Dell CFO's 27-Year Journey: Inside One Company's Ascent

David Kennedy, after 27 years at Dell Technologies, has been appointed CFO in November 2025. His career has been characterized by deliberate internal role rotations, with a goal of changing finance functions every 18 to 21 months.

Kennedy's path extended beyond finance, including assignments in sales, business unit leadership, and international postings in India. This breadth of experience offers a model for younger professionals who often feel pressured to switch employers for career advancement.

His deliberate strategy involved seeking out diverse roles and learning opportunities, even those that were not obvious fits. Kennedy noted a shift from focusing solely on accounting to understanding the narrative within financial data.

Cross-functional roles, particularly with sales, supply chain, and services, proved pivotal, providing a broader business perspective and context. This extensive experience prepared him for the CFO position, highlighting that significant career growth can stem from continuously expanding one's range and seeking challenging opportunities within a single organization.

In other C-suite news, Amie Thuener became CFO of Broadcom Inc. on June 12, succeeding Kirsten M. Spears. Wadih J. Khayat was appointed CFO of Driscoll's after over two decades at The Coca-Cola Co. Linda S. Huber is the new CFO of Accelerant, bringing nearly two decades of CFO experience. Michael Dixon, with over 30 years of financial leadership, is now CFO of Zaxbys. Hagit Ynon, instrumental in WalkMe's IPO, is the new CFO of Pentera. R. Brent Jones will depart as CFO of Avantor by June 21, with Steve Eck as interim. Peter Kuipers is stepping down as CFO of Clover Health Investments, with Clay Thornton as interim.