101 Finance Leaders—Who Happen to Be Women is a spirited collection celebrating the journeys and achievements of remarkable women in finance. Over the years, these leaders have shared their stories on our platform, through audio episodes, newsletters, and blogs. Now, we’ve compiled their inspiring narratives into this print volume, showcasing their unique insights, challenges, and contributions to the financial world.
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101 FINANCE LEADERS
The featured clips below come from CFO Thought Leader interviews and discussions, recorded between January 2022 and October 2024.
Featured CFOs Include:
CFO Anisha Sood — First Choice Health
Is finance really the “canary in the coal mine”?
Anisha Sood’s career journey is a testament to the vital role finance plays in the success of startups and large companies alike. From surviving the dotcom crash to navigating the collapse of Lehman Brothers, Sood’s perspective on finance has always been shaped by crisis and opportunity.
Her venture investing career revealed a truth: finance is often the first to signal whether a business is sustainable.
CFO Lauren StClair Waugh — NerdWallet
Think the CFO path is always predictable and linear?
This Women’s History Month, we spotlight CFO Lauren StClair Waugh of NerdWallet as part of our daily series from our new book 101 Finance Leaders – Who Happen to Be Women.
She began in engineering, pivoted to finance, then gained global insights while working abroad.
CFO Melinda Smith — ChaosSearch
Can data-savvy finance leaders spark innovation across entire companies?
CFO Melinda Smith transitioned from public accounting to building ventures that harness data for competitive advantage.
- Embraced metrics as a tool for focused decision-making
- Balanced near-term cash priorities with long-term vision
- Mentored teams to pivot effectively in fast-paced markets
CFO Joan Hilson — Signet Jewelers Limite
Think CFOs can’t shape global strategy? Here’s proof they can.
Joan Hilson, CFO and Chief Strategy Officer at Signet Jewelers, reveals how finance leaders can drive company-wide transformation.
You see her leveraging data analytics to map out customer journeys and refine product offerings—proving finance can be both guardian of the balance sheet and engine for strategic growth.
CFO Casandra Hudson — StackAdapt
Cassandra Hudson’s journey illustrates a transformation from accounting to corporate finance leadership. Her career evolution is defined by:
-Embracing challenging roles beyond routine number-crunching
-Leveraging early accounting skills to pioneer strategic finance initiatives
-Overcoming discomfort to evolve into a dynamic finance leader