It was a lot of change all at once, but those are the moments where you grow the most. When you look back, those risks become the most rewarding parts of your journey.
Which book do you think every finance leader should read at least once?
I have three. Howard’s Gift: Uncommon Wisdom to Inspire Your Life’s Work by Eric Sinoway and Merrill Meadow is a great book about life and career and one lesson that stuck with me was the importance of understanding culture when you join a company. You can be the best at your job, but if you don’t fit culturally, it won’t work.
The second is Wilful Blindness: Why We Ignore the Obvious at Our Peril by Margaret Heffernan which is about how bias can cause us to see only what we want to see. It’s a reminder to stay open-minded and value different perspectives.
The third is The Happiness Files: Insights on Work and Life by Arthur C Brooks, which reinforces that it isn’t about the destination but about the journey and the progress you make along the way. All three have had a big impact on me.
What do you do outside of work to protect yourself from burnout?
I have three children who keep me busy and family time is incredibly important to me. For myself, running is essential. I run every day with my two dogs in the forest near our home and it’s where I feel in control of my day. No matter what else happens, if I’ve had my run, I can handle it.
I’ve also started reformer pilates, which is a true switch-off. Those activities keep me balanced and recharged. Currently, I’m recovering from an ankle injury so I’m looking forward to getting back on my regular schedule.
What’s been your proudest achievement in your current role?
It comes back to the people. Building what I call a ‘rockstar team’ has been incredibly rewarding. I’ve seen talent within the organisation really grow.
If you weren’t a CFO, what would you like to do?
I’d like to do something with teenage girls, focused on building self-belief and confidence. I have two daughters and a son and one of the greatest gifts I want for them is resilience and the confidence to go after their dreams. I’d love to combine that mission with running, but ultimately it would be about helping young women believe in themselves.
Karen Williams didn’t follow the usual route into finance leadership – and that’s exactly what shapes her approach today. Now CFO of American Express Global Business Travel, she brings experience from a global career across London, New York and Stockholm, spanning strategy, general management and core finance.
Her leadership is grounded in resilience, risk-taking and the belief that confidence is something you build in others as much as in yourself. Balancing a demanding role with family life, mentoring and her love of running, Williams is focused on shaping teams who can thrive through uncertainty – not just survive it.
Here, she reflects on the lessons that shaped her, the opportunities AI is unlocking and why embracing discomfort has defined some of the most important decisions in her career.
