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Women in Leadership Profiles

Holly Weiss, CFO of McKesson’s Prescription Technology Solutions, Wants More Women in Finance

Growing up on a small farm in northern California, Holly Weiss yearned for something different for her future, and she has achieved her dreams of a successful business career. Recently named CFO of an operating segment of McKesson Corporation, Holly proves you can never stop learning and reaching for your “north star,” as she pursues an Executive MBA at Northwestern’s Kellogg School.

Current Role: Building Profitable Growth for McKesson

How would you describe McKesson’s business to someone who is unfamiliar with the company?

McKesson partners with most of the key stakeholders in the healthcare industry – including biopharma, manufacturers, care providers, pharma companies, etc. – to make health care more affordable and more accessible so that people have healthy lives.

In your new position as CFO of McKesson’s Prescription Technology Solutions segment, what is the main goal of your role?

Prescription Technology Solutions is a publicly reported segment, a $4 billion business that is strategically important for McKesson. We solve big problems in health care like medication access, affordability, and adherence in a way that everyone can participate.

As the CFO, I am responsible for optimizing the financial performance of the business and building a strong finance organization.

What characteristics does someone need to be successful in a role like yoursWhat appealed to you about this role, after serving most recently as senior vice president of investor relations, corporate financial planning & analysis (FP&A) and mergers & acquisitions (M&A)?

For this role and others, what appeals to me always starts with, “How can I continue to create a breadth of experience that will help me reach my north star, which is to be CFO of a publicly traded company some day?” At all levels throughout my career, I am always evaluating opportunities based on how I will broaden my experiences.

Additionally, Prescription Technology Solutions is an area where we are investing resources, where we see high growth, and where we have the opportunity to make an impact on people’s lives.

At all levels throughout my career, I am always evaluating opportunities based on how I will broaden my experiences.

What characteristics does someone need to be successful in a role like yours?

Our enterprise CFO is very clear about what he looks for in leaders – and I have adopted this for my teams: in addition to the foundational finance skills (which are table stakes at the leadership level), leaders must be able to connect the dots, see the big picture, tell the story of how the business is doing, as well as build best-in-class teams to move the business forward.

What is your favorite part of your job?

I really enjoy developing the next generation of leaders. I get energy from coaching, mentoring, and advocating – and not just coaching their day-to-day, but also helping them think big about where they can go and their own north star.

Career Path: Being in the Driver’s Seat   

You joined McKesson in 2008 and have held several roles since then – how do you make decisions when considering a new opportunity?

I tend to approach my career moves like solving a puzzle: I look at the full of set of experiences I want, identify the missing pieces or gaps, and try to fill in where I need to grow. That doesn’t always mean promotions – there is value in taking lateral roles if it gives you the development you need to reach your north star. It also allows you to explore opportunities and more confidently say yes or no.

Before joining McKesson, you were at Amex, Hilton and Verizon. How did you experience the transition to the healthcare industry?

I have always stayed in the swim lane of finance and accounting, which helped with the industry transition. When people switch to the healthcare industry, they tend to stay in it. For me, health care is incredibly dynamic and constantly evolving.  At the heart of it, everyone understands the mission and has a story about health care personally impacting their lives.

I tend to approach my career moves like solving a puzzle: I look at the full of set of experiences I want, identify the missing pieces or gaps, and try to fill in where I need to grow.

Looking back on your career, has there been a pivotal moment or decision that took your career in a new direction that you wouldn’t have otherwise had the opportunity to do if you hadn’t said “yes?”?

Taking on the role of director of Investor Relations (IR) at McKesson 12 years ago was pivotal. As a finance professional, IR was intriguing to me, but I had written it off as a career move because I felt it wasn’t a fit with my background.

A fellow female finance executive told me about the IR role and asked me if I’d ever considered IR. At McKesson, IR is considered a rotational opportunity for high potential talent – and it gets a lot of exposure due to the nature of the role – so I threw my name in the hat and fought hard for it. Taking a risk and landing that role revealed a professional passion that I knew was in my gut, and it’s had a meaningful impact on my career.

What did you love about Investor Relations?

It is a unique hybrid of finance and communications. Everyone in finance can do math, but not everyone can tell a story. In order to be successful, I also needed to follow the stock market and understand the impact of current events to our business. During the initial COVID shutdown, I was on the phone every day talking non-stop with investors about healthcare supply chains, for example. IR can also be very unpredictable – great for adrenaline junkies. In IR, you have a 30,000-foot view and get to be a fly on the wall of some of the most interesting C-suite conversations.

Being hand-selected to serve as Interim Chief Financial Officer—U.S. Pharmaceutical Segment is very impressive. What do you think made you stand out to be chosen for that position?

The interim CFO role was instrumental in demonstrating to me that I was ready for this type of role. I am grateful to have a boss who values development as critical to career growth and to be in an organization that trusts me. I encourage any woman, regardless of which company she is in, to make sure development is part of the culture.

I encourage any woman, regardless of which company she is in, to make sure development is part of the culture.

Is there anything you would do differently on your career journey?

There is nothing I would go back and do differently regarding the roles and companies I have worked with. Earlier in my career, I went through some difficult periods in my personal life. I thought I needed to pretend everything was normal and keep up a façade without cracks, and I didn’t even think of telling my manager what I was experiencing at the time. Looking back, taking that approach did impact my career, so I would say let people in. They want to help you.

What advice do you have for a young woman just starting out her career in business?

Be ruthless in your prioritization – time is one of your most precious commodities. Early in our careers, it’s typical to focus on the day-to-day tactical things, but the days will fly so think beyond the daily tasks about the bigger picture of your career and development. Even in my role today, I carve out time for strategic thinking and ask myself, “Can I do something different?”

Early Years: Small Town, Big Dreams  

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Petaluma, California. My dad was a veterinarian, and we had a mini sanctuary for rescue animals. Despite growing up on a small farm, I knew I wanted to live in a big city and have a business career.

Did anyone in your upbringing have an influence on your path?

My maternal grandmother had a profound impact on me, and I named my daughter after her. She was a trailblazer who grew up living in tents because her father traveled for his work building dams across the country. She decided to move to Los Angeles without money or a job, and she never looked back and built an incredible life. It took so much courage and self-confidence to do that at a time when there were specific expectations of women’s roles in society.

I am driven not to follow the norm, and I felt there was something else out there for me. I didn’t know how I would get there, but I was going to take a risk.

Did you ever dream about a career at a young age other than business/finance?

In elementary school, I wanted to be the CEO of Disney. I didn’t know what a CEO did, but I knew it was the top job in business at the company that created Mickey Mouse.

What was your very first job (where you had a W2)? What did you learn from it?

In high school, I was a cashier at a CVS drugstore, and what I took away from that was the importance of listening. A lot of elderly people came in wanting to chat, and I recognized that you can have a positive impact on someone by simply listening.

Personal Passions: A Purposeful Life

Why have you decided to get an Executive MBA at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School at this time?

Deciding to get an Executive MBA is a life goal and an investment I am making in myself. I am doing it for the experience, the networking, the opportunity to learn from professionals in other fields, and to continue to develop my professional leadership skills.

What is about Forté’s mission that makes you want to support our efforts?

I am fiercely passionate about bringing other women along in business, particularly in finance. There are not enough women in corporate finance, and I want to see more women in these kinds of roles. It is a personal mission of mine to make a dent in this issue.

There are not enough women in corporate finance, and I want to see more women in these kinds of roles. 

How do you spend your time when you are not working?

I have two girls ages 7 and 9, and they are with me 50% of the time. When I have them, they are my highest priority, and I am open about this with my colleagues. Outside of that, I meditate, enjoy exploring the arts, and I am currently obsessed with solo travel. I am very purposeful about both work and play.

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