How curiosity shapes culture: interview with Emilie McCarthy, Group CFO of Mortgage Advice Bureau

A leader and a pioneer, Emilie McCarthy has forged an exceptional career in finance – one that has taken her all over the world. Now heading up the finance function as Group CFO at Mortgage Advice Bureau, Emilie is applying her hard-earned skills and experience to shape the financial strategy for one of the UK’s leading mortgage and protection intermediary networks.

We sat down with Emilie to learn more about her high-flying career and the perspectives she has gained along the way. Discover Emilie’s thoughts on leadership, culture, and why she looks for team members who embody curiosity above all else.
 

To start, please tell us about yourself – your career, your current role, and how you got to where you are today.

I'm originally from France, and I’ve always been drawn to the international aspect of business. That’s really shaped my career. I started in 2004 on a graduate programme at GE, which, at the time, was the world's largest company by market capitalisation. They had an exceptional finance leadership programme, and I stayed within Financial Services (GE Capital) for 13 years and held six different roles.

GE was an incredible training ground, not just in finance, but in leadership. They positioned finance as a strategic partner in the business rather than a purely technical function, and that mindset was ingrained in me from the beginning.

After GE, I took on my first CFO role at CNBC, leading the finance function for its international operations. I loved it – business news, economics, and financial markets have always been personal interests of mine. It was a great transition into the media world, while still being part of a large organisation with strong corporate support. I then moved into the higher education sector and served as Group CFO for an international business school, which faced many challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. What I love about Finance is the transferability of skills across sectors.

I joined Mortgage Advice Bureau as Group CFO about 18 months ago. MAB is around 25 years old, is the largest mortgage advice network in the UK, and has been AIM-listed since 2014. This role comes with a high level of accountability – there’s no hiding, as I regularly have to face analysts and investors. It feels like everything I’ve been working for has been to achieve this.
 

You mentioned GE embedded leadership and strategic thinking early on. Could you expand on how they developed that skillset and how you personally honed it?

The most important thing was that finance sat at the centre of decision-making. No major decision happened without going through Finance, which positioned the function as a catalyst rather than a support role.

There was also a powerful People and Culture framework. In many ways, the people review was more important than the financial review. Weaknesses weren’t avoided – instead, they were actively addressed through role changes and development opportunities. Finance professionals were moved every 18–24 months, which created adaptability and resilience. That pace could feel extreme today, but it developed curiosity and the ability to learn quickly. In a world where everything is changing rapidly, those traits are invaluable.

GE also invested heavily in leadership development through formal training programmes that focused not just on technical skills, but also on self-awareness and people leadership. I’ve carried those lessons with me throughout my career.
 

How do those leadership principles translate into your day-to-day role at Mortgage Advice Bureau, particularly with such a large and diverse team?

I understand the need to ensure decision-making is a collaborative process, but I also know that people need clarity. I’m very clear on setting expectations, and everyone on my team – regardless of seniority – has objectives that link directly to our overall strategy. We conduct performance reviews every six months, which allows us to identify development needs early and agree on clear personal development plans.
 

We’re in a strong growth phase, aiming to double the business over the next five years, so it’s critical to ensure we have the right people in the right roles. Making decisions about people is the hardest part of leadership, but it’s also one of the most important.

 

I place tremendous value on approachability – I have an open-door policy and regularly hold one-to-ones with junior team members. That’s often where you get to understand where things aren’t going well and identify issues early. I believe that being accessible makes me a more effective leader, but I’m also firm when it comes to decision-making. Once priorities are agreed, I act decisively.
 

So, what does your finance team look like? Can you describe its structure?

My team is around 45 people based in three locations. We have core accounting and management accounts teams, a business partnering function that looks after some 200 partners, an investor relationship and ESG team, and a sizable commissions team that are front-facing and manage payments to our partner firms. We also have one person who manages transformation and M&A.

We’re undergoing a significant transition this year as we move to operate like a Group. We had to invest in new financial systems and are in the middle of a transformation to further expand the use of data in our forecasting process.
 

Before I joined, Finance in the company was quite siloed, without much commonality between subsidiaries. My job is to create that ‘group view’, with group roles to break down siloes.

 

How do you manage the culture of your team to drive high performance?

When I joined, I inherited a team that was very committed and highly knowledgeable about the business. What became clear wasn’t the need to work harder, but being more intentional in our activity. I focused on strengthening clarity, structure, and planning ahead, so that effort translated more into impact.

My job was to review our systems and processes to ensure they were contributing to performance. I’m very conscious that change can be disruptive, so I’ve taken a balanced approach, maintaining momentum and morale while progressively introducing more disciplined ways of working. The result is a team that is becoming more proactive and confident. I’m pleased that the overall performance is improving - we even had the highest engagement score in the last employee survey.
 

There’s currently a mix of long-serving employees with deep legacy knowledge and newer team members who bring curiosity and drive. Over time, as we modernise systems, we start to rely less on legacy processes and more on forward-looking skills. So, I’m looking for people who not only want to work collaboratively , but who hold that value close to their hearts.

 

When it comes to recruitment, what qualities do you find set candidates apart?

It really depends on the role. Technical competence is essential: particularly for core finance roles, it’s the foundation. But when candidates are evenly matched technically, having the right mindset makes the difference.

In that instance, I look for people who are curious, proactive, and who have an empathetic personality. I want candidates who ask questions and seek to understand context, and who are genuinely interested in the impact of their work beyond their immediate responsibilities.

We spend a lot of time at work, so cultural fit is also important. When interviewing a candidate, I always ask myself: would I want to go for a coffee with this person? I want people on my team who are driven to understand the wider business impact of their role, who engage positively with others, and take pride in what they do.
 

You’ve mentioned curiosity several times. How does that translate into value creation within the finance function?

Finance exists to serve the business and its customers – it’s not an end into itself. Curiosity is critical, as it means understanding how each task connects to customer outcomes and the wider organisation.

 

For example, our Commissions team aren’t just processing payments; they’re protecting trust and safeguarding our reputation. When people understand that broader purpose, performance naturally improves. We’ve also introduced structured process mapping and risk frameworks, which encourage teams to question why things are done in certain ways. This has helped eliminate redundant processes and improve efficiency.
 

Mortgage Advice Bureau has a strong reputation for culture and values. How are those embedded across the organisation?

As I mentioned, we have a strong People and Culture team. They ensure values are reinforced consistently through workshops, leadership behaviours, and performance frameworks.
 

How we deliver results is just as important as what we deliver. There’s zero tolerance for behaviour that undermines a collaborative, respectful environment, and that message comes clearly from the top.

 

That authenticity carries through to how we work with partners, colleagues, and investors. We’re not perfect, but we are genuine – and I think people recognise that about us.
 

Finally, could you share how you balance such a demanding role with family life?

I have three children, and balancing work and family is never easy. I don’t believe you can excel at everything all the time without burning out, so it’s about managing expectations – both your own and others’. There are periods where work takes priority, and others where family does. Clear boundaries help. I don’t take meetings at weekends, and I structure my working week to balance time in the office with time at home. It's not perfect, but being honest, present, and consistent has made a real difference.

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