A Finance Strategic Moment
Seeing 65 finance staff siloed on three continents, Emma Whelan realized succession and scale were impossible. She collapsed the structure into one truly global team, cross‑training and centralizing every process. The painful year paid off: faster closes, zero attrition, soaring engagement, and worldwide talent sharing propelled sustainable growth.
Now Watch the Complete Episode Featuring CFO Emma Whelan of MarginEdge
Emma Whelan discusses moving finance from back‑office afterthought to strategic driver. She explains MarginEdge’s mission to automate invoice processing, inventory, and recipe costing, giving restaurant owners real‑time cost data and freedom to focus on hospitality. Whelan warns high‑growth companies that private‑equity diligence can collapse if records lack rigor; empowering finance “early in the game” safeguards deals and accelerates scaling. She champions investing in teams, reward structures, and technology that convert raw numbers into immediate decisions, citing alerts that flag ingredient price spikes the next day. Her approach blends operational empathy, data discipline, and candid leadership inspired by “Radical Candor.”
| CFO’s Strategy Playbook |
|---|
| • Finance Joins Strategy From Day One |
| • Automate Data, Act Before Margin Erodes |
| • Invest In People, Culture, Candid Feedback Loops |