FICTIONAL WORKSHOP SOURCE
Blair Chen evidence interview
XL-P002-INTERVIEW | internal | 2026-10-30 | S01

Rowan: We are exploring S01, a CFO succession mandate. The first-year needs include cash forecasting, lender reporting and acquisition preparation. I will ask for examples and distinguish your role from the team's work.
Blair Chen: My closest relevant scope is divisional finance for one operating unit; group treasury sits elsewhere. I worked with a team of 8.
Rowan: Start with a decision you personally owned. What was happening before you acted?
Blair Chen: I replaced a spreadsheet handoff with a named owner for each reconciliation. The divisional controller checked the first two closes before we changed the timetable.
Rowan: What alternative did you consider? I want to understand the choice rather than assume any improvement proves good judgment.
Blair Chen: The group wanted faster numbers, but one plant had unreliable inventory cutoffs. I retained an exception note instead of claiming the division was fully standardized.
Rowan: What changed, and how certain are you about the result?
Blair Chen: Six days was the normal close by the fourth month. I have not owned covenant reporting or treasury for the group.
Rowan: Who else contributed, and what would a reference be able to verify?
Blair Chen: Please ask the colleague who observed the work. My account alone should not be treated as independent confirmation. I am describing the work I owned, not every outcome of the business.
Rowan: I will ask for the relevant source and preserve any disagreement. A polished account is useful but it does not resolve missing evidence.
Blair Chen: That is fair. I would rather state the boundary than have an inflated summary sent to the client.
Rowan: One gap for follow-up is: No direct group treasury or lender negotiation responsibility. We will keep that visible.
Blair Chen: I can discuss the gap in the next conversation. Please do not turn an unanswered question into a negative finding.
Rowan: Availability and relocation remain separate questions. The directory location does not establish a willingness to move. We have not agreed either in this interview.
