Incredible People Who Became CFOs Before They Turned 30

It's good to be ambitious when it comes to your career. After all, seeking success generally results in a better paycheck and more satisfaction from your job. People tend to establish a timeframe for when they want to reach certain positions to ensure that they keep on track with their goals. Of course, sometimes things can happen sooner or later than planned.

For these people, things seemed to happen a lot quicker than they might have anticipated. According to Zippia, the average age of a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in 2022 was 51, yet these people all became CFOs before they turned 30. Some of them were even fresh into their 20s when they landed such a dream position, proving just how incredible they really are at their work.

Grayson T. Lisenby became CFO and Senior Vice President before turning 30

Back in 2013, Grayson T. Lisenby was named the Chief Financial Officer at Rice Energy. He was only 27 at the time, making him one of the youngest to hold the position. Before working at the company, Lisenby was an investment professional at Natural Gas Partners. While he was here, he reportedly led a $100 million investment round into Rice Energy, resulting in him joining them as their new CFO. Not long after scoring this position, Lisenby was made the company's Senior Vice President, marking yet another remarkable achievement that came before his 30th birthday.

Eduardo Saverin helped found Facebook and became CFO at 22

When we think of the people behind Facebook, our minds often go instantly to Mark Zuckerburg. However, the social media platform wouldn't have become a success without the help of many others, some of whom were pretty young, just like him. For instance, Eduardo Saverin - who helped Zuckerberg to found Facebook while at Harvard - was just 22 when he became the CFO. His investment in the company is a massive part of why the site managed to become as big as it did. While he might not work there anymore, at least Saverin received billions worth of shares before his departure.

Nolan Watson graduated college early and was a CFO by 26

People are typically in their early 20s when they graduate from college. Nolan Watson, though, was only 19 when he completed his bachelor of commerce degree at the University of British Columbia. Given the speed at which he finished, it's maybe no surprise that Watson already had a CFO position at 26. He managed this after just a year at Silver Wheaton Corp, where he initially served as controller. When he scored the CFO position, Watson became the youngest person to have the job at a New York Stock Exchange-listed company, helping to fund the company's acquisition goals in just two years.

Joshua Kobza was 28 when he became Restaurant Brands International's CFO

If you haven't heard of Restaurant Brands International, you're probably familiar with the chains that they own, including Burger King and Tim Hortons. Joshua Kobza was previously named the CFO of the company when he was only 28, a remarkable accomplishment, given the prominence of the business. The man reportedly played a role in the acquisition of Hortons, a move that undoubtedly proved his capabilities in the role. Before becoming the CFO, Kobza showed his worth at an investment firm and private equity group, meaning he was a very busy man after graduation.

Benjamin R. Mulling also became a CFO at 28 years old

28 is seemingly a good age to become a CFO. Someone else who landed such a role at this time in their life was Benjamin R. Mulling, who was named the CFO of TENTE Casters, Inc. in 2008. He'd initially been the company's controller before being promoted to the more favorable position. Despite being busy with the role, Mulling hasn't shied away from continuing his education. Included in his list of degrees are an AAS and BS in accounting from several different colleges and an MBA from Liberty University. Evidently, this is a man who loves to learn and keep busy.

Dylan Smith was only 20 when he formed Box and became its CFO

One of the youngest people to ever score a CFO position is Dylan Smith. While the rest of these men landed the job at some point in their 20s, he became a Chief Financial Officer at 20 exactly. That's because he had a hand in the company that he became CFO of. Alongside several of his friends, he set up Box, a business that is still thriving today. Dylan reportedly invested some $20,000 into the company and took time off from college to get things up and running. Those sacrifices were worth it, though, given Smith was able to call himself a CFO at such a young age.

The CFO position was likely something that all of these men wanted to reach at some point in their careers. However, they probably didn't expect to get there so soon. That just proves what hard work and ambition can get you, though.