Controllers Classified

Sowmya Ranganathan, OpenAI's Controller, shares insights on accounting during hypergrowth, the need for technical savviness, and building scalable processes. They discuss a tech-first approach to accounting, the impact of AI on accountants, and the future skill sets required. The podcast also explores automating revenue processes with AI and SQL, the applications and benefits of AI in accounting, and using Chat GPT for communication and writing business letters.

Angelina Hendraka, CAO at Redis, discusses her diverse experiences across industries. She shares insights on being an inclusive leader and making strategic spend decisions. The podcast also covers post-IPO success, SOX readiness, and a funny expense reporting story.

In this episode of "Controllers Classified," we’re joined by Daniel Hilli, Head of Business Control at Alstom. Alstom is a multinational company that builds and services trains and signaling systems. In fact, millions of people everyday are transported by Alstom trains and systems. Given the size of the company, this episode focuses on how to implement and manage financial processes across different regions and systems at scale. This includes dialogue around when to centralize vs. decentralize reporting and budgeting processes, how to find efficiencies through digitalization and tool consolidation, and the best way to build lines of communication across global teams. Daniel also does a deep dive into Alstom’s acquisition of Bombardier and the integration implications that followed - including how to bring together disparate teams and technology and how to gain a holistic financial picture of the business and its spend in a post-acquisition environment.  The conversation closes with how Daniel tackles long-term projects like ERP implementation - and general thoughts for how and when to leverage external solutions consultants for implementations. Key Quotes:On the strategic role of finance: “So when you try to put what the issue is in numbers and show that, but how do we generate margin by doing this? All of a sudden people take a minute, think about it. And then you have the tough discussion.”On acquisition integration: “So 40,000 people, plus 40,000 people integrating different systems, a bit different cultures trying to do a setup that works. And then we go into what kind of manual processes have we inserted along the way. And all of these things we're now trying to automate.”On finding efficiencies: “We have a lot of systems everywhere. And then the question is, how do you do some kind of amalgamation there? How do you now streamline this?On system ownership: “It's not automated at all. You go into a meeting and you ask ‘Who did this’ and ‘Why does it look like this?’ You don't want those kinds of discussions. You want the one person to own the whole flow. And then, at some point it becomes apparent where the problem is when the person gets the holistic view.”On ERP implementation: “Be a bit aggressive in the beginning because time flies. Time management is key. All of a sudden, the first year just went by and not much really happened, and then in the final three months, all of a sudden everything needs to happen at once.”Show Notes(1:15) -  Intro/journey to success(6:10) -  Interactions with departments at Alstom(9:25) - Structuring the finance department on a global scale(17:20) -  Major acquisitions and implementations (26:12) - Identifying the top needs during an ERP implementation(28:14) -  Controllers are fun too/close!LinksConnect with DanielVisit AlstomConnect with ErikCheck out Brex

Listen to Lindsey Oshita, CAO at Franklin Templeton, share her journey from small accounting firm to global corporate accounting. Learn about challenges faced during ERP integration, importance of chart of accounts, successful implementation of Workday, and the role of mentorship in career growth. The discussion covers team integration, finding humor in challenges, and the value of continuous learning.

In this episode of Controllers Classified, Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou dives deep into the evolution of accounting and finance with guest Ron Cook, the VP/Controller at Lightcast. Ron shares invaluable insights from his illustrious 30-year career on the past, present, and future states of accounting, on-the-job anecdotes (ever migrated ERPs in the middle of a pandemic?), and lessons learned along the way (“Leadership is an art. It’s not a science.”).Erik and Ron also explore the transformative impact of remote work culture on the accounting profession, delving into its challenges, benefits, and opportunities. The conversation pivots to AI and automation as Ron sheds light on where he thinks AI can have the most accounting impact — and what he thinks AI cannot do. He also shares his top skill for managing people and the one line on a job candidate’s resume that still stands out today.Key Quotes:“A long time ago someone told me that you're born with two ears and one mouth, [so] you should listen twice as much as you should talk. So I always listen to people, try to get to what they're seeing, read their body language, understand what they're doing, and just be compassionate. And I think that goes a long way in leadership.”“I think what people don't like is if you tell them this is what you have to do. When you're working on a big-scale ERP or a big project and you have months or years to go, giving people the option to be involved or how to be involved, I think people respect that. You've taken the time to talk to them, to say, ‘Hey, what is your opinion here?’”“Does [AI] do 80 or 90% of the work for you and help you be efficient? Yes. But does it require you to sit down and look and make sure that [the outputs are] all 100% accurate? I also say yes. So I think [AI success happens] in combination with a person with a brain that can look at it and say, this makes sense or not.”“I think integrity is something that will follow you the rest of your life. I think that not only in the accounting profession, but in life in general. Integrity and being honest and being open upfront will open a lot of doors and will make you successful.”“In any company, people [are] your best resource, and you need to learn to take care of people as the world adapts.”Time stamps: [01:35] Intro/Journey to Success[4:39] How Ron went from analog accounting to the digital world of accounting today[17:10] When to use AI and understanding its limitations for accounting[23:45 ] Advice and tips during large scale ERP implementations [31:03] Ron's craziest accounting debacleLinks:Visit LightcastConnect with RonConnect with ErikCheck out Brex

Controllers and accountants perform some of  the most critical and dynamic roles in business — and this podcast will share their inside stories and strategies. Join us as they divulge exclusive insights on the topics redefining the world of accounting and finance, from AI to digitization to globalization. Presented by Brex, an AI powered spend platform