Download our checklist, 6 practices of a fulfilling Finance career 

Enter the competition today: www.soldo.com/competition

What does it take to keep a finance function firmly on track in one of the UK’s most asset-heavy industries?

In this episode of The CFO Playbook, David McClelland is joined by Funto Agbeniga, Head of Finance at GB Railfreight, to explore her intentional career journey and the leadership lessons she’s picked up along the way. From her early days at KPMG, to roles at Unilever and the charitable sector, Funto has made purposeful stops along the way — each one shaping how she drives transformation and keeps momentum in her career.

Listeners will gain a firsthand look at how finance powers GB Railfreight’s operations — from keeping contracts on the right track and managing the life cycle of heavy-duty assets, to balancing short-term reporting with the long-haul view of strategy. Funto shares how she’s helped her team move from number-crunching to true business partnering, ensuring finance always has a seat at the table when critical decisions are made.

Our conversation also dives into transformation and innovation: from the role of AI and tools like ChatGPT, to investing in the Class 99 dual-mode locomotive — a major step in building a more sustainable railway. Funto reflects on the importance of leadership visibility, nurturing future talent, and why finance leaders need to understand their stakeholders beyond the numbers.

It’s not only understanding others that Funto highlights, but it is also about ensuring you are staying true to yourself. Funto advice: don’t settle — be the driver of your own locomotive.

Download our checklist, The 8 CFO Stategies for Smart Scaling

Enter the competition today: www.soldo.com/competition

What does it mean to build a finance function that is truly aligned with product, operations and customers?

In this episode of The CFO Playbook, David McClelland is joined by Ben Averis, CFO of Yoto, the screen-free audio platform helping children explore stories, music and learning on their own terms. Ben shares his strategic journey of steering Yoto through its ambitious expansion across five countries, including the US, which stands as its largest market. Listeners will gain a firsthand account of balancing operational growth with financial discipline in a seasonal business, as well as insights into the distinct challenges of raising capital and making sound decisions in a fast-paced startup environment.

Our conversation takes a deep dive into Ben's transition across industries, from navigating the turbulent waters of the travel sector during the pandemic to embracing the vibrant startup landscape at Yoto. His reflections on cash flow management during crises offer valuable lessons and underscore the critical nature of agility and foresight in financial leadership. We also explore the broader scope of Ben’s role, which encompasses finance, operations, and supply chain management, highlighting the importance of strategic planning and collaboration for informed decision-making.

Ever wondered how AI and outsourcing can revolutionise productivity? Ben unveils the innovative ways Yoto is leveraging these tools to enhance efficiency and maintain flexibility, especially in a seasonal market. Through strategic playdates and community-driven content creation, Yoto fosters a vibrant ecosystem that stands resilient against competition. Ben shares his vision for progressive finance, where clarity and simplicity reign supreme, and invites listeners to transform insights into action with a unique high-value resource crafted to guide finance leaders on their journey.

In this episode, Christopher Striano, Chief Operating Officer of Global Finance at Blackstone, joins David McClelland to discuss the impact of corporate culture on business success, from the perspective of the world’s largest alternative asset manager.

With over $1 trillion in assets under management, Blackstone invests in businesses across industries and geographies, including private equity, real estate, credit, and hedge funds. In this revealing discussion, we hear how global entities need to balance culture and strategy to attract and retain great talent.

Chris shares highlights from his 25-years at Blackstone; how the company has evolved from a small entity to a global powerhouse, while maintaining a cohesive and inclusive culture; and how it stayed true to its core values by embracing regional influences in its 26 offices across the Americas, Europe and Asia.

Highlighting a trinity of healthy competition, teamwork, and philanthropy in creating an engaged and unified Finance team, Chris puts his long-term career growth and job satisfaction down to nurturing relationships and great communication.

We also explore how integrating technologies and AI might be changing strategy for Finance teams, through strategic alignment, it doesn’t have to change culture.

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In this episode, David McClelland is joined by Myles Corson, EY Global and Americas Strategy and Markets Leader, Financial Accounting Advisory Services and host of the Better Finance Podcast, to discuss the evolving landscape for finance leaders amidst uncertainty and instability, termed the 'polycrisis'.

As we navigate a complex global landscape, marked by geopolitical tensions, inflation uncertainties, environmental changes leading to pressure on supply chains, and technological uncertainties, Myles explains how finance leaders can evolve from their traditional roles to become indispensable strategic partners within their organisations.

Amidst a world of rapid change and the relentless news cycles that shape our perceptions, we examine the role of technology in both contributing to and alleviating uncertainty. The rise of AI and digital transformation presents not just challenges but also unprecedented opportunities to redefine the role of finance. Hear how CFOs can balance short-term performance with long-term strategic investments, embracing innovation while managing risk.

As finance leaders become the compasses guiding their organisations, the importance of setting a clear direction and empowering teams with data-driven insights takes centre stage. Myles underscores the need for agile mindsets and strategic alignment to navigate this complex landscape, ultimately adding unparalleled value to organisations.

For more information about the challenges facing CFOs, read Myles' DNA of the CFO report.

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In this episode of The CFO Playbook, David McClelland is joined by Marie Joyce, CFO and COO of NTR, the trailblazing renewable energy specialist to discuss their mission to advance sustainable infrastructure by investing in wind, solar, and energy storage assets across Europe.

What exactly does it take to transform from toll roads to renewable energy? Marie reveals the incredible evolution of NTR, offering a rare glimpse into the strategic milestones that have defined the company, from its early investments in wind energy with Airtricity in 1999 to its current focus on wind, solar, and energy storage projects across Europe. We hear how NTR's diversification across various markets and technologies has cemented its leadership in the renewable energy sector.

Marie also shines a light on the pivotal decisions that set NTR apart, such as the shift from a US-centric approach to capitalising on the stable European market. She recounts the company’s transition to co-investing with institutional capital, a move that has significantly mitigated risk while expanding investment capabilities. Hear how advancements in technology have made renewable projects financially viable without government subsidies, and how strategic partnerships, such as with Legal & General Investment Management, have been instrumental in the company's growth.

Beyond the financial strategy, Marie lifts the lid on the human element that drives NTR’s success including initiatives to foster diversity and inclusion in the traditionally male-dominated sectors of engineering and finance. From flexible working arrangements to fertility leave, NTR's culture not only supports its workforce but also aligns with its ambitious climate goals.

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In this episode of The CFO Playbook, David McClelland is joined by Mark Freedman to explore the changing landscape of finance leadership, from crash to AI and beyond.

Mark started his career at Deutsche Bank before moving onto London Stock Exchange Group. Over three decades in the finance sector, he’s proved himself to be a transformational force ready to face down the challenges of a digital finance age.

Now in post as CFO of global money brand Travelex, Mark has been instrumental in making strategic decisions, providing steadfast resilience through a challenging era, following a much publicised cyber incident at the start of 2020.

Despite the negative headlines, Mark's tenure has embraced opportunities for growth. Empathising the strength of Travelex's brand and its extensive physical distribution network as key assets, Mark has faced questions about the relevance of “travel money” head on.

Highlighting the evergreen resilience of cash and the growth potential of digital cards, his current role has pivoted Mark from scorekeeper to decision-maker, with a deep understanding of business - using effective communication, and staying up-to-date with technology.

About Soldo:

Soldo provides company cards connected to a powerful management platform. Employees use Soldo cards to buy what they need for work without being out of pocket or going over budget. Finance teams use Soldo to distribute money instantly, while staying in control of who spends, how much, where, and on what.

Thousands of businesses, from small to large corporations including Mercedes-Benz, Sony, and Get Your Guide use Soldo to make their business spending simple and efficient.

To find out more or to book a demo, visit Soldo.

Chapters:

0:05:07 - Career Transition Reflections and Growth

0:09:03 - Career Progression in Banking Industry

0:15:04 - Era of Financial Innovation

0:18:25 - Finance Transformation Opportunity

0:22:52 - Business Journey Through Turbulent Times

0:34:25 - Future of Travel Money Changes

0:42:24 - Evolution of the CFO Role

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode we look beyond the UK with guest Huiming Chen discussing the challenges and opportunities of leading finance teams across diverse geographies and cultures with host David McClelland.

In her current role as Europe Commercial CFO at Illumina, Huiming shares her expertise on acknowledging and bridging cultural differences, fostering open communication, and balancing structural preferences to enhance team performance. Hear her secret to effectively navigating cultural nuances and improve collaboration within a global finance team.

Gain a deeper understanding of the intricacies of feedback and communication styles in multicultural environments through Huiming’s personal journey from China to the US. We also explore the stark contrasts between Eastern and Western feedback approaches and the critical importance of timely, constructive feedback. Hear how small talk, such as the British habit of discussing the weather, plays a significant role in building professional relationships and how to adapt communication styles to fit different cultural contexts.

Huiming also provides insight on the future of finance and the evolving role of CFOs in the face of technological advancements. Emphasising the essential traits of successful CFOs and the importance of creating environments where diversity and innovation thrive, Huiming shares strategies to empower finance teams for innovation, balance operational and strategic responsibilities, and leverage AI technology for informed decision-making, ensuring effective global leadership and cultural adaptation in the workplace

Huiming will be judging the Global CFO 100 Awards 2024 by Soldo in partnership with HotTopics. This new award honours CFO’s who are driving transformative financial strategies and innovative business practices, shaping the future of finance. Entries close on 31st August 2024, for more information visit https://hottopics.ht/global-cfo-100-awards-nominations. 

Chapters:

(0:00:00) - Global Cultural Challenges in Finance Leadership

(0:10:42) - Cultural Feedback and Relationship Building

(0:14:41) - Embracing Diversity in Leadership Roles

(0:22:38) - Future Traits of Successful CFOs

(0:33:53) - Empowering Future Finance Through Technology

About Soldo:

Soldo provides company cards connected to a powerful management platform. Employees use Soldo cards to buy what they need for work without being out of pocket or going over budget. Finance teams use Soldo to distribute money instantly, while staying in control of who spends, how much, where, and on what.

Thousands of businesses, from small to large corporations including Mercedes-Benz, Sony, and Get Your Guide use Soldo to make their business spending simple and efficient.

To find out more or to book a demo, visit Soldo.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do a retail powerhouse, a manufacturing giant, and a financial services titan have in common? According to our guest Helen Ashton, it’s the universal value of cross-sector experience. In conversation with David McClelland, Helen shares her fascinating journey through multiple industries, emphasising how diverse roles have armed her with unique insights and essential relationship-building skills.

A finance leader with over 30 years of dynamic experience, Helen's expertise is a masterclass on leveraging core finance skills to adapt and thrive in new environments. She shares the common challenges finance leaders encounter and the strategic importance of honing influencing skills to drive business success. From spearheading technological innovations to nurturing a young, diverse team, Helen’s time as CFO at online fashion giant ASOS is a testament to truly visionary leadership.

This episode also explores how innovative hiring practices and open-minded recruitment can enhance finance teams, fostering a rich pool of future talent ready to take on CFO roles in the future. Candidly reflecting on the slow progress made in diversity and inclusion in senior finance roles and her own vision for the future of finance - transformed by data automation and strategic involvement - paint a compelling picture of a field ripe for rebranding. This episode is brimming with insights on the evolving landscape of finance leadership, championed by a true industry veteran.

Helen will be judging the Global CFO 100 Awards 2024 by Soldo in partnership with HotTopics. This new award honours CFO’s who are driving transformative financial strategies and innovative business practices, shaping the future of finance. Entries close on 31st August 2024, for more information visit https://hottopics.ht/global-cfo-100-awards-nominations. 

Helen founded Shape Beyond after 25 years of transforming complex, high-growth organisations. She’s worked at Executive Board level and led private equity portfolio businesses to successful exit. Shape Beyond’s deep knowledge of the retail industry is fuelled by Helen’s time as the CFO of ASOS and board member of JD Sports. We embrace digital transformation and agile, diverse cultures.

Chapters:

0:03:23 - Career Growth Through Industry Diversity

0:12:04 - Finance Leader

0:18:50 - Innovation in Fashion Retail CFO Role

0:22:48 - Leveraging Data for Customer Service Improvement

0:27:03 - Fast-Paced, Customer-Centric Executive Dynamics

0:30:52 - Youthful Talent Surprises in Finance

0:33:17 - ASOS Brand Mission for 20-Somethings

0:37:22 - Diversity, Inclusion, and Authenticity in Leadership

0:43:43 - Criteria for Selecting Future CFOs

About Soldo:

Soldo provides company cards connected to a powerful management platform. Employees use Soldo cards to buy what they need for work without being out of pocket or going over budget. Finance teams use Soldo to distribute money instantly, while staying in control of who spends, how much, where, and on what.

Thousands of businesses, from small to large corporations including Mercedes-Benz, Sony, and Get Your Guide use Soldo to make their business spending simple and efficient.

To find out more or to book a demo, visit Soldo.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In May’s episode of The CFO Playbook, David McClelland talks to Mehjabeen Patrick, Director of Finance at Arts University Bournemouth, about the challenges and opportunities of finance leadership in the creative sector.

As former Chief Finance and Investment Officer at Creative UK, Mehjabeen is all too aware of the financial challenges faced by creative businesses. From her early days working in the banking sector, Mehjabeen is a passionate advocate of finding creative approaches in all aspects of finance. From distributing government grants to providing business mentoring, she highlights the need for finance leaders to actively listen to and learn from creatives, to drive both artistic and economic growth.

Drawing from over 20 years of experience in the sector, Mehjabeen shares the importance of thinking outside the box. Hear how she thinks finance leaders should embrace creative approaches while managing budgets, by bringing design thinking into their day to day work. This episode also explores the impact of technology and digital innovation to engage diverse audiences by telling finance stories in new ways.

Chapters:

(0:02:56) - Finance Leadership in the Creative Sector

(0:16:20) - Finance and Creativity in the Arts

(0:24:11) - The Impact of Technology on Creativity

(0:36:14) - Thinking Outside the Box in Finance

Entries for the Global CFO 100 Awards in partnership with HotTopics are now open - https://hottopics.ht/global-cfo-100-awards-nominations. Entries close 31st August 2024.

About Soldo:

Soldo provides company cards connected to a powerful management platform. Employees use Soldo cards to buy what they need for work without being out of pocket or going over budget. Finance teams use Soldo to distribute money instantly, while staying in control of who spends, how much, where, and on what.

Thousands of businesses, from small to large corporations including Mercedes-Benz, Sony, and Get Your Guide use Soldo to make their business spending simple and efficient.

To find out more or to book a demo, visit Soldo.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the latest episode of The CFO Playbook, David McClelland is joined by Giles Andrews OBE, co-founder of Zopa, the world’s first P2P lending business launched in 2004, to discuss two decades working in FinTech and the role of artificial intelligence in shaping the financial services of the future.

Finding himself as an accidental CFO in the early days of Zopa thanks to an accountancy qualification, Giles progressed to CEO and Chairman and is still an active Board Member, responsible for in excess of £4bn in loans in the UK, and revolutionising the way we look at banking.

Reflecting on the economic storms faced globally over the past few years, Giles offers an insider's perspective on the 2008 financial crisis, revealing how it inadvertently fuelled Zopa's growth by transforming the lending landscape. Now managing a diverse portfolio, from the intricacies of Zopa's operations to Chair of online automotive marketplace CarWow, Giles is all too familiar with the challenges faced against a backdrop of evolving consumer behaviour and digital upheaval.

In a world now captivated by artificial intelligence, he shares his thoughts on the positives in work efficiency and improved user experience in customer service, but expresses concerns about ethics and governance, especially in financial services. Balancing innovation and regulation, Giles highlights the importance of ethical leadership and community spirit to ensure a prosperous ecosystem for businesses of all sizes, whilst embracing advancements in technology.

Chapters -

(0:00:00) - Financial Leadership and Innovation

(0:12:21) - Navigating Financial Crisis and Growth

(0:19:25) - Recent Financial Sector Collapses and Innovation

(0:24:08) - Innovation in Banking and AI

(0:36:06) - Ethics and Privacy in AI Governance

(0:41:54) - Issue of Financial Engineering in Business

Entries for the Global CFO 100 Awards in partnership with HotTopics are now open - https://hottopics.ht/global-cfo-100-awards-nominations. Entries close 31st August 2024.

About Soldo:

Soldo provides company cards connected to a powerful management platform. Employees use Soldo cards to buy what they need for work without being out of pocket or going over budget. Finance teams use Soldo to distribute money instantly, while staying in control of who spends, how much, where, and on what.

Thousands of businesses, from small to large corporations including Mercedes-Benz, Sony, and Get Your Guide use Soldo to make their business spending simple and efficient.

To find out more or to book a demo, visit Soldo.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The CFO Playbook, David McClelland explores how financial management should be embedded into company culture with Richard Dana, co-founder and CEO at Tembo Money.

With a background in corporate finance, Richard shares how he leveraged his interest in travel to co-found the budget-boutique hotel booking platform Doris and Dickie, and the lessons learned from being thrifty in balancing the books from day one with a small team, managing by cost.

Reflecting on his role as CFO at Founders Factory, a unique platform matching leading corporate brands with industry expertise with innovative start-ups to solve specific pain points within their sector. Richard affirms his mantra that founders should focus on being thrifty and making every pound work hard, whilst having a path to profitability and a clear understanding of the financials.

Now on a mission to address the housing affordability crisis, Richard co-founded family lending platform Tembo Money, with the aim of closing the generational wealth gap by broadening access to homeownership. With no CFO currently in place, the focus since its launch in 2020 has been on becoming profitable with a lean team and outsourced accountancy. Richard highlights that despite the crossovers between the CFO and CEO roles, there is a much greater focus on "selling the business" as a CEO, whilst keeping an eye on the money during the early days of growing a new business.

Finally, against the backdrop of the current economic landscape, Richard gives his view on starting a business in a recession; although it's challenging, partnering with established companies and focusing on a product with a real customer need can help mitigate risks. Extending cash runway is crucial for startups, and involves monitoring cash flow, cutting costs, and exploring non-investment funding options.

Chapters -

(0:00:01) - Inside the World of Finance Leaders

(0:13:29) - Building a Finance Startup

(0:22:45) - Funding and Recruitment for Startups

(0:33:57) - Startup Strategies and Acquisition Considerations

(0:43:39) - Liberating Finance for Families

Entries for the Global CFO 100 Awards in partnership with HotTopics are now open - https://hottopics.ht/global-cfo-100-awards-nominations. Entries close 31st August 2024.

About Soldo:

Soldo provides company cards connected to a powerful management platform. Employees use Soldo cards to buy what they need for work without being out of pocket or going over budget. Finance teams use Soldo to distribute money instantly, while staying in control of who spends, how much, where, and on what.

Thousands of businesses, from small to large corporations including Mercedes-Benz, Sony, and Get Your Guide use Soldo to make their business spending simple and efficient.

To find out more or to book a demo, visit Soldo.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With growth at the heart of the recent Spring Budget, how can companies fuel productivity and accomplish more? On March 13th, 2024, business and economics experts met at the London Stock Exchange to decode the Chancellor’s Spring Budget at an event hosted by Soldo.

This live episode of The CFO Playbook is hosted by David McClelland and features an expert panel -

David Owen, Chief Economist, Saltmarsh Economics 

Liz Earle MBE of Liz Earle Wellbeing

Emma Heal, MD at Lucky Saint

Carlo Gualandri, CEO of Soldo

Chapters -

(00:00) - Productivity and Growth Challenges in the UK

(11:54) - Economic Growth and Productivity Opportunities

(21:58) - CFO-CEO Partnership for Business Success

(30:33) - Impacts of AI on Business Operations

(39:40) - AI Technology and Future Industry Trends

(53:41) - Summary of Support in the Spring Budget

Entries for the Global CFO 100 Awards in partnership with HotTopics are now open - https://hottopics.ht/global-cfo-100-awards-nominations. Entries close 31st August 2024.

About Soldo:

Soldo provides company cards connected to a powerful management platform. Employees use Soldo cards to buy what they need for work without being out of pocket or going over budget. Finance teams use Soldo to distribute money instantly, while staying in control of who spends, how much, where, and on what.

Thousands of businesses, from small to large corporations including Mercedes-Benz, Sony, and Get Your Guide use Soldo to make their business spending simple and efficient.

To find out more or to book a demo, visit Soldo.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if you could transform your finance operations by integrating technology and automation into every aspect of your business strategy? 

In this episode of The CFO Playbook, David McClelland is joined by fractional CFO-COO Charlie Hunt to explore how FinOps are reshaping the landscape of finance by shifting from isolated departments to integrated roles, with finance leaders becoming strategic partners to CEOs.

Starting out in retail banking during the 2008 financial crash to now working with a portfolio of companies as a fractional CFO-COO, Charlie is an advocate for the hybridisation of the roles, emphasising trust and collaboration with CEOs as a paramount feature. 

FinOps, as a philosophy, merges financial and operational efficiencies, streamlining processes like reporting and cash flow management, ultimately boosting business performance. For modern businesses, this dual understanding is pivotal, especially in fast changing economic conditions, integrating financial insights with broader operational strategies can be a catalyst for growth and transformation.

From her experience of working in construction and manufacturing, Charlie explains that despite some initial resistance, traditional sectors are now embracing transformation through the adoption of technology. Integrating tools such as automated reporting and cloud accounting software are significantly enhancing efficiency. 

Hear about the evolving nature of software, the imperative for finance teams to stay current with technological advancements, and the critical traits of curiosity and adaptability for today's finance leaders. 

Download your free CFO-COO alignment checklist here.

Find all episodes of The CFO Playbook here 

Welcome to a new series of The CFO Playbook, brought to you by Soldo.

In this episode, our new host, technology reporter, presenter and consumer champion, David McClelland talks to Baron Anyangwe, a finance leader, about his journey and insights into leadership.

They discuss the importance of flexibility and passion in career choices, the impact of volunteering, and Baron’s own holistic leadership framework. The framework includes principles such as widening perspectives, finding meaningful work, focusing on strengths, and setting milestones for progress.

Baron emphasises the importance of markers and milestones in guiding progress and decision-making, including the 6 Ps of success: Purpose, Principles, Priorities, Progress, Play, and People Skills. The episode also explores the value of playfulness in fostering creativity and innovation, whilst retaining the need for experimentation and adaptability in finance leadership.

This episode also delves into the rise of B Corp businesses and the challenges and opportunities they present for sustainability, reflecting on the concept of liberating finance and the role of finance leaders in driving positive change.

Chapters -

(0:00:01) - Leadership Framework

(0:11:12) - Protect the Magic, Ditch the Rest

(0:18:29) - Play, People Skills in Finance

(0:27:31) - Balancing Long-Term Sustainability in Business

(0:39:13) - Evolving Finance for Sustainable Business

Entries for the Global CFO 100 Awards in partnership with HotTopics are now open - https://hottopics.ht/global-cfo-100-awards-nominations. Entries close 31st August 2024.

About Soldo:

Soldo provides company cards connected to a powerful management platform. Employees use Soldo cards to buy what they need for work without being out of pocket or going over budget. Finance teams use Soldo to distribute money instantly, while staying in control of who spends, how much, where, and on what.

Thousands of businesses, from small to large corporations including Mercedes-Benz, Sony, and Get Your Guide use Soldo to make their business spending simple and efficient.

To find out more or to book a demo, visit Soldo.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of the CFO Playbook features an interview with Ed Lu, Chief Financial Officer at Fandom, a San Francisco-based gaming and entertainment community platform.

Ed is a gaming and media tech executive with deep finance, strategy and operational experiences focused on VC and PE-backed Gaming and B2C companies. He holds a Master’s in Management Science and Engineering from Stanford University, and a Bachelor’s in Economics from UC Berkeley.

In this episode, Ed talks about the explosive growth of the gaming industry over the course of the pandemic, the impact that generative AI will have on game development, and the ups and downs of the financial investment side of the sector.

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Guest Quotes:

“A lot of these [gaming] companies have had to somewhat bootstrap themselves, right? Or like, on a shoestring budget, get something out, show the metrics that the VCs will understand, ‘Oh, okay, I get it. Here's the D1, here's the D3, D7, D28, here's the monetization, here's the ARPU, whatnot. I can now project it out further.’ But they're not getting funding prior, right? And so they've been coming into the game a little later, like sort of post traction.” - Ed Lu

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Topics:

01:34 Ed’s background

06:53 The evolution of monetization in online gaming 

15:44 Trials and tribulations of game development

20:21 Investment in the gaming sector

30:03 Downsides of VC investing

40:12 Managing employee retention as a CFO

49:24 Reflecting on his career

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Sponsor:

This show is brought to you by Soldo, the brighter way to manage business spending and expenses. With Soldo, you can control every expense, track spend in real time, automate financial reporting, and then use those insights to fuel growth. Learn more at Soldo.com

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Links:

Connect with Ed on LinkedIn

Connect with Fran on LinkedIn

The CFO Playbook Listener Survey

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of the CFO Playbook features an interview with Bill Fahrbach, Chief Financial Officer at Facet, offering impartial and invaluable financial advice and services at an affordable membership fee.

Bill is a strategic Financial Executive and Entrepreneurial CFO/COO with an extensive investment banking background and rounded technology operational experience. With a track record of significant growth, capital raises, and exits, he’s a leader in finance, operations, systems, and legal capacities.

In this episode, Bill talks about the changing dynamics between CFO and CEO, the importance of a healthy work-life balance, and how a primarily remote-first culture affects the pathway to becoming a CFO.

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Guest Quotes:

“I think what has changed is, if you think about the CFO role, it's really critically important that you get the right information out to the organization. So, the organization wants to understand how we are doing as a business, and it's not as simple as sort of just saying like, look, here are the numbers, right? There's a lot of color, there's a lot of context. So I would say as CFO, it's been challenging. It's actually pushed probably the limits in terms of like how do you communicate effectively with the employee base, whereas when you're in the office in a physical office, it's more natural, I guess you could say, and more seamless to sort of be having routine discussions with, employees across the board and articulating, you know, the good, the bad, and everything in between and getting that message across. In a virtual environment, what I've found is that the struggle is always finding that balance of how do I get the right message out in the right forums. And not create, let's say, like a drain of unnecessary meetings that people get bored in, right? So, it's finding that balance, you know, articulating the right information, but also giving the right context in a way that employees will be engaged. I'd say that was, that's been the biggest challenge.” - Bill Fahrbach

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Topics:

00:38 Bill’s role and adjusting to remote work

03:49 How a remote first culture affects the pathway to CFO

07:51 Educational background

13:19 Dynamics between CFO and CEO

17:53 Facilitating company acquisitions

21:47 Work life balance

24:23 About Facet and IPO

29:18 Best decision he’s ever made

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Sponsor:

This show is brought to you by Soldo, the brighter way to manage business spending and expenses. With Soldo, you can control every expense, track spend in real time, automate financial reporting, and then use those insights to fuel growth. Learn more at Soldo.com

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Links:

Connect with Bill on LinkedIn

Connect with Fran on LinkedIn

The CFO Playbook Listener Survey

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of the CFO Playbook features an interview with Andy Dean, Chief Financial Officer at Eden Futures, providing high quality, person-centered care, supported living and enablement for people with disabilities and support needs.

At Eden Futures, Andy leads the Finance, Service Development and IT teams. Prior, he started his career training with KPMG as a Chartered Accountant, gaining experience within both Audit and Transaction Services. He has since worked for a variety of care providers in social care starting with Craegmoor as Group Financial Accountant. From there he gained broader experience at GKN plc before joining what became Embrace Group in 2012 as Group Financial Controller. Andy helped to manage the recovery and subsequent sale of that business before joining Eden Futures.

In this episode, Andy talks about the current state of social care in the UK, his work as a leader for teams in finance, service development, and IT, and how policies, politics, and technology affect the space.

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Guest Quotes:

“ Part of your role, as CFO, is that wide base of stakeholders. You can be talking to your shareholder one day. You can be talking to your lender another day. You can be talking to your insurer. You know, CFOs like me are often responsible for the IT, so get involved in the IT discussions, talking to our customers. So, in our case, our commissioning partners around whatever issue it might be, say fee rates, occupancy. Get involved with the lawyers that are on the contractual side. So yes, it is a varied role. You know, the old adage that 'no day is ever the same' is absolutely right from a CFO perspective.” - Andy Dean

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Topics:

01:37 Andy’s background and role as CFO

07:22 Current state of social care in the UK

13:14 Technology in social care

17:43 Employee retention and politics

21:00 Dealing with uncertainties

25:45 Mentorship

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Sponsor:

This show is brought to you by Soldo, the brighter way to manage business spending and expenses. With Soldo, you can control every expense, track spend in real time, automate financial reporting, and then use those insights to fuel growth. Learn more at Soldo.com

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Links:

Connect with Andy on LinkedIn

Eden Futures Website

Connect with Fran on LinkedIn

The CFO Playbook Listener Survey

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This episode of the CFO Playbook features an interview with Chris Voss, Founder and CEO of The Black Swan Group. Previously, Chris was the lead international kidnapping negotiator for the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the FBI’s hostage negotiation representative for the National Security Council’s Hostage Working Group. 

Chris used his many years of experience in international crises and high-stakes negotiations to develop a unique program that applies globally proven techniques to the business world. Through the Black Swan Group, he provides training for a variety of businesses and individuals on negotiation skills. He’s also the author of Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as if Your Life Depended on It.

In this episode, Chris and I talk about how he became an FBI hostage negotiator, what a CFO can learn from negotiation, and the three biggest mistakes to avoid when negotiating.

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Guest Quotes:

“Really counterintuitive stuff, this thing that we call empathy, you know, we call tactical empathy. It's ability to influence, if you can wrap your mind around what it really is, it works under all circumstances. Doesn't matter, as long as human beings are involved, whether it's a colleague, whether it's a client, whether it's an employee, whether it's somebody you work for, it seems mystical because it really operates on neuroscience and the feelings of being understood. But human beings are wired to be completely emotional. You know, every decision, you make up your mind based on what you care about, which makes decision making an emotional process because your fundamental basis is what you care about. And so then it's just applied emotional intelligence. And you know you can succeed in the boardroom or work with what I learned dealing with a drug dealer or a terrorist.” - Chris Voss

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Topics:

03:02 How to become an FBI hostage negotiator

03:41 What a CFO can learn from negotiation

12:52 Three biggest mistakes in negotiation

18:45 Achieving outcomes

22:28 In-person versus digital communication

27:38 Real life stories

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This show is brought to you by Soldo, the brighter way to manage business spending and expenses. With Soldo, you can control every expense, track spend in real time, automate financial reporting, and then use those insights to fuel growth. Learn more at Soldo.com

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Links:

Connect with Chris on LinkedIn

The Black Swan Group LTD

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This episode of the CFO Playbook features an interview with Robin Dunbar, Professor of Evolutionary Psychology at University of Oxford and Co-author of The Social Brain: The Psychology of Successful Groups.

Professor Dunbar is British anthropologist and evolutionary psychologist and a specialist in primate behavior. He is best known for formulating Dunbar’s number, a measurement of the “cognitive limit to the number of individuals with whom any one person can maintain stable relationships.” His research is concerned with trying to understand the behavioral and cognitive mechanisms that underpin social bonding in primates and humans.

In this episode, Professor Dunbar talks about how evolution affects the dynamics of organizations, the seven pillars of friendship, the impact of work on personal relationships, and the observable changes in a sense of community overtime.

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Guest Quotes:

“In a C-suite level, you have to find ways of sharing your time and not micromanaging everything, that's where the disaster comes, I think, because you destroy everything. You try and micromanage the whole of a big organization, not only do you make a hash of that because it's too big, but you also don't have any time left over for your family relationships and so on, and they fall apart. So, you’ve got to trust the people you work with, as it were, below you, in the layers below you to do their job, and that has to be the culture. And, there are places where that happens, you have this sense of trust and obligation and people work willingly, as it were, and overwork, maybe,  willingly, not for the money they're paid but out of a sense of pride and obligation to the job they do. If you encourage that kind of attitude again, which used to be much more common, then you don't have to worry about what's going on down below because that's being taken care of in the layers below you. You can sit back and deal with strategy, which is what C-suite folks should be really concerned with because, and sparing yourself enough time at the corners of the day to invest in your own kind of family and social environments.” - Robin Dunbar

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Topics:

02:51 Introducing Robin’s book: The Social Brain: The Psychology of Successful Groups

06:35 How evolution affects the dynamics of organizations

11:36 The seven pillars of friendship

18:21 Difference in application for group sizes in a workplace setting

30:32 Generational changes in the sense of community

38:47 The impact of work on personal relationships

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Sponsor:

This show is brought to you by Soldo, the brighter way to manage business spending and expenses. With Soldo, you can control every expense, track spend in real time, automate financial reporting, and then use those insights to fuel growth. Learn more at Soldo.com

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Links:

Connect with Robin on LinkedIn

The Social Brain: The Psychology of Successful Groups

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This episode of the CFO Playbook features an interview with Tom Herbert, Tech Editor at AccountingWEB, the largest independent online community for accounting and finance professionals in the UK.

Tom is a journalist, editor and broadcaster with experience across digital and print publications. For the past seven years, he’s specialized in business, accountancy and technology journalism. He writes and edits news, features, interviews and opinion pieces and also features on a variety of podcasts, videos and webinars as both a host and guest.

In this episode, Tom talks about ChatGPT and the future of AI, the recent Silicon Valley Bank situation, The Tyranny of Expense Reclaim, and his opinions on accountancy stereotypes.

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Guest Quotes:

“I think that accountants, the stereotype is, Nigel in the corner office with his spreadsheet, and they're incredibly boring people, like Monty Python and various others have spread this around. But, I actually find accountants incredibly entertaining. I think they're generally very quirky, quite eccentric, and often quite blunt. But, when I pitched up in 2015, after, as you said, a series of events, writing, travel, writing, sports, journalism, like my wife's, yeah, ‘accounting journalism, are you sure?’ But, yeah, I've loved every minute of it, genuinely. It's been great fun.” - Tom Herbert

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Topics:

03:54 Chat GPT and AI

10:21 Silicon Valley Bank

14:14 Resumes and trust

18:44 The Tyranny of Expense Reclaim

24:44 Opinions on accountancy stereotypes

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Sponsor:

This show is brought to you by Soldo, the brighter way to manage business spending and expenses. With Soldo, you can control every expense, track spend in real time, automate financial reporting, and then use those insights to fuel growth. Learn more at Soldo.com

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Links:

Connect with Tom on LinkedIn

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This episode of the CFO Playbook features an interview with Peter de Silva, Author, Director, and Trustee.

Peter is an experienced chairman, CEO, president, executive committee member, public and private company director and trustee for national not-for-profit organizations and national charitable foundations. He’s a Former Harvard University Senior Fellow - Advanced Leadership Initiative, and author of Taking Stock: 10 Life Leadership Principles from My Seat at the Table.

In this episode, Peter talks about the importance of successfully cultivating relationships for career progression, the financial impacts of the 2020 ‘meme’ stock craze, and leaves us with his top three pieces of advice for the CFOs of the future.

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Guest Quotes:

“If I think about three or four pieces of advice for aspiring financial leaders, I would leave you with this. One, take intelligent risks. I didn't want to move to Cincinnati. I didn't want to move to Kansas City. But I did, and I grew much more quickly. I got way ahead from where I would've been if I sat in my office in Boston. So, take those intelligent risks. Second, and something that has to be learned, you need to hire people that compliment you and challenge you. The leader that hires people that look just like them and marches in line, it doesn't work. You want people who challenge you around that table. And, as long as they do it respectfully and ethically, it's all good with me. But, ensure you find people who compliment and challenge you. Third, constantly challenge yourself to improve. None of us are done learning and growing and we won't be until we draw our last breath because that's the essence of life, is to learn and grow and to develop. And my last piece of advice for everyone is to do what you love and love what you do. And, if you don't, It's time to move on.” - Peter de Silva

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Topics:

01:22 Peter’s background

06:12 Early career

09:28 Experience at Harvard

14:38 Meme stock craze

22:56 Peter’s book

25:43 Cultivating relationships

30:40 What’s next for Peter

31:26 Advice for upcoming CFOs

34:00 Learning experiences

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Sponsor:

This show is brought to you by Soldo, the brighter way to manage business spending and expenses. With Soldo, you can control every expense, track spend in real time, automate financial reporting, and then use those insights to fuel growth. Learn more at Soldo.com

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Links:

Connect with Peter on LinkedIn

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This episode of the CFO Playbook features an interview with Chris Gaunt. He is the CFO Practice Leader for Europe, Middle East and Africa at Spencer Stuart, an executive search, board, and leadership advisory service.

In his role, Chris works on a variety of Group CFO appointments for many of the world’s largest publicly traded companies, as well as for private equity-backed portfolio companies. He has a strong international focus, often for clients in emerging economies who wish to access the global executive talent pool. Prior to joining Spencer Stuart, Chris worked with another leading international executive search firm, most recently serving as the Managing Partner of its UK CFO practice. He began his career in the financial leadership search field in the firm’s New York office. Earlier, Chris worked as a management consultant for the Washington, D.C.-based Advisory Board Company. In that capacity, he led consulting teams working with senior executives across industries on their human resources strategy and operations. Chris holds a master’s degree from the London School of Economics and a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University.

In this episode, Chris talks about the ever changing role of the CFO, the modern challenges of headhunting, leadership as a whole, and the steps you can take to reach the top.

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Guest Quotes:

“You need a certain stiffness, a certain toughness, of character to survive the sort of constant battering and the loneliness that is involved in being a CEO. I won't dispute that. I would say that we're seeing, again, an evolutionary change where the command control type of the CEOs of yesteryear are simply no longer in vogue. What we've seen, and the Covid crisis amplified this, is that CEOs today, more than ever, have to demonstrate real empathetic and inclusive leadership." - Chris Gaunt

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Topics:

02:08 Introducing Chris

03:11 Current state of CFOs

06:30 Challenges in headhunting

10:11 The skill set of a modern CFO

16:21 Prerequisites for becoming a CFO

22:53 The process of CFO headhunting

27:45 Examples of successful CFO searches

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Sponsor:

This show is brought to you by Soldo, the brighter way to manage business spending and expenses. With Soldo, you can control every expense, track spend in real time, automate financial reporting, and then use those insights to fuel growth. Learn more at Soldo.com

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Links:

Connect with Chris on LinkedIn

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This episode of the CFO Playbook features an interview with Justin Lackey, CFO at Asset Panda, a powerful, highly configurable asset tracking and management SaaS platform on a mission to help the world work smarter.

In his current role as the Chief Financial Officer, Justin oversees revenue operations, pricing, and data analysis, which are all transferable skills brought over from his previous positions as Director of Revenue Operations, and Manager of Pricing Strategy and Finance. Prior to Asset Panda, Justin held four separate financial analyst positions at ACTIVE Network, a premier global marketplace for activities and events. He graduated with a degree in general finance from Texas A&M University in 2017.

In this episode, Justin talks about the importance of maintaining transparency in the new world of finance, navigating risk appetite when conducting business during black swan events, and adapting to and remaining motivated in remote work environments.

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Guest Quotes:

“I like to look at everything as a revenue generating role, right? What are you doing to impact revenue? Whether it's a tweak you're making in our sales process, our marketing process, insights you're helping give them, there’s a direct downstream impact on revenue for that. Becoming obsessed with that revenue side of the business, I think is important for any young analyst, any aspiring CFO.”

“I think a really good quality for a CFO, CRO is, can you take a complexity and can you make it digestible, right? That is always the million dollar question of, okay, we have this set, this data set, this preexisting analytics set, right, of historical information. How do I put this into an action item and how do I deliver it so anyone can understand it?”

“I think haste of pivot is super important. Boils back down to that data collection piece of, how long is too long for a project to kind of run its course, right? You have the opportunity to act much quicker based on leading indicators than you could've. It's not all about waiting until seeing the win rate anymore, waiting until seeing total revenue, right? You can kind of grab some of that upfront data, make some pretty educated guesses, and pivot quickly.”

“There's a famous kind of mindset model that talks about the different zones that people can find themselves in. And there's a reactive zone and a proactive zone, along with a waste and a distraction zone, things like that. We spend a lot of time in that reactive zone today, but we're not necessarily using time in the proactive zone that can lead to efficiencies within that reactive zone. What am I doing day-to-day that really could be automated that's taking up a lot of my time, and how do I invest that time back into my personal life?”

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Topics:

02:06 Justin’s role and background

07:53 The new world of finance

13:22 Transparency in finance

18:06 Addressing risk appetite

22:08 Black swan events

28:31 Remaining motivated in remote work

33:51 Siege mentality in company leadership

37:33 Tips for success in business

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Sponsor:

This show is brought to you by Soldo, the brighter way to manage business spending and expenses. With Soldo, you can control every expense, track spend in real time, automate financial reporting, and then use those insights to fuel growth. Learn more at Soldo.com

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Links:

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn

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In the latest episode of The CFO Playbook, David McClelland is joined by Ben Dooley, CFO at Accel to explore nuances of the CFO role within lean, agile organisations with vast geographical footprints.

Highlighting venture capital's vibrant evolution, Ben shares the ripple effect of successful startups and Accel’s strategic focus on early-stage tech investments across Europe, Israel, and India. Hear how Accel's vision complements Silicon Valley's tech dominance and the necessity for European firms to establish their US presence while preserving their European roots.

Highlighting the role of a CFO in guiding companies through growth stages, including pre-IPO rounds, in a rapidly evolving VC landscape, Ben explains the significance of nurturing relationships with portfolio companies and investors alike.

Drawing clear distinctions from other industries, Ben highlights the nuances of being a CFO in a VC firm, explaining the predictability of revenue streams and cost structures that set venture capital apart. With universal importance of clear communication and strategic foresight when engaging with stakeholders remaining paramount, particularly in the fast-paced world of venture capital.

Reflecting on his own approach as a CFO, Ben emphasises the use of storytelling in boardrooms and the longstanding power of the elevator pitch, especially in an era of AI and cybersecurity challenges.

From emerging trends to best practices, this episode is packed with insights for aspiring and current finance leaders navigating complex business environments.

Find all episodes of The CFO Playbook here. 

This episode of the CFO Playbook features an interview with Rebecca Kacaba, CEO & Co-Founder of Dealmaker, the leading platform turning all capital raise types into simple ecommerce.

Rebecca practiced law on Bay Street for over 10 years, founded the startup practice group at one law firm, and was co-chair of the Toronto Venture Technology and Emerging Growth Companies Group. Rebecca’s vision and drive have landed her in Lexpert’s Top 40 Under 40 and recognized as one of North America’s most innovative lawyers by the Financial Times. Rebecca led DealMaker to be Canada’s 3rd Fastest Growing Company 2022. 

In this episode, Rebecca talks about equity crowdfunding as a go-to method for raising capital, leading and persevering through the global pandemic, and provides advice for aspiring female entrepreneurs as she is considered one of the most powerful women in Canada.

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Guest Quotes:

“If you think about that [equity crowdfunding] versus the traditional process of walking into a boardroom and shaking hands and heuristics based on appearance and even just joking around and making connections with people. That is a different process fundamentally than putting up the value prop of your business online. A quick video elevator pitch, and that's what's gonna resonate with people. So it moves away from who the founder is and the founder presenting the story to, Hey, here's the idea. Does the person investing over the internet really connect with this idea?”

"Maybe you have a CEO who doesn't get along with institutional capital well, or maybe control is important to your founder. And equity crowdfunding can be a really meaningful way for them to set their own terms, go to market, get capitalized, and continue lots of companies."

“We try to treat our team as well as possible, but ultimately, having a strong culture, we know what we are, we know we're a culture of high performers, and other high performers wanna be a part of that. And that's a very unique culture.”

“I think to me, finance is such a cool function because when you have strong control over the numbers, it can play a really predictive, forward looking role in the organization in terms of helping filter through acquisition targets and modeling future revenues as part of the capital raising process. I think traditionally a lot of people think of finance and back-office as just back looking, and to me, the power of finance is in the forward looking aspect of the numbers and what the numbers can tell you about the future.”

“I had practice zooming into detail and then zooming back out as a partner from a macro perspective and I think that's really what's required of you as a growth company CEO. You have to know when to jump in on something and dive down into the weeds, and then you have to know when to pull back up and stay at a high level.”

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Topics:

02:34 Rebecca’s background and the birth of DealMaker

03:56 Equity crowdfunding as a go-to method for raising capital

07:12 Role of a growth company CEO

09:57 Leading through a global pandemic

12:00 Future plans at DealMaker

14:25 Qualities of a great CEO

17:15 Hiring and employee retention

20:35 Data analytics in equity crowdfunding

23:31 Mentorship in business

26:07 Advice for aspiring female entrepreneurs

28:34 Lessons learned from mistakes

29:21 Advice for CFOs

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Sponsor:

This show is brought to you by Soldo, the brighter way to manage business spending and expenses. With Soldo, you can control every expense, track spend in real time, automate financial reporting, and then use those insights to fuel growth. Learn more at Soldo.com

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Links:

Connect with Rebecca on LinkedIn

Being a good CFO isn’t just about managing money anymore. The modern CFO is being asked to implement new technology, guide product and business decisions, and look ahead to the future. On the CFO Playbook we look at how the finance functions at companies stay ahead of the curve. 

In season 2 we bring you new host, Fran Badenhorst, a career journalist and UK Content Lead for Soldo. You will still get the same interesting and informative content for the financial professional you heard before, but we are expanding our sights on the growing working world and universe of business. 

Each episode you’ll get insights that help you grow yourself, your team, and your company. We’ll explore how old school finance traditions fit into the new world of business. You’ll hear from established and up-and-coming CFO’s, Thought Leaders, Technology Trend Setters, and other C-Suite Leaders and professionals that impact the finance function.

Our casual conversations will take a deep dive to get at the heart of what is important to our guests. We will draw out the stories, bright ideas, best advice, and essential practices on what has helped them make an impact.

Whether you’re a seasoned CFO, new to your position, or aspiring to grow your career, we will discuss what needs to be on the mind and radar of people to be successful as they delve into the future of finance. 

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This show is brought to you by Soldo, the brighter way to manage business spending and expenses. With Soldo, you can control every expense, track spend in real time, automate financial reporting, and then use those insights to fuel growth. Learn more at Soldo.com

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This episode of the CFO Playbook features an interview with Paul Cunningham, Partner and CFO at Helios Investment Partners, an Africa-focused private firm managing funds totalling $3.6 billion. With 34 years in the industry, Paul has an overall responsibility for all matters relating to accounting, financial control, taxation, fund administration and reporting and regulatory compliance for the Helios group entities.

Paul served as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer for Barclays Private Equity for six years prior to joining Helios in May 2008, and previously as Director, Head of Finance & Product Control Projects at Barclays Capital. He’s also Chairman of the International Private Equity and Venture Capital Valuation Guidelines Board. Prior to joining Barclays, he worked within the finance functions of various major investment banks, including Deutsche Bank and Credit Suisse, since qualifying as a Chartered Accountant with Ernst & Whinney in 1989.

In this episode of the CFO Playbook, Paul talks about the current state of the market in private equity, changes in finance functions brought about by the global pandemic, and how to build a strong team through authentic and genuine leadership.

Take The CFO Playbook Listener Survey to help us improve the show. You’ll also be entered to win your choice of the latest iPad Pro or a Samsung Galaxy S7.

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Guest Quotes:

“Within private equity, and it's certainly been true of the firms that I've been CFO for, the role of CFO is more by exclusion. Anything that isn't related to making or divesting of investments potentially falls in the lap of the CFO.”

“Typically, within a lot of private equity firms, it is the CFO that just keeps everything on the straight and narrow, keeps everything sort of running with the exception of the buying and selling of investments.”

“Twenty years ago, private equity business was very much sort of cookie cutter. One investment looked very much like another. One fund looked very much like the last fund. And there wasn't a great deal that changed. But now you need to be part lawyer, part accountant, part tax advisor, part regulatory consultant, and I think 20 years ago that wasn't the case. Certainly not to the same extent.”

“In terms of leading the team, one of the key things that I find is that I don't ask anyone in my team to do something that I have never done myself in the past or don't sometimes do myself at the moment”

“I think that sort of move towards automation and digitalization has always been there within the finance function. It just sort of progresses over time. It's something that you can't just, oh, over the next two years we're going to digitalize every manual process. It needs to be constantly evolving.”

“One of the most important bits of advice is never be too important to do anything because it helps keep you grounded. It also helps with building a team. Don't feel that because you are now CFO, you can't do your own photocopying for example.”

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Topics:

01:15 Paul’s journey

03:29 The role of CFO in private equity

05:22 How the role has changed over time

07:13 Current state of the market

13:12 Building a strong finance team

15:12 Leading through the pandemic

25:01 Changes in finance technology

26:58 Automating manual processes

32:52 Advice for aspiring CFOs

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Sponsor:

This show is brought to you by Soldo, the brighter way to manage business spending and expenses. With Soldo, you can control every expense, track spend in real time, automate financial reporting, and then use those insights to fuel growth. Learn more at Soldo.com

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Links:

This episode of the CFO Playbook features an interview with Chris Stefani, CFO at DWF, a  leading global provider of integrated legal and business services.

Chris is a specialist in performance improvement in professional services, finance transformation and profit improvement. He oversees all of DWF's financial operations in the UK and internationally, with a focus on enhancing revenue, improving profitability and driving working capital management to support the firm's growth. He has extensive experience in advising executive boards on all aspects of financial management and control, and the development of financial reporting and analysis mechanisms. Chris has worked in many different finance function roles in the UK and Ireland and more recently in EMEIA, including as Head of Finance for UK&I Tax and CFO for the Republic of Ireland.

In this episode, Chris talks about why the legal sector provides variety for someone working in the finance function. He explains what it’s like to lead an organization through an IPO during covid, the war in Ukraine, and worldwide financial struggles. Chris also discusses the importance of delegation, coaching, and providing leeway and time for teams to process, progress, and be productive.  

Take The CFO Playbook Listener Survey to help us improve the show. You’ll also be entered to win your choice of the latest iPad Pro or a Samsung Galaxy S7.

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“I liken my job to being an air hostess on a plane full of people who are quite easily spooked by turbulence. They look to me to be calm, even when the plane's rattling around. Because I mean, I'm a nervous flyer, and if I look and the air hostess is panicking, I worry. So however much there might be going on in the background. I've got to present a calm face to the business, take questions, understand sentiment,  and also be fixing stuff in the background without making too much noise about it. I think that's what we've had to do in what's been an unprecedented time. It comes down to something as simple as just over communicating.” - Chris Stefani

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01:35 Chris’ career path

05:33 CFO experiences at different companies

08:55 Pioneering in a novel market

13:10 Leadership through challenging times

18:53 Achieving balance during stressful times

25:56 Investing in the finance team as a CFO

33:24 How Chris’ team uses technology

37:22 Advice for aspiring CFOs

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This show is brought to you by Soldo, the brighter way to manage business spending and expenses. With Soldo, you can control every expense, track spend in real time, automate financial reporting, and then use those insights to fuel growth. Learn more at Soldo.com

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This episode of the CFO Playbook features an interview with Alwyn Jones, Group CFO at Luno, a leading global cryptocurrency company with over 9 million customers in 43 countries that provides services for making it safe and easy to buy, store and learn about cryptocurrencies.

Alwyn has more than 20 years of experience as a hands-on leader with a track record of delivery in financial and digital services. He strives to deliver exceptional business performance based around a deep understanding of the customer, clear strategic focus, and developing winning teams. Throughout his career, Alwyn has covered strategy development, capital markets, corporate finance, retail and digital financial services, and operational execution. During that time he’s become heavily metrics and results driven, leveraging customer voice and analyses to define strategy, leading change initiatives to obtain and measure commercial results.

In this episode of the CFO Playbook, Alwyn talks about the novel and evolving space of cryptocurrency and blockchain. He shares advice on retaining and hiring in a nascent industry,  as well as starting an app based bank from scratch. Alwyn also discusses the importance of building personal resilience and embracing the latest financial technology to improve performance.

Take The CFO Playbook Listener Survey to help us improve the show. You’ll also be entered to win your choice of the latest iPad Pro or a Samsung Galaxy S7.

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“Philosophy is critical, right? You've got to have a clear direction of where you're trying to go. And the faster you can go to that point as a business, the better, but finance is a key enabler to that. If finance isn't on the case, the business will naturally slow down to the tempo that finance operates at. So you can be an active inhibitor and break on the business, or you can be an enabler. And it's building that shift from, are the numbers right? Is money ending up where it needs to be? Do we have everything in order? Are we getting through our audits? To, how forward looking are we and how quickly are we doing that? Which by the way, auditors love as well because these systems, when they work, make their lives a lot easier.” - Alwyn Jones

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01:32 Alwyn’s background in finance

03:05 Experience with Monzo

10:11 Building a bank from scratch

18:59 The novelty of cryptocurrency

24:50 Importance of crypto for CFOs

27:56 Hiring in the finance sector

39:05 Technologies embraced as a finance team

42:51 Advice for upcoming CFOs

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This show is brought to you by Soldo, the brighter way to manage business spending and expenses. With Soldo, you can control every expense, track spend in real time, automate financial reporting, and then use those insights to fuel growth. Learn more at Soldo.com

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This episode of the CFO Playbook features an interview with Manish Sarin, CFO at Sprinklr, a leading enterprise company for all customer-facing functions. With advanced AI, Sprinklr's unified customer experience management platform helps companies deliver human experiences to customers across modern channels.

Manish is an experienced public company executive leading finance teams, investor relations, and corporate development. He has extensive experience in building finance systems and processes for high growth SaaS companies, defining inorganic strategy, identifying and evaluating acquisition targets, structuring and negotiating transactions, and integrating acquired companies. His prior experience includes working with major Wall Street investment banks. He started his career at JP Morgan / H&Q and earned an M.B.A. from Columbia and B.Tech in Computer Science from IIT, India.

In this episode of the CFO Playbook, Manish talks about how he got into finance so he could be in a position to make impactful decisions for businesses, and explains why the role of a CFO is very different now than it was just a couple of decades ago. Manish also describes what he feels are the general misconceptions of the CFO role, how technology is important to the finance function, what current CFOs must do in order to raise capital, and how he achieves cohesion within his team when hiring and retaining employees. In addition, he provides his view on the current fintech market and how to navigate the new normal when dealing with restricted funding availability.

Take The CFO Playbook Listener Survey to help us improve the show. You’ll also be entered to win your choice of the latest iPad Pro or a Samsung Galaxy S7.

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“One of the things that I look for, and probably the most important thing when I'm interviewing people, is what I call fire in the belly. So unless I see somebody's really passionate, the fact that they have lots of years of experience, relevant experience, have worked at compelling businesses, all of that is good. But to me, a motivated individual who wants to succeed is way more important than trying to find that square peg for that, you know, square hole.”

“We live in a world of soundbites. If you look at how companies go public, investors have 30 minutes to understand the story, look at some financials and figure out, do they want to make a big multimillion dollar investment? And that squarely lies on the CFO. So distilling complex technology aspects or business aspects, and the ability to explain it in an easy to understand fashion. Super important for a CFO.”

“A CFO shouldn't really view that he or she has a particularly well defined swim lane, they should view the entire business as something that they can actually have a say in, and the more comfortable they are with that, the more successful they will be.”

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01:45 How Manish got started in finance

05:20 What makes a good CFO

07:30 Views on the predominant model of founder led companies

12:47 Finding balance in the tech industry

15:30 Financing and raising capital

18:05 Views on the current market

20:36 Advice to other CFOs

31:00 Achieving cohesion with your team

27:56 Views on technology within finance

36:15 Advice for aspiring CFOs

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This episode of the CFO Playbook features an interview with Mark Freebairn, Partner, Head of the Board Practice, and the Financial Management Practice at Odgers Berndtson a global executive search, interim management, talent assessment, and leadership development firm based in London.

Mark focuses on advising Odgers Berndtson’s Board as a whole and others, while maintaining the track record the Financial Management Practice has built working with the finance function to identify and develop talent. Mark led the CFO Practice for 18 years before broadening his area of focus to lead the Board Practice. He benefits from seven years of experience as a Non-Executive Director on the Board of GlobalData plc and also sits on the Remuneration Committee for the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

In this episode of the CFO Playbook, Mark talks about his current role as a CFO headhunter, his unique approach to solidifying his place as a knowledgeable expert in the finance area, and the importance of building relationships. Given how the role of CFO has evolved and expanded overtime, he explains what it takes for aspiring CFOs to achieve success, and defines the current market availability for senior finance positions in a post resignation world.

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“If you want to create a long term sustainable relationship, you create a circular relationship where you advise people when they want help in developing their career and you advise people when they want to hire people that will help them do better and develop their career that way. And if you create this circular relationship where every individual that you deal with benefits wherever they sit on that circle,  think you provide a full service offering, which as a consultant is all I wanna do.” 

You've gotta be bright. You've gotta be numerate. You've gotta be analytical. You've gotta be independent of thought. You've gotta be robust in terms of your personality because you won't always be popular. 

“Work out where you want to get to, and then understand the experience you need to get there. Work out the roles that give you that experience, work out how long you need to do them for,  work that backwards to where you are now. If you are on that path, you're heading in the right direction, keep going. But if you are not on that path then, first and foremost, go and talk internally to your boss and your HR partner and say, I wanna get there, I'm currently here, I can't get those two paths to link up which means I've gotta do something different, help me. And if you can't get help that way, because you will always do better internally because you've got your career, your reputation, your network, your knowledge to exploit to get the move you want; if you can't do that internally, then start thinking about how you do that externally.”

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01:48 Mark’s role as a CFO headhunter

04:53 Getting started at Odgers Berndtson

11:24 The evolving role the CFO

18:48 The process of becoming a CFO

29:37 Defining the current market for CFO roles

40:06 Advice for aspiring CFOs

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This episode of the CFO Playbook features an interview with Chitra Balasubramanian, CFO at CircleCI, a continuous integration and continuous delivery platform that can be used to implement DevOps practices in the cloud or on private infrustructures. 

With more than 20 years of experience accelerating business growth through data analysis, Chitra is best known for scaling technology startups. As the current CFO, and one of two C-suite females, at fast-growth unicorn CircleCI, she's led the company through major wins to establish it as a leader in the space. Chitra has been critical to the company’s fundraising alongside CircleCI’s CEO, Jim Rose. She has led the company through multiple rounds of financing, raising more than $215 million throughout her tenure.

In this episode of the CFO Playbook, Chitra talks about her interest in being involved in technology forward finance, which led her to the startup world. She speaks about using data to identify and model the impact of change to a business, how her company increased its global employee headcount amidst a pandemic, the importance of remaining agile as a CFO, and why you need to remain empathetic and ensure open communication with your company and investors.

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Guest Quotes:

“The way I've sort of tackled agility is by really trying to take a long-term view and at the same time paying attention to the short term planning horizon. How can we think about what's really best for the company over the long term, but also make sure to invest in a way where we can remain nimble over the course of the shorter term time horizon, where there's a little bit more global uncertainty around us.”

“I think it's important to be proactive. You should be a leader that educates your teams and provides guidance in an advisory role to the CEO. In this type of market for CFOs and other finance leaders, you don't necessarily know what are the right questions to ask, how to make sense of what's going on in the market, or how to navigate through these cycles. But, financial leaders are really in the best spot one because they have access to the information and that analytical horsepower. They've got a team with that economic mindset and can understand different business relationships.”

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01:20 Career Path 

06:00 Comparing Crises and their Effects

07:50 Changing of Tech Sector Capital Markets 

10:05 Navigating Current Market 

13:20 Managing Investor Relations and Expectations 

16:20 Leading Teams Through Change 

18:20 Maneuvering the Market and Employment    

20:20 Being a Partner with the CEO 

25:50 Hiring, Retention, and Networking 

28:20 Use of Technology

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This episode of the CFO Playbook features an interview with Gemma Castle, CFO at Cult Wines, which blends heritage, expertise, and innovative technology to transform the fine wine industry for producers, wine enthusiasts, collectors, and investors alike. With over 20 years of experience, Gemma Castle is well versed in delivering nuanced and sophisticated financial strategies in the fast growth SME sector. 

As CFO at Cult Wines, Gemma has been pivotal in providing financial leadership and guiding the company through critical stages of growth, including navigating the implementation of North American offices. Before joining Cult Wines, Gemma worked in the leisure and hospitality industry for 10 years, where she served as Director of Finance for Travelzest and Yotel Limited Global Hotels, as well as CFO for Light Cinemas Limited.

In this episode of the CFO Playbook, Gemma talks about the process of investing in wine and how her company ensures a high level of quality control. She explains the importance of collaboration among the finance team, while providing avenues to give them the best chance to be productive and successful. Gemma also gives insight on why she thinks embracing and investing in technology is critical for efficiency, progress, and connection when it comes to employees, clients, and recruiting.  

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Guest Quotes

“I think it's all about having good support. My department’s success is not just down to me, it's down to the people I employ and if they work well, then that's obviously a good reflection on me. And if they don't, then obviously I have to carry the can for that. So I think, balancing the demands means having the right people in your teams so you don't feel the need to micromanage. You want to feel perfectly secure that everybody's doing their job.”

“To get to be a CFO, I think you have to learn from your mistakes because you are going to make mistakes, but it's how you then move on from them. It includes listening to people. You shouldn't profess that you've got all of the answers and, if someone else does have a good suggestion, don't be scared of acknowledging that person. Because, I've been in a number of roles where some people have made some very good ideas and perhaps more senior people have taken credit for it. So, it's all about giving credit where it's due.”

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Time Stamp Topics:

01:50 Professional Journey 

05:30 Fine Wine as an Investment

09:00 Quality Assurance for Wine Investors

09:00 Cult Wine’s Finance Function 

14:45 Finance Team Development and Collaboration

17:30 Hiring and Retention Challenges

20:30 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

23:48 Technology, NFTs, and Blockchain

30:30 Technology as a Tool for Efficiency

34:30 Time Management, Team Reliability, Being a Good Leader

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With 7 years of leadership experience, Navpreet Randhawa has a passion for Enterprise SaaS businesses with focus on the financial technology sector. He found himself on the path to being a self-described “accidental CFO” by having a drive to help build companies and be successful. Navpreet has leaned into prioritizing what is best for his business through the help of using technical tools and outsourcing many traditional aspects of a company’s finance department. As CFO at Minna, he strives to be as efficient and effective as possible by being a strategic finance leader that is open to any options that may help the bottom line.

To be a successful CFO, Navpreet feels you need to be practical and honest with your time and responsibilities. If you are stretching yourself too thin, then you need to reassess how your role is functioning. He thinks it is important to be open to using outside resources to make your job easier and better supported, searching out the best specialists to handle tasks. This means you need to admit to what you are and are not good at to help you face and solve problems to ensure growth at your company and in your role.

Navpreet believes it is important to be willing to rediscover and reinvent the wheel for how finance functions have been run in the past. He thinks you need to try avoiding feeling insecure. If you work hard and continue to educate yourself then you won’t ever fail, you will just be able to learn new things and apply those to new opportunities.

In this episode of The CFO Playbook, Navpreet talks about why it is important to crawl before you walk and walk before you run. He provides insight on his path from accounting to founding a company, and ultimately taking the learnings he gained from those experiences to be a forward thinking and open minded CFO. Navpreet explains the importance of prioritization, outsourcing, and why always being driven to achieve success are keys to being a great financial leader.

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Beyond the balance sheet, what strategies do CFOs in the fast-moving consumer goods industry deploy to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving market? 

In this episode, Claire Caulliez, CFO at Nestle Italy & Malta, gives David McClelland a behind the scenes insight into the unique challenges finance leaders face in an industry driven by high volume and fierce brand loyalty. 

Claire’s strategies for smart sourcing, hedging, and agile pricing are not just tactics but essential tools for sustaining consumer attention and ensuring product availability. Highlighting how agility in financial planning is paramount amidst whirlwind changes in buying tastes and commodity prices, Claire explains that much like managing personal finances, it's about distinguishing between essentials and expendables.

Discussing the broader role of a CFO in fuelling growth, Claire advocates collaboration across departments including sales, supply chain, and HR, as being critical for transparency and risk management, while having the courage to be a change-maker within the organisation.   

Find all episodes of The CFO Playbook here

Bijan Moallemi has nearly a decade of experience building and leading finance functions at companies like Qualcomm and Palantir. He knew CFOs deserved access to better tools, so he co-founded Mosaic Finance to build the next generation of finance software for CFOs and their teams. Born out of their own experiences in finance, Bijan and his co-founders have built the Mosaic platform as a resource that combines big data and machine learning to provide powerful predictive reporting capabilities.

To be a successful CFO, Bijan feels you need the tools and basic technical skills to support your business now and to plan for the future, while reducing the effort required by your team to achieve your goals. He thinks CFOs have historically been underserved, and financial professionals deserve accessible tools that save time and money, while providing key insights and analytics to better your business.

Bijan believes that improving workflows that are self-serving, rather than adding to your list of responsibilities, will free up your time and provide more information to make more educated decisions. He feels it is important to have an application like Mosaic that can accomplish that by providing real-time analysis and reporting, giving you perspective on your company’s past, present, and future. Adding automation to data ingestion and processing can help focus your business forecasting and scenario planning to be ready for anything that may come up.

In this episode of The CFO Playbook, Bijan explains why it is more important than ever to understand the financial ins and outs of a business to make sure you know exactly what's going on within your organization. He talks about how Mosaic offers a tool that can help financial professionals as they process through pain points with data and analytics, allowing for a faster and more focused financial team that can make a bigger impact on the business. Bijan also explains why he thinks communication, collaboration and culture building are keys to success, and talks about the benefits of opening up your company to a remote workforce as a way to ensure you have access to the best talent pool.

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Anthony Rawlinson has more than 12 years of experience working in finance. He joined Papier as CFO four years ago, after serving as a consultant for the brand beforehand. Previously, Anthony worked in investment banking with Greenhill & Co. and PwC, providing generalist corporate finance advice. Since he started  as the finance leader at Papier, the team has grown to 20 people. Not only does Anthony lead the finance operations at Papier, but he also oversees Data at the company. He believes it is important to have synergy between the two functions to help better the organization.

To be a successful CFO, Anthony feels you need to challenge yourself to take a holistic approach to business and be as forward thinking as possible. In business it is important to not just think about if you can do things faster, but what are the best ways to accomplish your goals and make sure you’re spending your time efficiently. He stresses that however you solve challenges today, it also needs to be done in a way that helps you achieve whatever is being planned for the future. 

Anthony believes chemistry within your finance team and organization at large is very important. Having an alignment of mission and vision is fundamental to help you lead effectively.  With the finance team, he has adopted a hybrid decentralized approach model to how it focuses on different aspects of the company. The finance team functions as business partners with different areas within the organization to benefit accuracy and efficiency. Anthony thinks you need to go above and beyond and challenge yourself to encourage continued team engagement, being cognizant of culture and experimenting with ways to find the right balance for your team. 

In this episode of The CFO Playbook, Anthony talks about how his path to CFO was led by his interests and passions for the product and autonomy that comes with working for a startup. He explains the importance of having a centralized source of truth for data. This allows the company to have a standard reporting function that sets up the organization for success by focusing on insights and action. Anthony also stresses the important traits that every CFO needs to help them learn and grow personally, drive the company to prosper now and in the future, and how to maintain a content and capable support team.

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Huw Slater is hugely passionate about technology that facilitates innovation and enhances both people’s work and personal lives. Currently, he is COO at TravelPerk, a next-generation travel booking and management platform that is pioneering the future of corporate travel. Previously, Huw served as CFO at TravelPerk and Typeform, with a long career in finance, business, and technology. Huw has helped lead his company through the pandemic and into the new world of corporate collaboration and business travel. Through the use of strategic partnerships, TravelPerk is ensuring the future of travel is successfully supported by top-level technology. 

To be a successful CFO, Huw feels you need to do whatever you can to remove friction and extra effort when driving towards success. This requires that you bring in modern tools to help free up your team and employ people that can be creative and don’t just follow standard processes. You need to be someone who over-indexes on being a leader, focusing on the company’s goals first, and finding ways for your finance team to be as supportive as possible. 

Huw believes the job of any leader, and specifically the CFO, needs to be focused on gaining a return on investments. He says you need to run towards the flames and not stand back in the face of adversity. You should always strive to raise the bar, help set the direction, and ensure speed and efficiency. 

In this episode of The CFO Playbook, Huw talks about how over-communicating and transparency have benefited him as a leader. He explains why taking on hard tasks and surrounding yourself with great people will help you to be successful. In addition, he provides insight on his career path, navigating a company focused on travel when that was limited due to the pandemic, and how partnerships make companies strong and provide better services to customers. 

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Tiziana Figliolia has more than 25 years experience in the technology industry leading a wide range of strategic, financial, and operational functions at billion-dollar global publicly traded companies. Currently, she is CFO at Hootsuite, the global leader in social media management. Having a passion for advancing diversity and inclusion initiatives in the workplace and in the community, she is also the co-founder of Full STEAM Forward, a non-profit whose mission is to tackle inequalities in education. 

To be a successful CFO, Tiziana believes you need to focus on having a growth mindset. To do this, she feels you need to be customer obsessed, provide the best employee experience, and always build for the long term financial sustainability of the company. Tiziana feels strongly that you need to look at the opportunities that you have in front of you and double down on the investments you have with your customers and partners. 

To help your organization become world-class as a CFO, you need to get your processes, policies, and systems right. You can help achieve this by supporting your employees, whether it be through building relationships, paying attention to health and wellness, ensuring equality, or providing opportunities for them to improve and grow. It’s also important that, as a CFO, you have a strong relationship with the CEO, with a cooperative commitment to each other to support long term financial success and create equity opportunities for your company. 

In this episode of The CFO Playbook, Tiziana talks about her experience working internationally in China and how it has prepared her to take on the tasks of running finance at Hootsuite, which impacts people and companies across the globe. She discusses the importance of relationships and partnerships within your company and with your customers, as well as the importance of implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion practices in any corporate environment. Tiziana also speaks about digital transformation and why it is important to push yourself to take on new challenges throughout your career.

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Chris Roling has 35 years of commercial and private equity experience, having served in board, CEO, COO, and CFO positions with a number of global public and private companies. Currently he is CFO at Coinme, a crypto financial services and blockchain technology company that is dedicated to helping the world gain access to virtual currency. A self proclaimed, ‘global nomad,’ Chris has worked across the world for many different companies and verticals. His vast experience in nearly every functional area of finance, and mindset of taking the path less traveled, has allowed Chris to successfully guide and help Coinme prosper as it scales quickly in an expanding industry.

To be a successful CFO, Chris believes you need to take chances and get out of your comfort zone. At the same time, he encourages a philosophy of keeping it simple and not over-complicating things. He sees the role of a CFO as someone who provides a common sense approach to their company. 

Chris feels strongly that variety, networking, and international experiences are keys to learning and success for CFOs. He also views the CEO and CFO partnership as absolutely instrumental to a company’s success, requiring collaboration to focus on the success of the customer, investors, and overall company strategy. 

In this episode of The CFO Playbook, Chris talks about his vast experiences working with companies around the world. He provides insight into the state of the cryptocurrency and blockchain industry, and how the technology is connecting people and companies throughout the world. As Coinme quickly scales as the crypto industry grows, Chris discusses his approach to working as a CFO with a startup and how to ensure success through a new and emerging market. 

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Paul Sheriff, CFO at NewDay has over 25 years of experience in financial services organizations spanning banking, asset management and insurance. Paul is currently working as Chief Financial Officer for NewDay, a private equity backed consumer finance business providing branded and co-branded credit cards, including Amazon’s credit card in the UK. His specialities include, finance, operations, financial services, and change management. Paul’s vast experience with large corporations and smaller companies across the world have helped provide insight and expertise to have success in his role today.

To be a successful CFO, Paul strongly believes that you need to take opportunities as they arise. He recommends that in doing so you always look forward and be one step ahead so you set up your company and leadership to always look good and be prepared. While technical abilities are very important, how you interact and communicate with others helps you to gain trust and confidence in your team, leadership, and clients.

Paul believes that being a good CFO requires you to be level headed in moments of stress and crisis. Having broad access to the technical, business, and commercial sides will help you to build that comfort to lead through knowledge and experiences.

In this episode of The CFO Playbook, Paul Sheriff, CFO at NewDay shares his vast experience across different companies and countries. He provides insight on how to approach your first 100 days as a CFO in a new job. Paul also talks about the impact of data and his philosophy on financial forecasting, technology, and progressive approaches to being a CFO.

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Charly Kevers, CFO at Carta, has more than 20 years of experience holding various roles in finance and strategy, including investor relations and corporate development in multiple countries across North America, Europe, and Asia. While he didn’t take a straight path to his current role, his breadth of experience in consulting and the financial world has given him great exposure to different businesses and executives to help prepare him to be a leader at Carta. 

To be a successful CFO, Charly strongly believes in trying out different roles and opportunities, including learning about mergers and acquisitions and investor relations. This will help you as a CFO to gain an understanding of how investors approach their investments, and how to better communicate with them. Carta takes a unique and transparent approach to their business, being open with employees and investors. While at first, this was a bit jarring for Charly, he has embraced how being open and honest about the business can greatly improve a company’s culture and be a driver for growth. 

Charly believes that being a good CFO requires you to be as objective as possible and try to not be defensive, no matter if you’re dealing with good or bad situations. It is important to be very clear in explaining your thoughts and processes, reinforcing that you’re trying things in an effort to grow and prosper. He feels that if you aren’t constantly trying new things, then you won’t be able to properly build and expand your business.  

In this episode of The CFO Playbook, Charly Kevers, CFO at Carta shares his thoughts on how transparency can build trust and confidence with your employees and investors. He explains why it is important to take risks and try new things. Charly also talks about the importance of embracing technology and how he approaches recruiting and retention for his team.

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Nitesh Sharan, CFO at SoundHound, is a strategic finance executive with experience fueling growth and profitability in firms across the consumer, technology and industrial sectors. His diverse background working in many different verticals across multiple industries allows Nitesh to be a great fit for the evolving and expanding role of CFO in today’s business world. He also has a passion for development, diversity, inclusivity, and sustainability for his company and team. 

Anchored by a variety of experiences in industries throughout the world, Nitesh’s desire to grow and try new things is an asset to SoundHound; an organization that believes every brand should have a voice and every person should be able to interact naturally with the products around them, by simply talking. 

Nitesh sees the role of a CFO as one that is constantly changing and adapting to a new world of business. He thinks today’s CFO needs to be in tune and involved with many parts of their company. That includes as an advisor to the CEO, encouraging stakeholder success, having a vision for the company’s long term success and near term sustainability, as well as being open to innovation, and helping to set a strong culture within the organization. An important part of supporting that is building a diverse, agile, and innovative team with a range of knowledge and diverse perspectives that have a drive to continually learn and grow. 

In this episode of The CFO Playbook, Nitesh Sharan, CFO at SoundHound, shares why you can’t stay stale and need to continually innovate and update the way your company does business. This ranges in everything from organizational goals and a willingness to utilize new technologies, to being open to who your workforce is, how to encourage their success, and to allow for flexibility in where they accomplish their work. 

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Dynshaw Italia, CFO at Soldo, brings 20 years of experience working and developing fast growing consumer brands to navigate change and growth. At Soldo, he is using his ability as an adaptable leader to help their mission of lighting a brighter way for businesses to pay for advertising, software, travel expenses, online procurement, and more. Soldo believes businesses deserve better than painful, slow, and costly spending, and is providing a solution that is smarter, faster, and more connected to build an entirely new financial architecture for them.

When Dynshaw joined Soldo, he brought with him years of experience working in various disciplines and companies of all sizes. He is using that experience as an asset to help drive financial stability and success for the company. He believes that a CFO should never stand still to be successful - need to have a desire to improve and a willingness to adapt to whatever situations come about. A key to that is pushing for more efficiency and encouraging a mindset of betterment towards profitability within the organization. Attracted to companies with a common thread of entrepreneurial goals, Dynshaw has brought his strategic agility, desire to continually improve, love of technology, and emphasis on building trust amongst his leadership team and employees to provide a vision and roadmap to continued financial success and growth. 

Dynshaw believes being successful requires a CFO to be involved and understand all areas of the business, serving as a visionary that helps prepare the company for varying competitive environments. He says, “if you fail, fail fast, and move on.” That way, you can quickly define success up front and move on towards improvement. 

In this episode of The CFO Playbook, Dynshaw Italia, CFO at Soldo, shares that trust and accountability is the most important mindset to start with when developing a cohesive, supportive, and successful culture. Flexibility and openness to financial transformations and a willingness to adopt new tools is inherent to improving oneself and the company as a whole.

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On this episode of The CFO Playbook, we share some of the best advice for hiring and retaining top-tier talent that we’ve received from finance leaders who have been guests on the show.

Lessons we cover in this episode:

The trends don’t lie: What CFOs are looking for from their candidates (and vice versa).

1. CFOs are looking for technical fluency more than ever, and want candidates that have an understanding of multiple aspects both within the finance domain and beyond. The days of siloed roles are coming to an end.  
2. Talent benefits from an empathetic leader who will provide a clear career path for the finance team member, and this is increasingly becoming a requirement for CFOs.

Hiring tips to build a dynamic team of business partners, risk-takers, and those looking for a challenge. 

1. EQ is key when you’re hiring a finance team member who will engage with and partner with other lines of business. 
2. Be transparent and observant throughout the hiring process to ensure the candidate is a good fit.
3. Expand your talent pool if your company is set up for remote work.

Hire a mix of experienced finance experts and green talent with potential.

1. As CFO it’s important to have a balanced team of talent you can nurture and talent that can help you fill in the gaps of your knowledge base.
2. Regardless of experience level, you need to show up as a mentor and leader for your team to help them reach their full potential.

Hire for technology

1. Technology literacy is as important as technical finance skills.
2. Hiring for automation has the downstream impact of opening up opportunities for your team and making them happier at their jobs.

Once you’ve built your team, incentivize them to stick around.

1. Cultivate an employee-first work culture.
2. Make sure your company goals are clear, and that you’ve laid out identifiable career paths for your finance team members so they know what they’re working towards.

Tune in to the full episode to get all the best insights on hiring and retention.

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Following the Chancellor’s Spring Statement, David McClelland is joined by an expert panel to explore how the Statement, alongside the wider economic landscape, will influence CFOs ability to plan, invest and drive confidence.

Baroness Ayesha Hazarika MBE, Oli Lawson, CFO at Sigma Sports, and Helen Ashton, former CFO of ASOS, discuss the economic context of Rachel Reeves' Statement and Labour's vision for economic growth. Hear their thoughts on the challenges and opportunities for enhancing the UK's business climate and attracting international investment, and strategies for building confidence in decision-making, drawing parallels to Ireland's success with corporation tax rates.

As we navigate the post-Brexit and post-Covid business landscape, the discussion highlights how businesses can manage current challenges and seize growth opportunities. Underscoring the critical role of CFOs and finance professionals in steering through market volatility with advanced planning tools and AI, our panel examines how government collaboration and investment in digital technologies, R&D, and workforce training, particularly in the construction sector, can create a resilient and thriving economy.

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In his role of CFO at Enable, Nick Rose is carrying forward what he enjoyed most working on business transformation projects at Travis Perkins, and is driven by the change he’s able to make happen at a small but quickly growing company.

When Nick first joined Enable, he went from having 24,000 colleagues to 70. But headcount is rising fast, and Nick describes the company’s evolution as “a constant state of change” as Enable has gone through two rounds of funding and expanded to three different countries since he arrived. Nick credits his experience in business transformation to help him to shift to a fast moving environment; in fact, he embraces the change that’s necessary to achieve Enable’s ambitious goals.

Whether evaluating automation opportunities to layer on top of Enable’s ERP system, or assessing whether a prospective hire is the right fit for his team, Nick takes a forward-thinking approach to his decision making. To help guide these decisions in the present, he and his team rely on measuring objectives and key results (OKRs) on a quarterly basis. As a result, Nick is confident that the finance department and beyond are aligned on the overarching goals of the company and how they’ll work together to achieve them.

On this episode of The CFO Playbook, Nick Rose, CFO at Enable, shares how he brings a transformation mindset to his role, describes the ways in which he’s building a team that runs towards business challenges, and illustrates why adaptability is such an important quality in a CFO.

Take The CFO Playbook Listener Survey to help us improve the show. You’ll also be entered to win your choice of the latest iPad Pro or a Samsung Galaxy S7.

Connect with our guest Nick on LinkedIn.

Connect with our host Ross on LinkedIn.

If you want a better way to track and control your team’s spend, check out Soldo.com.

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Ross Tennenbaum loved working in investment banking, so it took the right opportunity for him to make the jump into his first role as CFO at Avalara, a SAAS company building cloud-based tax compliance solutions to handle every transaction in the world.

While in investment banking, Ross learned not only about capital markets and mergers and acquisitions, but about the strategy of the companies he advised on. Ross brought that mindset to Avalara, asking all kinds of questions to drive Avalara’s business forward.

Ross is laying the groundwork at Avalara to help match the fast growth of today, as well as tomorrow. He’s doing this by investing in the right technology to help optimize finance operations, and hiring finance team members who have experience implementing automation. As he builds out the finance team in a competitive environment, he’s intentional about facilitating a fulfilling work environment with clear paths of success for the company as well as individual team members. 

On this episode of The CFO Playbook, Ross Tennenbaum, CFO at Avalara, describes why he left investment banking for the lure of CFO, outlines the key components of a high performing finance team, and shares the automation priorities he's focused on for the year ahead.

Take The CFO Playbook Listener Survey to help us improve the show. You’ll also be entered to win your choice of the latest iPad Pro or a Samsung Galaxy S7.

Connect with our guest Ross on LinkedIn.

Connect with our host Ross on LinkedIn.

If you want a better way to track and control your team’s spend, check out Soldo.com.

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Craig Foster not only has over 25 years of management experience in finance, he’s also worked on 35 different IPOs over the course of his career. He brings that expertise and more to his role today as CFO at Picsart. 

Early in his career, Craig was working in an advisory role at a Big 4 public accounting firm when he was approached by one of their rapid-scale clients, LoudCloud, to come in house. The leaders of the company, Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, were key players in the dot com boom and took a hands-on approach to leadership training. The “school” of LoudCloud was formative to how Craig would approach his management positions going forward. 

Being both a mentor and a mentee is important to Craig. Whether working in house or during his time as an adviser, he’s built a network to help increase his learning. When Craig made the decision to transition to CFO for his first tenure at Ubiquiti Networks in 2013, that network helped him stay supported. And today at Picsart, Craig mentors his finance team with a forward-thinking approach and is always looking for ways to maximize their potential through technology.

On this episode of The CFO Playbook, Craig Foster, CFO at Picsart, talks about coming up under Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz during the dot com boom, shares his philosophy on mentoring future CFOs, and outlines how he is always on the lookout for the right technology to execute finance goals.

Take The CFO Playbook Listener Survey to help us improve the show. You’ll also be entered to win your choice of the latest iPad Pro or a Samsung Galaxy S7.

Connect with Craig on LinkedIn.

Connect with our host Ross on LinkedIn.

If you want a better way to track and control your team’s spend, check out Soldo.com

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As the Global & US leader for Deloitte’s CFO Program, Steve Gallucci’s job is to understand all the pressing issues facing CFOs today. He brings over 30 years of experience at Deloitte in an advisory and assurance capacity to the role.

Deloitte’s CFO Program delivers forward thinking insights for every stage of a CFO’s career through data-driven research and cutting edge resources. It was developed to offer CFOs and aspiring CFOs a comprehensive “go-to” resource for personal career success as the CFO role continues to evolve to meet the needs of the modern company.

Here on The CFO Playbook, we’re dedicated to understanding the needs of and demands on the modern CFO. Steve walks us through the 4Q CFO Signals Survey, which includes the latest insights from 124 CFO respondents. On the whole, they’re predicting tempered expectations for growth, emphasizing the need to prioritize talent/labor, and citing opportunities for embedding technologies and automation into their organizations’ operations. 

On this episode of The CFO Playbook, Steve Gallucci, Global & US CFO Program Leader at Deloitte, shares his view on how to build a successful transition plan as a new CFO, explains how talent is top of the agenda for many CFOs today, and emphasizes why being both a strategist and a catalyst is critical for any successful finance leader.

Connect with Steve on LinkedIn.

Connect with Steve on Twitter.

Connect with our host Ross on LinkedIn.

If you want a better way to track and control your team’s spend, check out Soldo.com.

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