1153: From Big-Company Discipline to Private-Equity Speed | Jorge Pliego, CFO, Improving

In his late 20s, Jorge Pliego found himself financing a major expansion in Mexico—not by calling corporate for cash, but by rethinking the entire structure. At Procter & Gamble, he was given the chance to fund a new paper products facility locally, navigating tax and financing incentives until the deal carried “zero” interest cost, Pliego tells us. Convincing senior leaders in Mexico and at headquarters required clarity, confidence, and an understanding of the business beyond finance alone.

That moment reflects a career shaped by early responsibility and proximity to decision-makers. From ERP implementation work—where he adapted U.S. costing systems to Mexico’s 100% inflation environment—to treasury leadership, Pliego learned how finance decisions land inside real operating constraints, he tells us. Those lessons were tested again when he left P&G for Sara Lee, joining as the second employee in Mexico. Suddenly, he was learning how to import product, choose systems, hire teams, and manage risk without the safety net of a mature organization.

At Diageo, that operational grounding met strategy. As CFO of Mexico, Pliego helped lead a six-month effort to craft a plan to triple the business in three years, he tells us. Finance worked alongside marketing, sales, and operations to define investments, risks, and measurements, while leaders focused on inspiring people and course-correcting quickly.

Today, as CFO of Improving, Pliego carries those lessons into a faster, private-equity-backed environment. Speed matters, but discipline matters more. He’s shortened the close, sharpened data visibility, and applies the same lens to AI—calling it “a very hungry monster” that only delivers value when fed consistent, high-quality data, Pliego tells us.