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CAN'T FIND SOMETHING? |
Business in Vancouver December 30, 2008-January 5, 2009; issue 1001 Rob Chase CFO, Absolute Software, Age: 39 Rob Chase counts his promotion to Absolute Software’s CFO as one of the greatest professional achievements of his entire life. Thirty-five at the time of his promotion, Chase has worked for the Vancouver-based data protection company for eight years. Even though he’d been acting as CFO for nearly a year before he was officially granted the position, Chase said he fought an uphill battle with his board of directors to convince them he was ready to be officially promoted. His leadership style is one of “consensus building,” and he regularly engages other employees in discussions about improving the business. “My objective always is to get into the thick of the forest where you generally can’t see the trees and all the details, and then be able to come back and apply that from a big picture perspective,” said Chase. After obtaining a bachelor of business administration from Simon Fraser University, Chase saw a chartered accountant designation as a “fantastic stepping stone” into the business world. He achieved that designation while articling for Deloitte and Touche and eventually joined Absolute. The company specializes in computer theft recovery, and, according to Chase, approximately 80 million PCs have shipped with their software embedded in the PC firmware. In 2008, the company’s annual revenue was $37.8 million, compared with $20.1 million the year before. Unfortunately, his success with Absolute has meant little time for community involvement, and he uses what little spare time he has to spend with his family. More than anything though, Chase believes it’s his commitment to the job that has made him a success. “It’s part of my persistence and dedication, I look very hard at it and always have. I’m not afraid to burn the midnight oil night after night if I have to.” • Birthplace: Murrayville, B.C. Where do you live now: Vancouver Highest level of education: BBA and CA designation Car or chosen mode of transport: Lexus IS 250 AWD, bus or bike depending on the day Currently reading: Toddler’s First Steps by the B.C. Health Ministry Last CD bought or music downloaded: Dos by Culver City Dub Collective Favourite movie: Dead Poet’s Society Favourite local restaurant: La Buca Profession you would most like to try: Professional surfer or musician Mentor: My grandfather Toughest business or professional decision: Probably one of the toughest business decisions I made in the past was whether to triple down on my investment in Absolute What’s left to do: I want to build Absolute into a multibillion-dollar organization and find time to give back in a bigger way |
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