FC to FD - it's the operational skills!

I'm going to be writing a lot about the move from financial controller to finance director here and elsewhere. This is a fantastic example: "Toby Mundy, founder of independent Atlantic Books UK, was among the publishers to look on enviously when Waterstone's overhauled its finances a few years ago. The country's largest high-street retailer squeezed its suppliers hard and ruthlessly streamlined its own stockholding, to the extent that it moved into 'negative working capital' - meaning that it generally sold books faster than it paid publishers for them. Now Mundy has decided he wants a little of that wizardry, and has poached Waterstone's financial controller, Tom Connor, to be Atlantic's first ever full-time financial director. It is not entirely a figures-driven appointment; Connor is known as an astute reader and observer of publishing." Brilliant: he's earned his spurs as a top-notch numbers man, clearly got a rep for some sweet financial strategy, made a visible difference to his organisation - and to top it off, he's known as someone who's in touch with the business. Ideal.