The Berlin headquarters of software developer Contentful occupies an old brick warehouse with heavy metal doors, broad functional corridors, and spaces native to its industrial past. Standing six stories high, the structure once accommodated its worker population with a miniature kitchen on every floor, a favorite employee perk perhaps first introduced by a coffee-loving tenant. […]
695: As Public Perception Changes, Opportunity Advances | Louie Reformina, CFO, Turning Point Brands
Chances are that CFO Louie Reformina never expected to be in the rolling papers business. Having advanced down a career track populated with different private equity firms, a stint at Goldman Sachs, and a Stanford Business School degree, Reformina could have landed inside any number of industries granting him multiple C-suite doors of entry. However, not…
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694: Specific and Time-bound, Aggressive Yet Realistic | Ana Sirbu, CFO, Nitro
Not unlike other finance leaders, Nitro CFO Ana Sirbu wants you to know that she’s a “prioritizer.” Both personally and professionally, Sirbu has created a list of objectives that never strays far from her mind’s eye. Meanwhile, she undoubtedly keeps a second list—a listing of key results. “Effective key results are specific and time-bound,…
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688: Ready for Takeoff | Kevin Ingram, CFO, FM Global
Back in 2014, when FM Global wanted to entice finance executive Kevin Ingram to move back to the U.S. from England, the UK finance director was offered a position that no one at the company had ever heard of before. “My CEO came to me and said, ‘It’s called Senior Vice President of Corporate…
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675: When Complexity Equals Waste | Jim Harper, CFO, Goodroot
According to Goodroot CFO Jim Harper, the best way to transform the current U.S. healthcare system is to replace its connective tissue. “It’s going to be a long slog, and it’s got to be done one system at a time,” explains Harper, who uses the word “system” when referring to the individual points of connection…
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673: Advancing Down the Transformation Path | Will Bondurant, CFO, Castlight Health
Years from now, when Castlight Health CFO Will Bondurant reflects back on the varied chapters of his finance career, he may title the current one "The Turnaround"—that is, if he and Castlight CEO Maeve O’Meara are able to achieve what the firm's previous management team had not been able to: a strategy transformation. Like his…
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670: Judgment: At the Heart of Every Decision | Gary Golden, CFO, Cherwell Software
If we were asked to boil down our discussion with CFO Gary Golden to a single word, our answer would be: “judgment.” It perhaps goes without saying that having good judgment is a prerequisite for every finance leader, and the quality frequently tops the list of reasons that CEOs give when asked to describe what…
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664: Good Judgment: Every CFO’s Star Attribute | Gary Swidler, CFO, Match Group
Back in 2015, when Gary Swidler was a candidate for a CFO position at Match Group, the seasoned banking executive recalls being told by company management: “On paper, you are definitely not the most qualified person for the job.” The gap on Swidler’s resume was due to the fact that he had never held a…
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663: Building a Better Product | Hoang Vuong, CFO, Amplitude
We have been speaking with Hoang Vuong for little more than a minute when he mentions the CFO mentor whom he credits with having influenced his early career decisions. “Hey, what do you really want to do when you grow up?” was the question that Vuong remembers being asked by the CFO, who had gotten…
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662: A Thirst for Innovation | Dynshaw Italia, CFO, Soldo
When innovation is a topic for discussion, Dynshaw Italia can’t resist mentioning Cobra Beer—or, to be more specific, “the big bottle.” It was Cobra, of course, that first opted to forgo the UK’s standard 500–550 ml beer bottles and introduce an ever more generously proportioned 650 ml vessel. “Cobra was all about doing things differently…
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661: Finding Your Finance Port of Entry | Dan Stokely, CFO, Ampio Pharmaceuticals
Thinking back to his days as a charter boat captain off the coast of Point Loma, San Diego, Dan Stokely marvels at the responsibilities that he shouldered as a young adult. Serving a mix of customers, Stokely would routinely welcome on board groups of small business owners, executives, and doctors before setting off to sea on…
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660: A CFO Finds Her Career Cadence Inside PE-Backed Firms | Deborah Ricci, CFO, Guidehouse
Back in 2018—when Deb Ricci’s name topped the list of leading candidates to fill the CFO role at Guidehouse, a management consulting firm carve-out—three career distinctions likely set her apart from other candidates. First, Ricci was a veteran public sector executive whose finance resume included multiple chapters inside the government services sector, Guidehouse’s home turf.…
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