News & Insights
Leadership Spotlight: Olivier Richard, Fractional CFO at La Royale Group
"Financial systems aren’t just a back-office function - they’re a strategic growth enabler, helping organizations move from reactive to proactive and from fragmented to focused."
Olivier brings a unique blend of engineering, finance, and entrepreneurial expertise to his role as fractional CFO at La Royale Group. After graduating from the Institut d’Optique Graduate School and completing an MSc in International Finance at HEC Paris, he began his career in Europe with the Royal Bank of Scotland and EY before relocating to Singapore.
Olivier has guided multiple organizations through complex financial transformations, from public listings and cross-border acquisitions to scaling international operations. Most recently, as CFO of Kacific Broadband Satellites, He drove revenue growth from $10 million to $50 million and spearheaded the company's pursuit of a de-SPAC transaction on the Singapore Exchange.
At La Royale Group, Olivier turns strategic vision into measurable growth across business units by optimizing operations and ensuring financial excellence.
How has your leadership style changed over the years?
I started my career in investment banking, where success was about execution and analytical precision. Moving into entrepreneurial and operational roles pushed me to rethink my approach. I quickly learned that leading fast-growing and multicultural teams, especially across Asia, requires more than just focusing on deals and outputs.
Over time, my leadership has become rooted in empowerment, collaboration, and empathy. I’ve realized that results come not just from my own work, but from fostering team spirit and leading by example. Building alignment, trust, and resilience has been key to scaling organizations, managing cross-border teams, and driving sustainable growth.
When you stepped into this role, what was your first priority?
When I first stepped into this role, my priority was to really understand the organization: its history, how it operates, and where the challenges were. I focused on identifying key pain points across teams and functions, while making sure we had accurate data and reliable processes in place.
Even though the business had experienced strong growth, some core financial foundations weren’t fully in place to sustain that trajectory. My approach was to implement an incremental plan focused on establishing financial controls, improving reporting accuracy, and ensuring business continuity. This involved aligning teams, refining processes, and implementing the systems needed to support both day-to-day operations and long-term strategic goals.
If you could offer one piece of advice to future leaders, what would it be?
Never underestimate the value of understanding the fundamentals, especially accounting, no matter your role or seniority. Maintaining a hands-on approach with your team is just as important. Not to micromanage, but to stay grounded in the operational realities they face.
This approach allows you to provide meaningful support and build trust, helps you design realistic transition plans, and ensures processes are scalable and aligned with the team’s capabilities. In fast-moving environments, balancing strategic vision with operational grounding is what keeps momentum and teams cohesive.
What’s a book or podcast that’s shaped your thinking recently - and why?
I’ve recently been exploring readings and thought pieces on scaling companies through structured growth systems, especially those that embed financial discipline from the start.
A theme that keeps coming up is the importance of solid financial foundations early on. I’ve seen firsthand that without accurate data, clear processes, and financial visibility, even the most promising ventures can struggle to scale sustainably. These insights have reinforced for me that financial systems aren’t just a back-office function. They’re a strategic growth enabler, helping organizations move from reactive to proactive and from fragmented to focused.
Looking ahead, what excites you most about the future of La Royale Group?
I’m excited about the opportunity to help transform the Group into a mature and well-structured organization, supported by clear financial metrics, established processes, and strong governance - which are all essential for long-term growth.
A big part of this is building a finance team that is not just focused on accuracy and compliance, but also acts as a strategic partner to the business. I’m looking forward to shaping a team that brings insight, agility, and value at every stage of La Royale Group’s growth. Ultimately, it’s about turning vision into execution by putting the right structures in place and fostering accountability, so the organization can scale with confidence.
About La Royale Group
La Royale Group supports future-focused businesses across high-growth sectors, including fintech, gaming tech, marketing, AI and cybersecurity. Backed by deep operational expertise and strategic insight, we power growth for the future.