Bernardo Gollo

Bernardo manages the finance department at Charcoalblue, overseeing the finance functions in the UK, US, and Australia including payroll, invoicing, department budgeting and management accounts..

As the Financial Controller at Charcoalblue, I make sure the numbers make sense behind our wildly creative projects. While the team dreams up incredible spaces, my job is to keep our feet on the ground—balancing the books and ensuring our financial foundation is solid.Because Charcoalblue is a fast-paced environment, my day-to-day is rarely predictable. I approach work ready for the unexpected, tackling urgent tasks head-on while keeping one eye on the horizon. By constantly forecasting and planning, I aim to eliminate surprises and strategically position the company for whatever comes next.What matters most to me is a healthy work-life balance: work hard and play easy. I enjoy sailing, especially racing my ILCA every week, skiing in the winters, or simply trying to keep up with my toddler and Border Collie.

What Clients/Colleagues Value About You

I believe my colleagues most value my ability to provide a calm, pragmatic personality in a highly dynamic, fast-paced creative environment. In an industry driven by big ideas and rapid changes, I can bring financial clarity and reassurance, which creates a great balance between our creative ambitions and our commercial stability.

A Problem You Love Solving

I love solving operational puzzles, specifically translating complex data into useful, actionable reports. I am tackling this by leaning into technology and automation—I am exploring AI agents to streamline workflows and mapping out better integrations for our financial systems. I enjoy this challenge because it removes a lot of the manual work of finance and lets me focus on high-level forecasting and growth. Finding automated solutions to complex problems pushes me to keep learning and ensures our foundation is as innovative as the work we produce.

What We Won’t Learn from Your CV

When I’m not managing corporate finances, I enjoy trading macroeconomic trends, racing my ILCA dinghy, and playing a bit of rugby, tennis and football. Otherwise, you can usually find me fixing up my house or walking our Border Collie with my wife and daughter.

A Place That Shaped or Inspires You

Rio de Janeiro, where I grew up. It is the most beautiful city in the world, filled with an amazing and vibrant energy that I miss very dearly.

Cultural Value You Most Identify With

I most identify with Commercial Focus. As the financial specialist for Charcoalblue, my primary responsibility is to make sure we keep the ins higher than the outs and we keep our company sustainable to make sure our team can provide the great spaces that we create. Being commercially focused means constantly looking ahead, planning for the future to avoid surprises, and ensuring every project remains financially viable.