Rowan Baker talks to IR Impact from inside the world of hidden – but essential – components
In our first installment of The CFO for 2026, we talk to Rowan Baker, Essentra finance chief, about what she looks for from investor relations, why should moved out of the capital markets and back again and why being lower profile but essential helps drive a ‘great business’.
What’s your background? How did you come to your current position?
I was at my first listed business, McCarthy and Stone, for about nine years or so, and that was a company where I worked my way up, having joined out of private practice. From day one, I absolutely loved it, because it was a really tangible business that I could really get to understand: you could see it, touch it, feel it. It had a real sense of purpose too.
I actually came in as a temp to solve a tax issue the company had but ended up being part of the team that took it through its IPO. Quite soon after the IPO, I became the CFO and it was a brilliant experience. But I became very conscious that I’d been there for nine years and I needed to see different businesses, so I went to work for Lang O’Rourke, a large construction business that offered more international experience – but was not publicly traded.
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