When rhodium costs spiked from $2,000 to $30,000 an ounce, Ademir Sarcevic led Standex to redesign switches with cheaper ruthenium and raise prices. The dual response protected margins, revealed stronger pricing power, and created a playbook for future crises—proving agility and preparedness are critical in finance leadership.
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Now Watch the Complete Episode Featuring CFO Ademir Sarcevic of Standex International
Ademir Sarcevic, CFO of Standex International, describes a flexible career: immigrating from Sarajevo, launching via a finance rotation at General Instrument, steering a pre-IPO firm through the dot-com crash, and serving in Paris and Switzerland before becoming CFO in 2019. He leads a diversified manufacturer with disciplined M&A (strategic fit, financial sense, culture), customer intimacy, and increased R&D (now 3% of sales). He upgraded visibility with OneStream and drives scenario planning. When rhodium spiked to $25,000–$30,000/oz, he redesigned switches with ruthenium and raised prices, revealing pricing power and a crisis playbook. AI adoption is cautious, focused on FP&A and IR.
| CFO’s Strategy Playbook |
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| • Scenario planning guides agile, prepared decisions |
| • Disciplined M&A: fit, financials, culture first |
| • Elevate visibility; finance as growth partner |