Dave Griebl, vice president of finance, Monster Worldwide
Name: Dave Griebl
Title: Vice President of Finance
Company: Monster Worldwide
City of residence: Hartford, Wis.
Family: Wife, Mary Parodo
What are you working on now? "New products for 2009 (accounting implications), financial close of 2008, new technologies."
What are the most interesting issues you work on clients with? "I do not work directly with clients, as they interface solely with our sales team. The finance team will work on a variety of issues from the accounting of complex contracts, new products, revenue share agreements, and basic financing issues."
What is the most challenging project you’ve been involved with? "Acquisitions and divestitures are always the most challenging. Both are very demanding of the team and challenge everyone to think differently about how we conduct business. Integrating acquired sites with independent systems and processes provides a number of challenges as we look to incorporate best practices but also insure compliance to Monster policies. Also challenging, yet the polar opposite, are divestitures of businesses which are fully integrated – working to provide those divestitures with fully functioning and independent processes can be quite a challenge."
What was the funniest moment of your career? "Several years back with a different company, I was taken to task by the new CFO from France – complete with French expletives, hand waving, stomping around his private board room, all the hallmarks you might expect from an overly excitable person. Apparently he was extremely upset with the amount of spend taking place in marketing. After repeated rants I was able to seize an opportunity as he inhaled in preparation for the next barrage to I reminded him that I ran his finance operations – I did not support marketing in any manner – in fact no person did as that position was vacant due to downsizing. The blank stare, echoing silence, and glowing red face have provided a lifetime of chuckles and memories…."
