Brianna Gerber has over 20 years of diverse experience in investment management, investor relations and finance, including strategic planning, operational efficiency programs, and capital market transactions. Gerber, who has been with Chromadex since 2018, was recently promoted CFO. Even though the percentage of female CFOs is at an all-time high, it’s still primarily a male-held position.
“According to one study, 16% of CFOs are women, which is up from 6% in 2004. So that's really exciting to see that progress, but obviously still much lower than the percentage of workforce that are women. How I think about it is I never put much emphasis or focus on being a female executive, but reflecting back in my 20-year career, there have been moments that have been difficult to navigate, with finances a primarily male-dominated field, especially in the more senior positions,” said Brianna Gerber, CFO, ChromaDex.
When it comes to getting to the C-suite, Gerber said there’s one motto she heard early in her career that has always stuck: “It's not so much about what you do, but about what others do for you. I know that sounds kind of selfish, it’s not intended that way but it's that idea of surrounding yourself by people that are going to inspire that next generation and challenge you.”
Whether it’s friends, her “personal board of directors’’ or colleagues, Gerber said it’s all about who you surround yourself with.
“I'm a working mom. I have a 12-year-old, I have a nine-year-old and surrounding myself with other working moms who have navigated and maintained those strong relationships with their children into adulthood and to see that modeled and that it is possible, is really important to me because I give myself that permission to keep pursuing my career and be present in each moment.”
