CFO Chris Figee: Effortlessly switching between sectors
> Want to read the full analysis? You can find it here: Constantly Evolving: The CFO in 2026.
Once again, Chris Figee can add a prestigious position to his resume. After previously serving as CFO at insurer a.s.r. (2014 to 2020) and telecom group KPN (2020 to present), Figee is making the move this fall to chip equipment manufacturer ASM International. This places him among a select group of financial executives who successfully operate in completely different sectors.
It was precisely this versatility that caught ASMI’s attention. According to Supervisory Board Chair Pauline van der Meer Mohr, Figee possesses ‘a strong background in publicly traded companies, capital markets, strategy, and delivering financial results.’ These are qualities that will come in handy at a technology company preparing for its next phase of growth.
‘I do not want to be the CFO who spends all day adding and subtracting. I want to understand the business – and especially the revenue model,’ Figee said recently in a conversation about leadership. ‘How does it work, how do we make money from it, and where will the greatest impact be over the next five years?’ At KPN, Figee has invested heavily in digital infrastructure (fiber optics and 5G) and digital innovation in recent years, while simultaneously tightening financial discipline. His favorite way of putting this has since become a widely quoted statement: ‘A little margin paranoia is part of our strategy.’
Figee himself performs best under pressure. ‘I prefer it when a lot has to be done in a short amount of time.’ He has no time for empty talk or running away from challenges: ‘People can smell bullshit a mile away. So be honest about what you do and don’t run away when things get tough. If it’s easy, someone else will do it.’
ASMI does have to account for a CFO who occasionally pulls an all-nighter. Figee is a huge fan of the NBA, the American basketball league. The championship win by ‘his’ Boston Celtics has, by his own admission, cost him a good night’s sleep more than once.