

CFO 4.0 - The Future of Finance
Hannah Munro
Welcome to CFO 4.0, where we explore the dynamic landscape of Financial Leadership in the era of Technology 4.0. I'm your host, Hannah Munro, Managing Director of itas, a pioneering Financial Transformation consultancy. In this podcast series, we unravel the intricate connection between cutting-edge technologies and the financial domain. It's more than just adopting tools; it's about cultivating the skills necessary to navigate and spearhead the transformative journey within Finance. CFO 4.0 embodies the archetype of the Financial Leader in the future — a fusion of strategic visionaries and tech-savvy innovators. As the CFO role swiftly evolves from a mere cost controller to a strategic influencer, each transition opens up novel possibilities. Tune in as we share valuable insights and guidance from inspirational CFOs and finance leaders every episode, empowering you to revolutionise your processes, people, and data. Seize the opportunities, propel your business and career forward, and lead with unwavering confidence. Join us in shaping the future of Finance — this is CFO 4.0, your guide to the Future of Finance. We’d love for you to join our community, and if you like what you hear (which I’m sure you will 😉) it would be great if you rate and share.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 2, 2022 • 45min
90. Startup CFO to COO – Funding, Scaling and Recruiting in a startup world!
Send us your thoughtsStartup CFO to COO – Funding, Scaling, and Recruiting in a startup world! In the latest episode of CFO 4.0, Hannah Munro talks to Sabrina Castiglione, Chief Operating Officer at Pento.She comes from a slightly unusual background for a CFO having studied chemistry at university, working in financial services for a number of years, and then got into the world of startups as a CFO at Tassie. During this session we cover: Hannah and Sabrina explore the differing needs of a business as it shifts from Seed to Series A and beyondWhat does life as a startup CFO look like?Making the shift to COO?What is the current landscape for funding?How has the economic climate changed what investors are looking for?People vs roles – what does recruitment in a startup look like? Links referenced in this episode:Pento https://www.pento.io/Sabrina’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scastiglione/ Explore other CFO 4.0 Podcast episodes here. Subscribe to our Podcast!

Jul 26, 2022 • 47min
89. The First 90 Days as a CFO: Building Exceptional Finance Teams
Send us your thoughtsIn the latest episode of CFO 4.0, Hannah Munro talks to Darren Woods, CFO at Freedom Fibre about building the ideal finance team.Darren has a degree in Finance and Accounting in Portsmouth, over 20 years of experience working in finance including multiple CFO roles as well as a stint as a consultant helping other companies develop teams.Also covered on this episode:Darren’s passion for people and team developmentDoes finance invest enough in different skills?What are the potential skill gaps in finance teams?Finding the right balance of personalities and skills when recruiting in financeHow do you approach the assessment of skills and personal development to build the team that you want?Links referenced in this episode:Freedom Fibre: https://www.freedomfibre.com/Freedom Fibre LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/freedomfibre/Darren’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darren-woods-4508a26/ Explore other CFO 4.0 Podcast episodes here. Subscribe to our Podcast!

Jul 19, 2022 • 48min
88. The First 90 days as a CFO: Building strong and healthy relationships with your finance team
Send us your thoughtsIn the latest episode of CFO 4.0, Hannah Munro talks with Jon Gruda, who is the Assistant Professor of organisational behaviour at Maynooth University.Jon has a joint PhD in Management and Psychology and is currently researching the role of leadership; the relationship leaders have with their followers and what that means in regards to the changes in management. Also covered in this episode:Building and developing the right relationship between a leader and followerHow to set yourself up for success as a leader before you even start the roleWhat does a good relationship look like?The differences between a leader and a mentorWhat characteristics make a strong leader? Links referenced in this episode:National culture comparison by country: https://www.hofstede-insights.com/country-comparison/Leadership values by country: https://globeproject.com/results#countryJon Gruda’s university profile page: https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/people/jon-grudaJon’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jongruda/ Explore other CFO 4.0 Podcast episodes here. Subscribe to our Podcast!

Jul 12, 2022 • 39min
87. Financial Transformation Live: Breaking the Year-End Stress Cycle
Send us your thoughtsWe all know that year-end is the time of year that most finance teams dread but surely we shouldn’t have to work late, avoid taking holidays or feel stressed out about it, it happens every year! So, we have a challenge for you - how about we make next year’s year-end the least stressful to date? Whilst it's fresh in your mind, join us on the newest FTL session as we unpick the factors that stress us out at year-end and put forward strategies to deal with them.Links for this episode:Learn More about Financial TransformationFollow us on LinkedIn for our Live Sessions Explore other CFO 4.0 Podcast episodes here. Subscribe to our Podcast!

Jul 5, 2022 • 45min
86. How to do Financial Transformation Successfully with Michael Ryan, Founder of Finance Transformation UK
Send us your thoughtsIn the latest episode of CFO 4.0, Hannah Munro talks with Michael Ryan, the Founder and Managing Partner of Finance Transformation UK. Michael is an independent transformation consultant who previously has worked for several large corporates including Argos and Whitbread and we discuss what it takes to do Financial Transformation well. Also covered in this episode: Michael discusses his 25-year history with Financial Transformation The opinions on what is the secret sauce to success in terms of adoption What are the big mistakes found in transformation projects? The difference between Project Management and Program ManagementThe top tips for someone who wants to embark on a financial transformation projectLinks referenced in this episode: Michael’s Linkedin Most recent issue of Finance Transformation Magazine Finance Transformation Website Explore other CFO 4.0 Podcast episodes here. Subscribe to our Podcast!

Jun 27, 2022 • 34min
85. CFO 4.0 The evolution of the finance leader - Sage's Latest Research
Send us your thoughtsThe Redefined CFO - Sage's Latest Research - The latest and aptly named CFO 4.0 Report from Sage brings you the results from the latest study of global CFOs on how the role has developed. After the success of our joint panel at Accountex, we've invited Richard Moorin (Head of Finance, Sage) and Mark Jackson (VP of Medium, Sage) to discuss the findings on the podcast. This time the tables have turned and Mark takes over hosting the show whilst Richard and Hannah discuss the outputs. Topics covered in this week's episode include:The three personas that the Redefined CFOThe increasing importance of ESG and value-led financeSome interesting and unusual stats that came outIf you would like to learn more, listen to the podcast or download the report yourself, click here. Explore other CFO 4.0 Podcast episodes here. Subscribe to our Podcast!

Jun 14, 2022 • 53min
84. The Rise of Disinformation and the Increasing Risk to both Finance and Business, with Alan Jagolinzer, Professor of Financial Accounting at Cambridge Judge Business School
Send us your thoughtsIn this latest episode of CFO 4.0, Hannah Munro sits down with Alan Jagolinzer, Professor of Financial Accounting at Cambridge Judge Business School. Alan is a member of the editorial boards of The Accounting Review and The Journal of International Accounting Research. In 2015, he was a Fellow of the International Accounting Standards Board, London. Also covered in this episode:Alan’s background and his journey from Pilot to Professor of Financial Accounting at Cambridge JudgeWhat are the risks within finance?Is it something CFOs should be concerned about?What can be done to mitigate exposure?Importance of bringing awareness to disinformationLinks referenced in this episode:Alan's LinkedIn Explore other CFO 4.0 Podcast episodes here. Subscribe to our Podcast!

Jun 7, 2022 • 52min
83. CFO Stories: The Future Focused CFO - James Owen, Global CFO at Kantar
Send us your thoughtsIn this episode of CFO 4.0, Hannah Munro chats with James Owen, Global Chief Financial Officer at Kantar, about the Future Focused CFO, and how to build a transformational mindset within your finance team.Also covered in this episode: James’ journey to becoming Global CFO of Kantar Profiles & his work with CIMA/AICPAHow has the CFO role changed and how will the CFO role change over the next few years?How far away are we from where we need to be within the CFO role? What is holding CFOs back from stepping into that role?How to build a transformational mindset within your finance teamWhat are the challenges with managing a global team?What key things do you need in place to be a successful CFO?Understanding cultural differences within a finance teamCritical changes finance leaders need to make for the futureWhat James is doing to set his team up for success both now and in the futureLinks mentioned in this episode:James' LinkedIn KantarListen to more episodes Explore other CFO 4.0 Podcast episodes here. Subscribe to our Podcast!

May 31, 2022 • 57min
82. Financial Transformation Live - A Framework for Building a Future Proofed Chart of Accounts
Send us your thoughtsIn this session, Hannah Munro talks about how you can re-design your Chart of Accounts (COA). Ideal for those who are thinking about or currently going through the process, we give you the methodology and the framework to ensure that you not only make no mistakes but that you design a robust COA that can deliver on your reporting needs, ensuring it is futureproofed so you won't have to re-do it again next year!Links for this episode:Learn More about Financial TransformationFollow us on LinkedIn for our Live SessionsRegister for our Upcoming Webinar: Sage Intacct's Multi-Dimensional Nominal Explore other CFO 4.0 Podcast episodes here. Subscribe to our Podcast!

May 24, 2022 • 51min
81. The Increasing Importance of Understanding and Communicating Value in Finance - with Clive Webb, ACCA, and Tim Barber, University of Hull
Send us your thoughtsIn this episode, Clive Webb and Tim Barber join Hannah Munro to talk about the increasing importance of understanding and communicating value in finance.Clive Webb, Head of Business Management at ACCA. Clive deals with business and technology-related matters from the perspective of the CFO. His research interests include the application of digital technologies to the finance function, and how they impact the people and processes they support. Clive has a particular interest in the personal developmental aspects of an organisation.Tim Barber has worked in the Business Consulting arena for nearly 30 years, with UK, Australian, and Saudi Arabian consultancy practices, following 7 years of line management experience in logistics and operations. In June 2021, Tim was appointed a Visiting Fellow at Hull University’s faculty of Business, Law, and Economics, with a focus on exploring the potential for the employment of relevant systems thinking to support the successful adoption of social value principles into business. He is also currently on the advisory boards for a couple of new businesses that are focused on addressing the sustainability agenda. What else is covered in this episode?What is the change that we’re seeing in finance teams and what does that have to do with value?How do we define value?How value goes beyond economic impactWhat are the components of economic value identification?Examples of the value identification conversationWhat this means for the skills in financeLinks referenced in this episodeClive's LinkedInTim's LinkedInACCA Website Explore other CFO 4.0 Podcast episodes here. Subscribe to our Podcast!