Influential Businesswoman Awards 2018

18 Acquisition International - 2018 Influential Businesswoman Awards IW180007 Most Inspirational Woman in Strategy Consulting - USA Gabriela Rodil & Co. Established by Gabriela in 2015, since inception Gabriela Rodil & Co. has flourished, and today the firm serves a wide range of clients from across the corporate landscape, in a diverse range of industries including aerospace, automotive, education, logistics, health care, manufacturing and distribution. Gabriela provides us with an insight into how she came to create the company and how far it has come since inception. “Drawing on more than 17 years working with great companies like KPMG, Schlumberger, Heico, Plante Moran and Flexan, I decided to establish my own company three years ago, and since then it has been an exciting journey. The last role I had before starting the company was as Chief Financial Officer for a 550-employee multinational manufacturer headquartered in Chicago. There I was responsible for accounting, finance, tax compliance, forecasting, strategic planning, job costing, legal, IT, deal analysis and negotiations, insurance management, business risk mitigation and placement of private and institutional financing.” “Every job and assignment I had previously has, in some form or another, contributed to my current role. Being an international consulting manager for Plante Moran presented me with opportunities to perform operational and financial assessment in Asia, Latina America and Europe. Every project taught me something new about a country or an industry. Being the Chief Financial Officer for Flexan afforded me the opportunity to learn so much as I was fully responsible for compliance in both China and the United States. As such, today I utilise this experience to support my current clients and my team, driving my firm to continued success and achievements.” Although her company is relatively young, Gabriela has a vast wealth of experience in the industry. She explores how the corporate market has evolved since she first entered it and how women have benefited from these changes. “Since I started my career in the late 1990’s a lot has changed. Most of the changes made it better for women in the workplace while some of them made it harder. We still have a lot of work to do. Sometimes we have to take a step back before taking two steps forward.” “In the last 20 years, I believe we made great strides in that women now make up about half of the work force and get 60% of master’s degrees in the US. All over the world, the wage gap has been diminishing slowly but surely. Women hold more positions in company boards than ever before. We saw a lot of female firsts in the United States such as Madeleine Albright Secretary of State; Julie Tamior, winning a Tony Award for Best Director in a musical; Eileen Collins, Commander of Space Shuttle Mission; Danica Patrick, leading Indy 500; Mary Barra, CEO of Major Automaker; Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the house; and Hilary Clinton, Presidential Nominee.” “Fundamentally, it is my belief that, in many ways, it has become easier for women in theworkplace. There is more acceptance and we are a ‘normal’ part of any business. What has not changed are the roles and expectations for women in society in general. Women are still responsible for performing most (if not all) of Gabriela Rodil & Co. is a consulting firm that solves the puzzle of reliable financial reporting, efficient processes and IT tools for small and midsize businesses. We spoke to Founder and CEO Gabriela Rodil to learn more about her company and how she has steered it to the success it enjoys today. Company: Gabriela Rodil & Co. Contact: Gabriela Rodil Address: 1S443 Summit Avenue, Suite 101, Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181, USA Phone: 001 312 206 4542 Website: www.grodilco.com “Since I started my career in the late 1990’s a lot has changed. Most of the changes made it better for women in the workplace while some of them made it harder. We still have a lot of work to do. Sometimes we have to take a step back before taking two steps forward.”