Editor’s note: In today’s A Day in the Life, John Berven (pictured), director of growth at Aon, shares with FutureCFO audiences how leading a significant initiative in a previous role became pivotal for his professional development and how travelling consistently provided him with fresh perspectives and ideas.
FutureCFO: What does a typical day look like for you?
John Berven (JB): My day starts around 7 with some quality time and a commute with my wife.
At a high level, a normal day involves strategic planning, teamwork, and tackling challenges, but most days are diverse and varied. Mornings are typically all about concentrated focus, starting with ensuring alignment with our clients across key objectives like risk management, credit solutions, and employee benefits strategies.
I spend a significant portion of my day engaging with colleagues and clients, tackling challenges in navigating clients’ complex operational landscapes.
Whether it's analysing trends in workforce health and benefits or developing customised frameworks to mitigate risk, each day, the team and I assist clients in navigating risks and refining their strategies.
Afternoons are usually where this is put into practice, meeting existing and prospective clients, ideally face-to-face, to discuss how their needs can be met with our solutions.
My team and I dive into detailed analysis, delving into client data to uncover insights that empower organisations to achieve resilience. I am continually inspired by the innovative thinking of my colleagues, which continuously shape how we tailor solutions to meet the specific needs of our clients.
FutureCFO: What excites you the most when you work with CFOs and finance functions?
JB: I find supporting and shaping effective decision-making highly rewarding.
The finance function and CFOs are vital to the overall success of the company, and collaborating with them offers a unique chance to develop solutions that resonate and support the entire business.
Whether it's streamlining credit risk processes, enhancing financial planning, or optimising employee benefits, this partnership enables us to bridge financial strategies with overarching business goals.
Most executives are either solving short-term challenges or looking at developing longer-term opportunities, while simultaneously adapting to constant transformation and evolution.
The fast-paced nature of today's risks keeps me motivated and engaged. Supporting CFOs in anticipating and adapting to changes—be it economic fluctuations, emerging workforce demands, or political risks in an increasingly volatile world—is incredibly fulfilling.
FutureCFO: Can you share an experience which was key to your professional growth?
JB: Leading a significant initiative to revamp data management in a previous role was pivotal in my professional development.
The project required extensive coordination across multiple stakeholders, thorough analysis of diverse challenges, and the development of solutions that addressed both immediate threats and long-term sustainability.
These skills also drew on prior experiences acquired while working in financial markets, where together with my team I delivered complex quantitative solutions to asset managers and owners.
Knowing when and how to successfully engage SMEs was key to success and has stood me in good stead ever since.
John Berven, director of growth, Aon
These experiences showed the importance of adaptability in navigating unexpected obstacles and emphasised the value of clear communication.
The result improved the organisation's resilience and confirmed the effectiveness of collaboration and customised strategies.
FutureCFO: Is there anything outside work—such as a travel experience, a book, participation in a sport event or any volunteering experience—that serves as an important inspiration to your work or life?
JB: Travelling has consistently provided me with fresh perspectives and ideas.
Before moving to Asia, I travelled extensively throughout the region. Every journey introduced me to new cultures, perspectives, and ways of thinking, broadening my understanding of global challenges and frequently humbling me while also expanding my horizons.
One particularly impactful trip was to Laos, where I found myself following a path through an area cleared of landmines. After enjoying the view, I couldn't find the path back.
Eventually, I made my way back to the car, and the importance of perspective and focus was drilled into me.
