As chief executive of RSM International, you could say Jean Stephens’ role is taxing. RSM international is the sixth largest network of independent audit, tax and consulting firms in the world, with 800 offices and more than 41,000 members; Ms Stephens and her executive team of 35 are based in London. The Californian became the chief executive in 2006, 10 years after joining the organisation. The 57-year-old was in Dubai recently, on her 10th trip to the UAE, to chair a meeting of 150 RSM member firms from the region.
How do you spend your weekend?
If I’m in London, then often I’ll go to the Cotswolds in the English countryside, turn off my phone and enjoy some walks and country air. But most of the time I’m travelling. We have firms in 120 countries and I’ve probably visited more than 100 of those countries. I find it fascinating learning from people’s cultures. It’s not just professionally rewarding but also it’s really enriched me personally, in terms of my journey.
How did you become the chief executive?
I started as a CPA (certified public accountant) in California, but I always wanted to live abroad. A position opened up at RSA in 1996, working in the executive office in London for the chief executive before me. I was fortunate that this former CEO mentored me, which assisted in my development. I was in the right place at the right time. I love my job. I love the journey and how we’re developing as an organisation, I’m very proud to be in the position that I am. In the accounting world, and certainly in the global networking environment, I’m the only female CEO. But I don’t think that the organisation views me as a female CEO as such, I think they just think of me as CEO. Ninety five per cent of the meetings that I’m in are with only men, as this profession is still very much male-dominated.
What’s your go-to gadget?
I have two iPhones, one personal and one professional. I can’t function without them now. I just recently gave up my BlackBerry, which gave me a little bit of heartache.
What was the lowest point of your career?
Midway through my career, I was at a small accounting firm and after a year it became clear it just wasn’t going to work out. I’ve tended all my life to be an overachiever, so that was quite a disappointment. In hindsight, it just wasn’t a match. That was a big learning experience. When I’m having difficulties in life, there’s always something great to be learnt from it, and now I’m able to adapt and learn from mistakes more quickly.
What advice would you offer others starting out in your business?
Work hard. There are lots of smart people in the world and I think you just have to keep at it and never give up. I think it’s hard to sustain hard work for the longer term, and it must be the longer term. In my experience, it’s easier when you find something you’re passionate about. That makes the hard work worthwhile, and then you can sustain it.
What’s your most indulgent habit?
I have many. I quite like shopping for clothes, to see new styles when I have time in between meetings or at airports. I would say in that department, I have more than anybody needs, but it’s still very interesting to me how you can express yourself through fashion. For shoes and bags, I like Prada.
What do you have on your desk at work?
We have a clean desk policy, so I have my computer, my phone and that’s it. Then, when I’m there in the office, I’ll have the papers and the project I’m working on at the time. Everything goes away at night, and then the next morning it comes out again. It’s a very good discipline that I encourage everyone to follow, making it fresh for the following morning.
How do you achieve a work-life balance?
I don’t really have a balance. As a CEO, my responsibility is to do the job the best that I can and to put all that I can into that; I think the organisation deserves it. I’ve never taken two weeks off in a row. But it’s not a hardship to me, it’s what I choose to do, and I’m very passionate about it. But I’d like to experience a two-week break at some point, just because maybe I do need that and I just don’t know it yet.
If you could swap jobs with anyone, who would it be?
I’d like to have an influential role in the political world and see if I could contribute to positive change, perhaps at the UN. It’s not really what I aspire to do, but in the context of the question, it would be either that or I’d be an interior designer, which would also be fascinating.
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