Kristina M. Salen

Introduction

Kristina Salen is an accomplished financial executive with an impressive career span of almost three decades in strategic and operational finance. She is currently set to begin her role as Chief Financial Officer at Booksy in January 2024. Salen's career is marked by her ability to build and scale finance teams, lead operational departments, and serve on influential boards.

Educational Background

Salen's educational background laid a solid foundation for her illustrious career. She earned a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from Vassar College, followed by an MBA in Finance from Columbia Business School. These academic achievements equipped her with the knowledge and skills necessary to excel in the financial sector.

Professional Journey

Her professional journey began at SBC Warburg in 1994, where she worked as an equity associate focusing on Latin America retail and telecom. She then moved to Lazard Freres in 1996 as an equity analyst for the Latin America consumer sector. Salen's career continued to grow as she took on the role of equity analyst for emerging market consumers at Merrill Lynch from 1997 to 2001, followed by a position as a senior equity analyst for U.S. media and internet at Oppenheimer Capital from 2002 to 2005.

In 2006, Salen joined Fidelity Investments, where she managed significant funds totaling around $1 billion. She also led a team of associates and analysts, gaining extensive experience in portfolio management and financial analysis. Her tenure at Fidelity lasted until 2013, after which she transitioned to Etsy as the Chief Financial Officer. At Etsy, she played a pivotal role in growing gross sales from $895 million to $3 billion, overseeing an IPO, implementing SOX compliance, and scaling various teams.

Board Roles and Leadership Positions

Salen's expertise and leadership were further recognized as she took on various board roles and senior executive positions. She served as the CFO of UnitedMasters from 2017 to 2018 and then as CFO at Moda Operandi from 2019 to 2020. Salen also held influential board positions at Great Bowery, Cornerstone OnDemand, and Reinvent Capital.

One of her notable roles was as the CFO for WWE from 2020 to 2021, followed by her role as CFO at Greenhouse Software from 2022 to 2023. Since 2018, she has also been a member of the board of directors and chair of the audit committee at SiriusXM.

Conclusion

Kristina Salen's career is a testament to her strategic financial leadership, operational excellence, and significant contributions to various sectors, including technology, media, and finance. Her journey is marked by a series of achievements that highlight her ability to guide companies through growth and transformation, making her a highly respected figure in the financial world.