In this episode of Planning Aces, Jack Sweeney and Brett Knowles discuss the evolving role of FP&A professionals, emphasizing the importance of relationship-building and strategic collaboration within organizations. As summer ends and fall approaches, Brett predicts a surge in business activity, particularly as companies rush to meet year-end objectives. The conversation highlights the decline in […]
1,026: Partnering for Growth in the Age of AI | Kabir Ahmed Shakir, CFO, Tata Communications
According to CFO Kabir Ahmed Shakir, when AI giant Nvidia sought to expand its alliances in India, it knew exactly with whom to partner: "They did their homework, and they tapped on Tata Communications’ door.” This partnership, Shakir tells us, has proven to be but one of a number of alliances in Tata's journey toward…
Listen to the Episode Below (0:54:38)
1,023: How Finance Propelled a Tech Enthusiast Into the C-Suite | Doug Potvin, CFO, Trinity Logistics
Doug Potvin's journey to becoming the CFO of Trinity Logistics reveals the power of adaptability and continuous learning. Initially captivated by technology in high school, he pursued a degree in computer science—only to discover a passion for finance during a college course. This pivot led him to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), where he…
Listen to the Episode Below (1:06:45)
1,017: Two Hands, One Vision: A Balanced Approach to Finance | Eric Emans, CFO, Nintex
Eric Emans, CFO of Nintex, tells us that his career has been built upon learning from mistakes and driving an expectations-based culture in finance: "I see the fear of failure as being so detrimental to so many people early in their career. In their mind, failing is often outsized, but most of the time, the…
Listen to the Episode Below (0:42:28)
1,010: When SaaS Became His Native Language | Michael O’Grady, CFO, Permutive
Michael O'Grady's finance strategic moment occurred in 2014 at higher-ed tech company Ellucian. Faced with transitioning from a traditional perpetual license model to a SaaS one, he identified the need for a unified approach across all business functions. Recognizing that the company's executives had differing visions, he proposed skipping the annual budget process to focus…
Listen to the Episode Below (1:00:22)
980: A New Era for Legal Services | Eric Bouchard, CFO, Axiom
Perhaps no single experience better reveals the breadth of challenges that regularly test even the most stoic of finance career-builders than that which confronted Eric Bouchard a little more than a decade ago at Bombardier, Inc. Tasked by management with negotiating the establishment of a new aerospace facility, Bouchard navigated through complex discussions with the…
Listen to the Episode Below (0:53:19)
The Mentoring Round | Chermaine Hu, CFO, Episode Six
Te Inside The Mentoring Round, CFO Chermaine Hu tells us how her early uncertainty about entering the investment banking world led her to seek roles that allowed for perpetual growth and self-improvement. Moving to New York and not getting a promotion taught her two critical lessons: the indispensability of building strong relationships within the organization […]
977: Unlocking Rep Performance for Sales Success in Tech | David Freeman, CFO, Starburst
Joining Intel Corp. in 1999 as a recent college graduate, David Freeman began his finance career as part of the tech giant’s plus-size finance team that supported various business groups. Looking back, Freeman finds that few aspects of the tech giant’s business were more influential in shaping his early career years than the company’s direct…
Listen to the Episode Below (0:47:55)
976: A Troubleshooter’s Guide to Financial Leadership | Craig Wert, CFO, Jobber
Lessons from Craig Wert's finance career reveal the power of adaptability, problem-solving skills, and the ability to seize opportunities in unexpected places. Having started his career without a clear road map to the future, Wert later found that his liberal arts background and early experiences in investment banking had laid a good foundation for a…
Listen to the Episode Below (00:58:12)
945: Achieving a Management Rapport | Doug Lindroth, CFO, Tealium
Doug Lindroth tells us that he is not likely to forget the day that Google filed its S-1 registration statement simply because it was on the same one that semiconductor distributor Memec filed its own S-1. Back in June 2004, Lindroth was CFO of Memec when the firm’s management opted to file a registration statement…
Listen to the Episode Below (0:56:46)
Finance Transformation, Metrics, Networking | Ana Chadwick, CFO, Pitney Bowes
944: Building Your Network | Ana M. Chadwick, CFO, Pitney Bowes
Back in 2020, the call that longtime General Electric veteran Ana Chadwick accepted from a recruiter would prove to be the one solicitation in a career’s worth of such outreaches that would ultimately result in an executive search fee. Still, while Chadwick would be a prize placement for any headhunter, it is clear that this…
Listen to the Episode Below (0:59:42)