In a rapidly changing business environment, career success is increasingly defined by adaptability, leadership and the ability to create opportunities rather than wait for them.
At a recent Moir Group leadership event, Francoise Merit, CFO of Endeavour Energy, shared the experiences and lessons that have shaped her leadership journey. From relocating from France to Australia to leading finance and transformation across complex organisations, her story highlighted a common theme: successful careers are built through curiosity, resilience and deliberate action.
Curiosity Creates Opportunity
A defining theme of the discussion was the importance of curiosity.
While technical expertise provides a strong foundation, Francoise emphasised that asking questions, seeking new perspectives and embracing unfamiliar challenges are often what create the greatest opportunities for growth.
As leadership responsibilities increase, curiosity becomes a competitive advantage, enabling leaders to connect commercial, operational and strategic priorities and adapt to change more effectively.
Career Growth Is Rarely Linear
One of the strongest messages from the session was that career progression rarely follows a predictable path.
International moves, industry transitions and stretch assignments all played a role in Francoise’s development. While many of these opportunities involved uncertainty, they ultimately accelerated her growth and broadened her leadership capability.
For executives and emerging leaders alike, some of the most valuable career moves are often the ones that challenge existing assumptions and capabilities.
Take Ownership of Your Career
Francoise encouraged leaders to be proactive in shaping their careers rather than waiting for opportunities to emerge.
Whether through cross-functional projects, professional development or seeking greater exposure across the business, progression is often driven by initiative and visibility.
The leaders who consistently step forward are frequently the ones considered for future leadership opportunities.
Relationships Matter
Throughout her career, mentors, sponsors and trusted leaders played an important role in helping Francoise recognise opportunities and build confidence.
She also highlighted the importance of building relationships across all levels of an organisation. Strong networks create trust, broaden perspectives and strengthen leadership effectiveness.
As careers progress, influence is increasingly determined not just by expertise, but by the quality of relationships built along the way.
Resilience Drives Long-Term Success
Francoise spoke candidly about missed promotions and career setbacks, emphasising that these experiences often became catalysts for growth.
By reflecting on what could be learned, investing in professional development and continuing to move forward, setbacks became opportunities to strengthen capability and leadership readiness.
Her message was simple: resilience matters more than perfection.
Key Takeaways for Leaders
- Stay curious and continue learning.
- Embrace opportunities that stretch your capabilities.
- Take ownership of your career development.
- Invest in relationships, mentors and sponsors.
- Learn from setbacks and use them to grow.
- Develop leadership capabilities alongside technical expertise.
Final Thoughts
There is no single pathway to leadership.
As Francoise’s journey demonstrated, long-term success is built through curiosity, adaptability, resilience and a willingness to step outside your comfort zone.
The leaders who thrive are often those who do not wait for opportunities to arrive. They create them.
Moir Group is a specialist finance, accounting and ESG recruitment company. We cover temporary and permanent roles from Financial Accountant to CFO level, and we recruit Sustainability and ESG positions across all industry sectors.
If you’re building the finance team your business needs for the next phase, we’d welcome a conversation. Contact us here.