Linda Holder is a seasoned executive with over 30 years in the C-suite working in companies from start-ups to multi-billion-dollar multinational corporations, as well as non-profit entities. She is known for her results-driven and “hands-on” approach in strategic and operational leadership, working with all aspects of the business while simultaneously building relationships. Her unique experience includes living and working in various cultural environments, including Singapore, Germany, and Austria. Her industry experience includes various aspects of for-profit enterprises — most recently as a fractional CFO of a start-up medical device company — and as CFO, COO, and CEO of not-for-profit companies. Her expertise includes operations, mergers and acquisitions, finance, accounting, business development, and standing up a business, but her passion is helping businesses achieve their goals.
The highlights of the last two decades of her Corporate career include:
-
Hand-picked to be one of the leads in the integration of Compaq and Hewlett-Packard to develop operational and financial synergies. This subsequently earned her the CFO role for a subregion in Europe, Middle East and Africa for the hardware, software and professional services business unit with revenues consisting of more than $2 billion. As the new CFO, she was charged with acting upon the identified synergies which she successfully implemented. In addition, Linda had responsibility for mergers and acquisitions. Collaborating with a team, they identified targets in the Middle East building a funnel of 15-20 potential deals and successfully closed and integrated 4 deals ranging in value from $50 to $100MM over a 3-year period.
-
As CFO for the health care division of a $4 billion multinational publishing and information services company, Linda improved the subsidiary’s overall profitability and profit margins, partnering with the CEO.
-
As VP of Financial Planning and Analysis for a $16 billion food service and facilities management company, Linda built a “world-class” FPA organization from scratch without adding to the overall headcount while improving relationship with Corporate HQ based in France.
As President and co-owner of a company which she co-founded, she performed a variety of “gap” services including CFO, COO, CMO and Managing Director for various non-profit organizations. As Managing Director for a Performing Arts Company, Synetic Theater, Linda turned its net asset position from a deficit to a positive position, restoring the company’s standing with established funders. She also has a passion for teaching, having served as Faculty in an MBA program at University of Maryland University College for several years.
Linda received her MBA in International Business at Nanyang Technical University in Singapore while working full-time. She has a bachelor’s degree in business administration, Accounting, from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. After graduation, she went to work for a Big 4 CPA firm, KPMG, where she launched a fast-track, career progressing to management in just 3 years. She is now working on a master’s in theology at St. John’s Seminary in Boston.
