Carrie (Byrnes) Anderson
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Campbell Soup Company
BSChE 1991
For her visionary contributions to the manufacturing, healthcare and engineering R&D sectors, as well as her impressive success in managing corporate finance, leading to sustainable long-term growth and increased shareholder value.
Carrie Anderson has an important piece of advice for today’s undergraduates: “Make discomfort your comfort zone. When faced with indecision or ambiguity, be willing to be decisive or be the tie breaker, even if it’s uncomfortable.”
Anderson has a proven record of practicing what she preaches. A five-term engineering co-op student with General Motors, she remained with the company after graduating from Purdue and worked in various manufacturing and engineering positions. During this time, she decided to add a new dimension to her skillset by earning her MBA from Ball State University. Armed with a business degree, she set her sights on a new venture.
“Evolving from engineering to finance required dedication, continuous learning, and the ability to adapt to new challenges,” she said.
She went on to gain a broad base of global experience in a variety of complex end markets, including automotive, electronics, industrials, medical devices, and now consumer product goods. In February 2023, she was named executive vice president and chief financial officer at Campbell Soup Company, where she leads the finance, business development, and information technology functions and is the executive sponsor for the Campbell’s Women Inclusion Network. Prior, she held leadership roles in finance at Integra LifeSciences, Dover Corporation, and Delphi Corporation.
“As a business leader and CFO, I’ve been able to blend analytical thinking and strategic decision making to drive positive business outcomes.” Anderson said. “I have been very purposeful in my career journey, building on experiences and always open for the next challenge, while choosing opportunities that have allowed me to stay close to the business where I derive the greatest fulfillment.”
Anderson is a current member of the board of directors for Embecta Corporation. She was named to NJBIZ’s “2023 People to Watch in Finance”, Healthcare Technology Report’s “Top 25 Women Leaders in Medical Devices of 2021”, and Institutional Investor Magazine’s “2022 All-America Executive Team” in the Best CFO Mid Cap Medical Device category. From 2019-2022, she was the co-chair for the Children’s Brain Tumor Foundation Annual Benefit and in 2020-2022, was an executive sponsor of Integra’s African American Affinity Group and Integra’s Operational Excellence Council. Anderson also received the Outstanding Chemical Engineer Award from Purdue’s Davidson School of Chemical Engineering in 2023.
She highly recommends that students exercise assertiveness. “Raise your hand, ask questions, volunteer for the difficult assignments, be curious — it makes all the difference,” she said.
As for her own time as a Purdue undergraduate, Anderson said it was the building block for where she is today, preparing her for much more beyond gaining technical competency in the field.
“I learned to believe in myself, surround myself with talented people, to advocate for myself and my abilities, and to reach for and expect success. These skills carried through my career as I transitioned to different industries and moved into roles with more and more responsibilities.”
When asked to share an inspirational quote, the TV show “Ted Lasso” came to mind because of its many leadership lessons. The one that resonated most was this one from Ted: “As the man once said, the harder you work, the luckier you get,” Anderson cited. “This is a derivative of a quote from U.S. President Gerald Ford, who said, ‘the harder you work, the luckier you are, and I worked like hell.”
Career Highlights
| 2023–present | Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Campbell Soup Company |
|---|---|
| 2022–present | Board Member, Embecta |
| 2019–2023 | Chief Financial Officer, Integra LifeSciences |
| 2017–2019 | Chief Accounting Officer and Corporate Comptroller, Dover Corporation |
| 2014–2017 | Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Dover Engineering Systems |
| 2011–2014 | Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Dover Printing and Identification |
| 2005–2011 | Vice President, Finance and Divisional CFO, Delphi Corporation |
| 2003–2005 | Finance Director, Delphi Corporation |
| 2001–2003 | Director, Investor Relations, Delphi Corporation |
| 1999–2000 | Treasury, Delphi Corporation |
| 1998–1998 | Treasury, Investor Relations, General Motors |
Education
| 1991 | BS Chemical Engineering, Purdue University |
|---|---|
| 1995 | MBA Business Administration, Ball State University |