Trying to explain to people what ICON does is something that Brendan Brennan has found challenging in the past, but not anymore. This fast-growing Clinical Research company partners the world’s biggest Pharma companies to deliver end to end clinical trial services – and with ICON now involved in over hundred different COVID-19 vaccine and treatment trials, the company’s profile and contract list has grown exponentially.

As CFO, Brendan Brennan is central to pivoting Icon’s financial operations and future strategy to rise to this new opportunity. In this episode of the EY CFO Outlook series , he talks to host, Vincent Wall, about the role of CFO during times of great growth and change, working on projects designed for ‘the betterment of man’, and why he insists on getting under the hood of every company he has worked in. The also discuss:

· Why ‘always acting like a multinational’ positioned Icon perfectly for rapid international scaling

· Growing ICON’s revenues from $200m to $2.8bn over the last fifteen years.

· How to perform well in the boardroom

· Forging a successful relationship between CFO and CEO

· Why Brendan’s father has been such a powerful influence

CFO Outlook: The trials of a CFO in a time of COVID, with Brendan Brennan, ICON