In this episode of CFO Weekly, Evan Schwartz, Chief Innovation Officer at AMCS Group, joins Megan Weis to explore how modern CFOs can transform ERP implementations from high-risk projects into strategic competitive advantages. Evan brings more than three decades of experience driving large-scale digital transformation across resource-intensive industries, having held roles spanning Chief Innovation Officer, CTO, and Chief Enterprise Architect.

With his extensive background in ERP modernization and firsthand experience with both spectacular successes and painful failures, Evan shares how finance leaders can avoid the Gartner-cited 70% failure rate through strategic vision setting, robust vendor partnerships, and proactive change management. Currently serving as Chief Innovation Officer at AMCS Group, Evan oversees the development of AI-native platforms that help companies transition from legacy systems to scalable, interconnected solutions. He is also the author of the Amazon best-selling book, People, Places, and Things, a practical framework for achieving ERP success without costly overruns or failed deployments.

What You'll Learn:

Why most ERP transformations fail to deliver ROI and how to avoid common pitfalls
How to build a compelling vision statement that drives project success
The critical importance of vendor relationships over software features
Strategies for effective organizational change management during digital transformation
How to define and track meaningful ROI beyond traditional cost savings
The future of AI-powered interoperability and agentic workflows in finance operations

Learn more about Evan:

Evan Schwartz on LinkedIn
AMCS Group Website
People, Places, and Things Book

Episode resources:

Personiv's Website
Personiv on LinkedIn
Personiv on Facebook
Personiv on Twitter

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Previous guests include: Tom McDermott, CFO at Career Certified, Claire Bramley, CFO at Teradata, Chris Miles, Founder of Money Ripples, Ranil DeSilva, CFO & COO at CARE, Jordan Grumet, Financial Independence Expert & Host of Earn & Invest & William Washington, Global CFO at Baker McKenzie

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