Mark Khavkin tells us that from the very beginning of his career journey—a 2008 role as an investment professional with a European private equity firm—he was able to gain experience in board strategy, investor relations, and entrepreneurial exploration. This foundation allowed him to read boardroom dynamics from very early on and prepared him to anticipate a variety of operational perspectives that would set the stage for his path forward. Transitioning to Silicon Valley, Khavkin joined eBay’s c...
Jul 10, 2024•40 min•Transcript available on Metacast Karen Williams’s journey to becoming a successful CFO began with a crucial lesson learned early in her career at the UK headquarters of candy giant Mars. As a young professional, she tells us, she had failed to grasp the importance of relationship-building and expressing her passion for the business. At times, this void had kept her sidelined and stymied her professional growth, a conclusion at which she would arrive only much later, when she personally witnessed the power of networking and pers...
Jul 07, 2024•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast On the latest episode of Planning Aces three dynamic CFOs—Robert Cornella (RNDC), Karen Williams (American Express Global Business Travel), and Tony Querciagrossa (Pinstripes)—share a menu of FP&A insights and experiences. Robert Cornella emphasized the importance of understanding value chain economics and achieving operational harmony within complex mergers. His experience at Coca-Cola highlighted the necessity of predictable revenue streams and balanced incentives for long-term investment....
Jul 03, 2024•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast Mo Shahzad is not one for trivial conversations. At Relativity Space, he’s known for his deep curiosity, often engaging team members in discussions about their interests and passions. This intellectual curiosity is not just a personal trait—it’s a vital tool for his role as CFO. Mo’s ability to connect on a personal level mirrors his professional mission: translating the innovative dreams of Relativity Space’s founders into a compelling narrative for investors.
Jun 30, 2024•51 min•Transcript available on Metacast In the season 1 finale of Controllers Classified, host Erik Zhou is joined by Sarah Hinkfuss from Bain Capital Ventures for an overview of the VC investment landscape and a deep dive into her investment due diligence approach for growth stage companies. The episode begins with Sarah highlighting milestones from her career, including her time conducting water pricing research in the Middle East, her transition into tech, and her pivot from tech into investing. Underlying everything is her passion...
Jun 28, 2024•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast Looking back, John Lutz doesn't hesitate to recall a strategic turn along his career journey when, during his tenure as director of finance at Charter Steel, he transitioned a cumbersome, error-prone Excel model into an advanced, activity-based costing system. By involving stakeholders from across the company, Lutz tells us he not only gained buy-in but also unlocked the power of teams to create a tool that transformed the way the business operated, enhancing both efficiency and profitability. Y...
Jun 26, 2024•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast Beginning her career as an analyst, Carol Lee honed her technical skills both in pre-revenue start-ups and a multinational corporation with over $10 billion in revenue. These contrasting environments, she tells us, equipped her with a unique perspective on what it takes to be both scrappy and scalable. Early in her career, Lee immersed herself in M&A activities, gaining insights from both the buy and sell sides. As an analyst, she was able to absorb vast amounts of financial information and ...
Jun 23, 2024•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast CFO Thought Leader host Jack Sweeney and performance management guru Brett Knowles explore and highlight the takeaways from The 20 Leading CFOs of AI report, recently published by CFO Thought Leader. The conversation underscores the ethical challenges posed by AI and the critical role CFOs play in ensuring responsible governance. Notable examples like Krishna Rao of Anthropic and Colette Kress of Nvidia. As AI continues to revolutionize industries, CFOs are tasked with balancing innovation and e...
Jun 21, 2024•38 min•Transcript available on Metacast Michael O’Grady’s finance strategic moment occurred in 2014 at higher-ed tech company Ellucian. Faced with transitioning from a traditional perpetual license model to a SaaS one, he identified the need for a unified approach across all business functions. Recognizing that the company’s executives had differing visions, he proposed skipping the annual budget process to focus on a 5-year integrated plan. This comprehensive strategy, developed with input from all departments, required significant i...
Jun 19, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Transcript available on Metacast Two-and-a-half years ago, CFO Tony Querciagrossa began a discussion with Dale Schwartz, founder of Pinstripes, that would eventually lead to Querciagrossa joining the experiential dining up-and-comer as CFO. Turn back the clock a little, and you would see that Pinstripes, aiming for a traditional IPO, had engaged Goldman Sachs to solidify its path toward benefiting from a permanent capital structure. However, the emergence of the omicron variant of you-know-what disrupted these plans, placing th...
Jun 16, 2024•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast On Location IMA24 (San Antonio, TX) the annual America's conference for the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) CFO Thought Leader Host Jack Sweeney speaks to Mike DePrisco, IMA President and CEO, about the evolving importance of certifications like the CMA (Certified Management Accountant) and the newly established FMAA (Financial and Managerial Accounting Associate) to support early-career individuals. DePrisco stressed the need for personalized professional development to cater to...
Jun 14, 2024•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast In the throes of the Great Recession, Erica Gessert faced one of her first tests of leadership. As the head of Investor Relations for Virgin Mobile, she found herself navigating the collapsing financial sector. Key banks that were integral to the company's operations began to crumble, and the economic landscape was fraught with uncertainty. Keeping investor concerns top of mind, Gessert was able to help steady Virgin Mobile and bring the path leading beyond the crisis into full view. In the year...
Jun 12, 2024•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast When she was an international studies major living abroad, Ashley Johnson tells us she met a U.S. ambassador whose unvarnished career advice subsequently led her to divert her career path away from the diplomatic corps of the U.S. foreign service. Johnson reflects, "I thought I was going into the State Department." However, a weekend spent with Ambassador Roy Huffington, immersed in discussions about the pivotal role of a strong economy, sparked a profound realization. "You cannot be an effectiv...
Jun 09, 2024•58 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of Controllers Classified, host Erik Zhou is joined by Eugene Spevakov, Treasurer and Head of Corporate FP&A at 6sense. The conversation begins by tracing Eugene’s path, highlighting his start in civil engineering and his transition into treasury and corporate finance. The episode then dives deep into the primary responsibilities of a treasury function: cash and risk management (aka, you need to be able to move money from point A to point B safely). Eugene spends time explain...
Jun 07, 2024•46 min•Transcript available on Metacast CFO Jorge Stevenson’s finance career journey begins in Santiago, Chile, where both his parents were leaders within the business community and instilled in him the importance of finance when it comes to achieving business success. Jorge’s formal business education began with an MBA from Duke University, where he honed his finance. His professional journey includes pivotal roles at a number of different organizations. At Goldman Sachs, he gained exposure to mergers and acquisitions, financia...
Jun 05, 2024•42 min•Transcript available on Metacast In the early years of Scott Henderson’s career, the dotcom bubble burst, leaving the tech industry in turmoil and many young professionals uncertain about their futures. Despite this chaotic climate, Henderson decided to take a calculated risk by joining another dotcom venture. This time, the company was a modest enterprise with 300 employees and $25 million in revenue. At the time, it was known as Salesforce.com. Henderson’s gamble paid off handsomely. As Salesforce grew from a promising start-...
Jun 02, 2024•55 min•Transcript available on Metacast A brief summary of this episode
Jun 01, 2024•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast Efraín Pérez Agosto began his career on the lively casino floors of Puerto Rico, where his fascination with the gaming industry was first sparked. Starting with a succession of jobs, he quickly showcased his analytical prowess and passion for finance. In search of broader horizons, Agosto relocated to the U.S. when his casino owner set down roots in Indiana. This move marked a pivotal chapter in his career, as he balanced work while completing his undergraduate degree stateside before going on t...
May 29, 2024•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast Robert Cornella’s path to the CFO office at Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC) wasn’t meticulously planned; it was shaped by pivotal moments and unexpected opportunities. A significant milestone arrived with his appointment as CFO of Coca-Cola Germany, a defining chapter in his career. Before his tenure in Germany, Cornella had already achieved several notable accomplishments. His journey began when he boldly relocated from the United States to Europe with E&Y, setting the stage f...
May 26, 2024•53 min•Transcript available on Metacast Blending academic rigor with industry acumen- Fatema El-Wakeel, PHD has multiple professional lives inside the data strategy realm. Her multifaceted career encompasses roles at the University of Cambridge, where she imparts knowledge as a seasoned educator, and at Unilever, where she shapes strategic data initiatives. Fatema also lends her expertise as a non-executive director (Institute of Management Accountants), showcasing her versatility and leadership in diverse settings. A crucial aspect o...
May 24, 2024•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast When David's Bridal, a New York City staple, filed for bankruptcy in 2018, Joan Hilson was at the helm as CFO. The experience was a crucible, teaching her invaluable lessons about crisis management and strategic pivoting. "Navigating the bankruptcy of David's Bridal forced me to re-evaluate our strategies and become more resilient," Hilson recalls. This challenging period honed her ability to steer a company through turbulent times, a skill that she would carry forward into her role at Signet Je...
May 22, 2024•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast Angola might not top the list of destinations to which executives typically flock to build their careers, but for Julien Lafouge, it was the starting point of an extended journey. Back in 2001, Lafouge stepped into a pivotal finance leadership role with Technip, a technology provider to the energy industry. The unconventional geography forced him to develop a keen sense of resilience and adaptability, traits that would become cornerstones of his career. Lafouge's journey from the complexities of...
May 19, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Transcript available on Metacast Planful CEO Grant Halloran shares his insights on the current state of AI adoption in the enterprise, emphasizing the need to temper excitement with reality. He highlighted the importance of understanding legal and security aspects, listening to customers, and pacing AI development with their ability to use it effectively. Halloran also discussed the potential of AI to transform business processes, emphasizing the importance of a human-AI partnership and the need for customers to adapt to using ...
May 18, 2024•36 min•Transcript available on Metacast At just 16, Tucker Marshall unsuccessfully sought a humble beginning at The J. M. Smucker Company—not in the back office but on its lush grounds, hoping to cut grass. Such an early rejection—due to a company policy favoring employees’ families first—did little to deter him. Instead, it left with him an indelible admiration for the company’s culture and its loyalty to its extended family. Marshall’s career trajectory—although certainly not linear—has been a master class in preparation and perseve...
May 15, 2024•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast On a remote Wyoming cattle ranch, young Jason Godley faced a dire situation: the baler attached to his tractor suddenly caught fire. Alone, with no immediate help and devoid of modern conveniences like cell phones, 12-year-old Jason had to think quickly and act decisively. His decision to drive to a neighbor’s house to use their hose not only extinguished the fire but also preserved the surrounding fields. This incident on the ranch, Godley tells us, instilled a lifelong “bias for action” and an...
May 12, 2024•53 min•Transcript available on Metacast Lawrence Herman’s path to becoming a CFO unfolded through a series of experiences that changed his understanding of the finance world, beginning with his initial role at Goldman Sachs. Here, in the crucible of intense market dynamics, Herman cut his teeth on complex financial models, where the rigor of long hours refined his capacity to handle pressure and complexity—a foundational skill for any leader. Following his stint at Goldman Sachs, Herman transitioned to Prudential Securities, diving in...
May 08, 2024•36 min•Transcript available on Metacast When faced with unprecedented challenges, the true mettle of a leader is tested. Daniel Bisgeier, a seasoned CFO, exemplifies how continuous improvement and strategic decisiveness pave the way for corporate resilience and growth. Reflecting on his career, Bisgeier notes that significant progress often doesn't come in bursts but through "persistent effort over time and constant refinement." A poignant illustration of Bisgeier's strategic agility occurred during his tenure at MediaMath, amid the t...
May 05, 2024•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast Leadership in FP&A: All three CFOs emphasize the role of finance in leading and driving business performance through strategic foresight, detailed operational insights, and proactive engagement. Technology and Innovation: There is a strong inclination towards integrating new technologies like AI to enhance the capabilities of finance teams and improve business processes. Collaboration and Influence: The CFOs highlight the importance of collaboration within organizations, where finance must w...
May 03, 2024•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast From his early days in auditing at PwC to his current role as CFO at Prophix, Aaron Levine has had a career that has closely tracked the evolving nature of the financial leadership role. His journey has been marked by a series of strategic transitions and expansions of his skill set that illustrate the broadening demands of being a modern CFO. An important early chapter of Levine’s professional development was his tenure under Steve Vintz, who at the time was CFO of Vocus, where Levine served as...
May 01, 2024•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast The way Dan Murphy sees it the CFO position demands that leaders always be kept on high alert. It’s a mindset that had led him to habitually monitor updates and alerts related to key vendors, including banking institutions. And so it was, in first quarter 2023 when Murphy recalls spotting a vague tweet hinting at possible financial instability at Silicon Valley Bank. Despite the tweet’s uncertain implications, Murphy recognized the risks inherent in relying solely on one bank. He proposed a stra...
Apr 28, 2024•57 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
