CFO Weekly

In this episode of CFO Weekly, Siqi Chen, CEO & CFO at Runway, joins Megan Weis to explore how modern CFOs are transforming their finance operations by moving from manual spreadsheet-based processes to real-time, AI-powered forecasting systems. Siqi brings unique insights as a serial entrepreneur and former CEO at Sandbox VR, where, during COVID-19, he experienced firsthand the painful inadequacy of traditional planning tools when rapid scenario planning became critical for survival.With his extensive background spanning founder, CEO, product leader, and now CFO roles, Siqi shares how finance teams can leverage technology to automate data integration, implement real-time forecasting, and build systems that make financial intelligence accessible across entire organizations. Currently serving as CEO & CFO of Runway, Siqi oversees the development of connected financial systems that help companies transition from months-long implementation cycles to getting up and running in six weeks or less, with integrations to nearly 800 data sources.What You'll Learn:Why traditional FP&A platforms create new problems while solving old onesHow to connect operational intent with financial outcomes for the first timeThe critical role of flexibility in building finance systems that teams actually trustStrategies for making financial models accessible to non-finance stakeholdersHow connected data systems transform the CFO from controller to strategic partnerThe future of the CFO role as it becomes more technical and strategicLearn more about Siqi:Siqi Chen on LinkedInRunway WebsiteEpisode resources:Personiv's WebsitePersoniv on LinkedInPersoniv on FacebookPersoniv on TwitterIf you enjoyed this episode, then please either:Follow, rate, and review on Apple PodcastsFollow on SpotifyInstructions on following, rating, and reviewing CFO Weekly are here.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 McKenzieCheck out some of our most recent episodes:Driving Value Beyond Finance with Tom McDermottWhy CFOs Are the Chief Everything Officers with Claire BramleyWhy Traditional Financial Advice Fails and What To Do Instead with Chris MilesNGO Finance Secrets: CARE’s $900M Strategy with Ranil DeSilvaWhat Lights You Up? with Jordan GrumetBecome a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt with William WashingtonIf you are interested in joining CFO Weekly as a guest, please complete this form: fame.so/cfo-guestCFO Weekly is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

In this episode of CFO Weekly, Jacob Moelter, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer at SupportNinja, joins Megan Weis to explore how modern CFOs are transforming customer experience from a cost center into a strategic growth lever. Jacob brings extensive experience in finance and operations across public and private companies, with a deep background in investor relations, FP&A, and outsourcing services.With his unique perspective on connecting financial metrics to customer outcomes, Jacob shares how finance leaders can leverage data to drive retention, improve unit economics, and design hybrid AI-human service models that balance efficiency with empathy. Currently serving as COO and CFO at SupportNinja, Jacob oversees the strategic evolution of omnichannel support solutions that help fast-growing companies elevate their customer experience while driving measurable financial returns.What You'll Learn:Why CFOs must view customer experience as a revenue driver rather than just a cost centerHow to quantify the ROI of CX investments using unit economics and customer journey analysisStrategies for designing hybrid AI-human service models that optimize both efficiency and empathyThe critical metrics CFOs should track to connect CX improvements to financial performanceHow AI is creating a skills premium for human agents rather than replacing themThe future of the CFO role as architect of growth, experience, and organizational designLearn more about Jacob:Jacob Moelter on LinkedInSupportNinja WebsiteEpisode resources:Personiv's WebsitePersoniv on LinkedInPersoniv on FacebookPersoniv on TwitterIf you enjoyed this episode, then please either:Follow, rate, and review on Apple PodcastsFollow on SpotifyInstructions on following, rating, and reviewing CFO Weekly are here.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 McKenzieCheck out some of our most recent episodes:Driving Value Beyond Finance with Tom McDermottWhy CFOs Are the Chief Everything Officers with Claire BramleyWhy Traditional Financial Advice Fails and What To Do Instead with Chris MilesNGO Finance Secrets: CARE’s $900M Strategy with Ranil DeSilvaWhat Lights You Up? with Jordan GrumetBecome a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt with William WashingtonIf you are interested in joining CFO Weekly as a guest, please complete this form: fame.so/cfo-guestCFO Weekly is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

In this episode of CFO Weekly, Tony Jarjoura, Chief Financial Officer at Gigamon, joins Megan Weis to explore how modern CFOs and CISOs are collaborating to balance innovation with security in the age of AI. Tony brings extensive experience from his career at Ernst & Young and his progression through multiple leadership roles at Gigamon, where he witnessed firsthand the critical intersection of financial operations and cybersecurity.With his deep background in revenue operations, controllership, and financial reporting, Tony shares how finance and security leaders can work together to evaluate AI investments, implement enterprise-wide solutions, and build frameworks that drive innovation while maintaining robust controls. Currently serving as CFO at Gigamon, Tony oversees the strategic alignment between finance and IT security to ensure both operational efficiency and risk mitigation.What You'll Learn:Why the CFO-CISO partnership is critical for modern enterprise resilienceHow to balance rapid AI innovation with strong security controlsStrategies for evaluating and implementing enterprise-wide AI solutionsThe role of cultural changes in building trust between finance and security teamsHow to assess cyber risk and brand reputation exposure in investment decisionsBest practices for AI governance and data quality in LLM implementationsLearn more about Tony:Tony Jarjoura on LinkedInGigamon WebsiteEpisode resources:Personiv's WebsitePersoniv on LinkedInPersoniv on FacebookPersoniv on TwitterIf you enjoyed this episode, then please either:Follow, rate, and review on Apple PodcastsFollow on SpotifyInstructions on following, rating, and reviewing CFO Weekly are here.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 McKenzieCheck out some of our most recent episodes:Driving Value Beyond Finance with Tom McDermottWhy CFOs Are the Chief Everything Officers with Claire BramleyWhy Traditional Financial Advice Fails and What To Do Instead with Chris MilesNGO Finance Secrets: CARE’s $900M Strategy with Ranil DeSilvaWhat Lights You Up? with Jordan GrumetBecome a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt with William WashingtonIf you are interested in joining CFO Weekly as a guest, please complete this form: fame.so/cfo-guestCFO Weekly is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

In this episode of CFO Weekly, Jason Godley, Chief Financial Officer at Xactly Corp, joins Megan Weis to explore how Agentic AI is revolutionizing the CFO's role from financial overseer to business architect. Jason brings over twenty years of experience spanning public accounting at PricewaterhouseCoopers, seven years on Wall Street, and a decade leading finance at private equity and venture-backed technology companies.With his deep background in enterprise technology and firsthand experience implementing AI solutions at Xactly Corp, Jason shares how finance leaders can leverage Agentic AI to transform core business processes, eliminate functional silos, and architect entirely new business models. Currently serving as CFO of Xactly Corp, a Vista Equity portfolio company, Jason oversees the deployment of AI-native solutions across finance, sales, and operations while maintaining rigorous governance standards.What You'll Learn:How Agentic AI differs from traditional automation and RPA technologiesWhy CFOs must evolve from financial oversight to business architectureThe critical governance and compliance considerations for AI deploymentStrategies for quantifying ROI when technology is rapidly evolvingHow AI is blurring the lines between finance, sales, and revenue operationsThe importance of compassion and coaching as business models transformLearn more about Jason:Jason Godley on LinkedInXactly Corp WebsiteEpisode resources:Personiv's WebsitePersoniv on LinkedInPersoniv on FacebookPersoniv on TwitterIf you enjoyed this episode, then please either:Follow, rate, and review on Apple PodcastsFollow on SpotifyInstructions on following, rating, and reviewing CFO Weekly are here.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 McKenzieCheck out some of our most recent episodes:Driving Value Beyond Finance with Tom McDermottWhy CFOs Are the Chief Everything Officers with Claire BramleyWhy Traditional Financial Advice Fails and What To Do Instead with Chris MilesNGO Finance Secrets: CARE’s $900M Strategy with Ranil DeSilvaWhat Lights You Up? with Jordan GrumetBecome a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt with William WashingtonIf you are interested in joining CFO Weekly as a guest, please complete this form: fame.so/cfo-guestCFO Weekly is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

In this episode of CFO Weekly, Matt Collis, Chief Financial Officer at PairSoft, joins Megan Weis to explore how modern CFOs are evolving from traditional financial oversight to strategic leadership partners who craft compelling financial narratives that drive business growth. Matt brings extensive experience scaling companies across different industries, with deep expertise in financial automation and operational excellence.With his background spanning audit, private equity-backed businesses, and board-level strategic planning, Matt shares how finance leaders can move beyond reporting numbers to become integral drivers of business strategy. Currently serving as CFO at PairSoft, Matt oversees financial operations for one of the strongest financial automation platforms serving mid-market and enterprise organizations, with solutions that integrate natively with major ERP systems, including Microsoft Dynamics, Oracle NetSuite, and Sage Intacct.What You'll Learn:Why CFOs must transition from diagnostics to strategic decision-making partnersHow to craft financial narratives that speak to operational metrics, not just numbersThe critical role of financial automation in supporting rapid scalabilityStrategies for balancing financial controls with business agility during growth phasesHow to foster cross-functional collaboration that aligns financial planning with business goalsThe evolution of the CFO role from startup through enterprise maturityLearn more about Matt:Matt Collis on LinkedInPairSoft WebsiteEpisode resources:Personiv's WebsitePersoniv on LinkedInPersoniv on FacebookPersoniv on TwitterIf you enjoyed this episode, then please either:Follow, rate, and review on Apple PodcastsFollow on SpotifyInstructions on following, rating, and reviewing CFO Weekly are here.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 McKenzieCheck out some of our most recent episodes:Driving Value Beyond Finance with Tom McDermottWhy CFOs Are the Chief Everything Officers with Claire BramleyWhy Traditional Financial Advice Fails and What To Do Instead with Chris MilesNGO Finance Secrets: CARE’s $900M Strategy with Ranil DeSilvaWhat Lights You Up? with Jordan GrumetBecome a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt with William WashingtonIf you are interested in joining CFO Weekly as a guest, please complete this form: fame.so/cfo-guestCFO Weekly is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

In this episode of CFO Weekly, Hemant Kapadia, CFO at Anaplan, joins Megan Weis to explore how modern CFOs are transforming financial planning and strategic decision-making through AI-powered scenario modeling and connected enterprise planning. Hemant brings a unique blend of engineering precision and financial acumen, having started his career as an electrical engineer at GE before transitioning into finance leadership roles.With over 30 years of experience across public and private companies, including CFO positions at Sirius Computer Solutions, Markandy Inc., and MEMC SunEdison Semiconductor, Hemant shares how finance teams can leverage AI to accelerate decision-making, eliminate organizational buffers, and build resilient planning systems. Currently serving as CFO of Anaplan, an enterprise decision-making platform, Hemant oversees traditional finance functions while helping CFO customers deliver outsized business outcomes through connected planning across finance, supply chain, sales, and workforce domains.What You'll Learn:Why traditional financial modeling is insufficient for today's dynamic business environmentHow AI-powered scenario planning enables real-time adaptive decision-making across enterprisesThe critical importance of connected planning across finance, supply chain, sales, and workforceStrategies for eliminating organizational buffers through unified data and transparent planningHow AI accelerates model development from weeks to hours with solutions like CoModelerThe future of dynamic pricing, customer profitability analysis, and enterprise-wide AI adoptionLearn more about Hemant:Hemant Kapadia on LinkedInAnaplan WebsiteEpisode resources:Personiv's WebsitePersoniv on LinkedInPersoniv on FacebookPersoniv on TwitterIf you enjoyed this episode, then please either:Follow, rate, and review on Apple PodcastsFollow on SpotifyInstructions on following, rating, and reviewing CFO Weekly are here.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 McKenzieCheck out some of our most recent episodes:Driving Value Beyond Finance with Tom McDermottWhy CFOs Are the Chief Everything Officers with Claire BramleyWhy Traditional Financial Advice Fails and What To Do Instead with Chris MilesNGO Finance Secrets: CARE’s $900M Strategy with Ranil DeSilvaWhat Lights You Up? with Jordan GrumetBecome a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt with William WashingtonIf you are interested in joining CFO Weekly as a guest, please complete this form: fame.so/cfo-guestCFO Weekly is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

In this episode of CFO Weekly, Matthew Spencer, Chief Accounting Officer at Global Partners LP, joins Megan Weis to explore how modern CFOs are building agile, tech-enabled teams that drive innovation through curiosity, experimentation, and strategic use of offshore talent. Matthew brings over 20 years of experience, starting his career at Ernst & Young, where he spent a decade advancing to senior manager before serving as assistant controller at SharkNinja Operating LLC.With his extensive background in financial reporting, accounting operations, and systems implementation, Matthew shares how finance teams can leverage automation to free up capacity for strategic work, build distributed workforces effectively, and create cultures where innovation thrives through curiosity and ownership. Currently serving as Chief Accounting Officer at Global Partners LP since 2018, Matthew oversees financial reporting, tax compliance, and internal controls, and has successfully integrated offshore resources that now comprise 15% of the company's finance team.What You'll Learn:Why curiosity and ownership are the foundational behaviors that drive finance innovationHow automation enables teams to shift from repetitive work to strategic analysisStrategies for balancing in-house expertise with offshore resources without losing institutional knowledgeThe critical role of experimentation and safe failure in building adaptive finance teamsHow offshore talent can transform operations for companies of any size, not just global enterprisesThe future of AI in reshaping finance functions and why early experimentation mattersLearn more about Matthew:Matthew Spencer on LinkedInGlobal Partners LP  WebsiteEpisode resources:Personiv's WebsitePersoniv on LinkedInPersoniv on FacebookPersoniv on TwitterIf you enjoyed this episode, then please either:Follow, rate, and review on Apple PodcastsFollow on SpotifyInstructions on following, rating, and reviewing CFO Weekly are here.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 McKenzieCheck out some of our most recent episodes:Driving Value Beyond Finance with Tom McDermottWhy CFOs Are the Chief Everything Officers with Claire BramleyWhy Traditional Financial Advice Fails and What To Do Instead with Chris MilesNGO Finance Secrets: CARE’s $900M Strategy with Ranil DeSilvaWhat Lights You Up? with Jordan GrumetBecome a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt with William WashingtonIf you are interested in joining CFO Weekly as a guest, please complete this form: fame.so/cfo-guestCFO Weekly is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

In this episode of CFO Weekly, Billy Newman, CFO at Redwood Software, joins Megan Weis to explore how modern CFOs are revolutionizing finance operations through AI-powered automation and strategic oversight. Billy brings extensive experience from his tenure as CFO at Cvent, where he navigated the company through a pandemic, two public offerings, and private equity transactions while implementing transformative automation initiatives.With his deep background in FP&A and financial transformation across SaaS companies, Billy shares how finance teams can leverage AI to automate repetitive processes, implement predictive analytics, and position finance as a strategic partner rather than a task master. Currently serving as CFO of Redwood Software, Billy oversees the financial operations of a workload automation company while applying lessons learned from successfully transforming broken manual processes into automated, scalable systems.What You'll Learn:How to identify which finance processes are prime candidates for automation versus those requiring human expertiseThe "Clean Data Framework" for ensuring AI implementations deliver accurate, reliable resultsWhy AI enhances rather than replaces finance talent by enabling more strategic workHow to balance automation with human oversight to maintain strong financial controlsThe critical success factors for implementing automation at scale in fast-moving organizationsHow to transform quote-to-cash processes through strategic automation and system integrationWhy AI strengthens compliance and risk management through continuous monitoring and anomaly detectionHow to prepare finance teams culturally and technically for the AI transformation journeyThe importance of establishing clear KPIs and governance frameworks for automation initiativesWhy cross-departmental collaboration improves when manual data sharing is automatedLearn more about Billy:Billy Newman on LinkedInRedwood Software WebsiteEpisode resources:Personiv's WebsitePersoniv on LinkedInPersoniv on FacebookPersoniv on TwitterIf you enjoyed this episode, then please either:Follow, rate, and review on Apple PodcastsFollow on SpotifyInstructions on following, rating, and reviewing CFO Weekly are here.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 McKenzieCheck out some of our most recent episodes:Driving Value Beyond Finance with Tom McDermottWhy CFOs Are the Chief Everything Officers with Claire BramleyWhy Traditional Financial Advice Fails and What To Do Instead with Chris MilesNGO Finance Secrets: CARE’s $900M Strategy with Ranil DeSilvaWhat Lights You Up? with Jordan GrumetBecome a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt with William WashingtonIf you are interested in joining CFO Weekly as a guest, please complete this form: fame.so/cfo-guestCFO Weekly is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

In this episode of CFO Weekly, Alex Jimenez, Lead Principal Consultant at Backbase, joins Megan Weis to break down why traditional digital transformation approaches need rethinking, what digital transformation really means for banks, and why we should drop the word "digital" altogether.Alex brings over 36 years of financial services expertise to the intersection of banking and technology transformation. As a respected thought leader in digital banking innovation, he has held strategic positions across major institutions including Bank of America and Zions Bank Corporation, and served as Chief Strategy Officer at both Extractable and Finalytics AI.Alex's distinguished career spans roles in strategic planning, digital banking, operations, and customer experience, complemented by his influential work as chairman of the Consumer Bankers Association's Digital Channel Committee and founding member of the American Bankers Association's fintech committee.In this episode, we discuss:Why digital transformation should be viewed as a business model transformation rather than just a technology upgradeHow C-suite alignment and CEO commitment are essential for meaningful organizational changeWhat is progressive modernizationThe impact of AI and machine learning on banking's futureEpisode resources:Personiv's WebsitePersoniv on LinkedInPersoniv on FacebookPersoniv on TwitterIf you enjoyed this episode, then please either:Follow, rate, and review on Apple PodcastsFollow on SpotifyInstructions on following, rating, and reviewing CFO Weekly are here.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 McKenzieCheck out some of our most recent episodes:Driving Value Beyond Finance with Tom McDermottWhy CFOs Are the Chief Everything Officers with Claire BramleyWhy Traditional Financial Advice Fails and What To Do Instead with Chris MilesNGO Finance Secrets: CARE’s $900M Strategy with Ranil DeSilvaWhat Lights You Up? with Jordan GrumetBecome a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt with William WashingtonIf you are interested in joining CFO Weekly as a guest, please complete this form: fame.so/cfo-guestCFO Weekly is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Effective budgeting and forecasting require balancing data-driven analysis with practical business realities, especially for emerging companies navigating uncertain economic conditions. In this episode of CFO Weekly, Travis Grundy, Senior Associate of FP&A at Adventum, joins Megan Weis to share his unique approach to creating realistic budgets and forecasts that drive business success.Travis Grundy is a Financial Strategist and Advisor at Adventum, where he serves as a fractional CFO helping businesses optimize their financial operations. With vast experience in data-driven decision making and global program management, Travis brings a unique perspective shaped by his service in the US Army, leadership of Zharmae Books, and work across diverse industries, including healthcare and mental health services.What You’ll Learn:How to build realistic budgets using a bottom-up approach that starts with unit economicsWhy socializing budgets across departments is crucial for successful implementationThe framework for analyzing revenue targets, hiring plans, and expense management holisticallyHow to use KPIs and historical data to create achievable financial projectionsWhy regular monthly variance analysis and frank discussions drive budget accountabilityHow to tailor budgeting approaches across different business types while maintaining core principlesLearn more about Travis:Travis Grundy on LinkedInAdventum WebsiteAlyn Robert Economic Strategies WebsiteEpisode resources:Personiv's WebsitePersoniv on LinkedInPersoniv on FacebookPersoniv on TwitterIf you enjoyed this episode, then please either:Follow, rate, and review on Apple PodcastsFollow on SpotifyInstructions on following, rating, and reviewing CFO Weekly are here.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 McKenzieCheck out some of our most recent episodes:Driving Value Beyond Finance with Tom McDermottWhy CFOs Are the Chief Everything Officers with Claire BramleyWhy Traditional Financial Advice Fails and What To Do Instead with Chris MilesNGO Finance Secrets: CARE’s $900M Strategy with Ranil DeSilvaWhat Lights You Up? with Jordan GrumetBecome a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt with William WashingtonIf you are interested in joining CFO Weekly as a guest, please complete this form: fame.so/cfo-guestCFO Weekly is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so