CFO THOUGHT LEADER Special Episode: In the Room Where it Happens (Part 1)
Aug 13, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Brian Gladden, CFO of Zelis and former finance chief at GE and Dell, shares insights from his encounters with industry legends like Jack Welch and Michael Dell. He reflects on leadership lessons learned in pivotal moments that significantly shaped his career. The conversation also includes Gabi Gantus's Tesla experience with Elon Musk and Jason Child's transformative moments at Amazon with Jeff Bezos, emphasizing strategic decision-making and the ability to navigate high-stakes corporate environments.
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Early Tesla Moment Changed A Career
- Gabi Gantus was pulled into a meeting with Tesla leadership to persuade Elon Musk to change a plan of record.
- That close involvement accelerated her influence and rapid rise inside Tesla.
FP&A Is Partnership Not Just Spreadsheets
- Gabi describes FP&A as a business partner role that goes beyond spreadsheets and supports informed decisions.
- She emphasizes finance should push early so business leaders see finance as a constructive partner.
Free Shipping Analysis Preceded Prime
- Jason Child led analysis on free shipping and showed it produced disproportionately higher growth than a similar discount.
- That work fed into decisions that eventually became the foundation for Prime.