Cfo Thought Leader

On this episode of Controllers Classified, host Erik Zhou sits down with Brad Silicani, COO of Anrok, to talk about his journey from Big Four accounting to leading operations at a fast-growing tech company.The discussion begins by covering Brad’s transition from audit to client side, and highlights the myriad of roles he held at Dropbox. In his time there he was Controller, tasked with landing a sound revenue recognition method, Head of Tax, focused on developing the right international tax structure prior to IPO, and Treasurer, responsible for managing $2B in cash in a changing interest rate environment. In covering all this, Brad shares how these experiences set him up for success in his current role as COO at Anrok, highlighting why a background in accounting and finance makes him the operations leader he is today.And of course, no modern finance conversation would be complete without tackling the AI revolution. Erik and Brad dig into how automation and AI are reshaping accounting, tax, and treasury functi

Kevin Rhodes recalls one of the earliest lessons in his finance career. “I wanted to understand the business,” he tells us, describing his decision to ride along with a Waste Management truck crew. Clipboard in hand, he meticulously recorded stop distances, tonnage collected, and time spent at each location. By the end of the week, he had compiled a customer-by-customer profitability analysis. The results were clear—routes with clustered stops were highly profitable, while distant, scattered pickups drained resources. When he shared his findings, leadership encouraged him to gather more data. The insights led to an initiative that incentivized sales teams to densify routes, improving efficiency and making Rhodes’s business unit one of the most profitable in the region. The approach became a company-wide standard.This hands-on, data-driven mindset has shaped Rhodes’s leadership across multiple CFO roles. After earning his MBA at Babson College—while working full-time and supporting a growing family—he stepped

It began with a tense stretch of weeks that Bill Koefoed tells us he won’t soon forget. As OneStream’s CFO, he was juggling the details of going public when a small AI startup called DataSense caught his attention. “We didn’t even have a formal corporate development function,” Koefoed explains, but he threw himself into researching the opportunity. There were skeptics—some board members questioned the timing, while others worried the acquisition might be too costly.Still, the numbers looked promising, and so did the technology. Sitting in late-night calls, Koefoed listened to DataSense’s University of Michigan–trained engineers describe predictive models that could supercharge OneStream’s demand forecasting. “Getting that talent on board could pay huge dividends,” he recalls thinking. Even with the looming IPO, Koefoed pressed ahead, negotiating terms while appeasing wary investors.For Koefoed, AI isn’t a far-off gamble—it’s an immediate strategic lever. By championing technology that marries predictive powe

It was a puzzle that John Wilson simply couldn’t resist. Intel had long sold processors to the federal government on a commercial basis, but the rising importance of High Performance Computing (HPC) demanded a new approach. Undeterred by the maze of federal acquisition regulations, Wilson volunteered to stand up a dedicated government unit, a move that he tells us helped unlock cutting-edge HPC research. The work took him to the edges of “bleeding-edge technology,” even if it also meant navigating the detailed rigors of government compliance.That knack for transformation would serve Wilson well when he later encountered another pivotal moment: the day the moving truck arrived at his new home in Oregon—just as Intel announced the dissolution of the very business group he was joining. Rather than panic, he thrived, moving on to master complex FP&A and business development roles. It was the same mindset that guided him in standing up an entirely separate legal entity to better serve government contracts, bro

It was a phone call Amy Butte tells us she will never forget. Lifting the receiver, she heard the familiar voice of her father—an accountant who had always championed her career. But this time, his words were tinged with a curious mixture of praise and amazement. He simply couldn’t fathom how his daughter, who had taken only one accounting class, was now the CFO of the New York Stock Exchange. “Finance leadership is more than numbers,” Butte reminds us, explaining that, for her, success hinges on weaving data into a strategic narrative that shapes decisions.That same flair for bold moves followed her into a pivotal meeting with the NYSE’s new leadership. “How’d you like to be the CFO?” she was asked on the spot, an offer so direct it felt surreal. Butte tells us she immediately saw an opportunity to modernize a centuries-old institution, and within two and a half years—half the time originally planned—she was leading the organization’s transition to a public company. The accelerated timeline tested her agilit

In this episode of Controllers Classified, Erik Zhou sits down with Karen Wu, the Chief Accounting Officer at Clari, to discuss the role of accounting in a company’s exit strategy. The conversation starts with an overview of Karen’s time in Transaction Services at PWC, where she helped a myriad of companies prepare for IPO - including Alibaba, the largest IPO in US history. Drawing on those experiences, Karen covers the reasons why a company may look for an exit, the types of exit strategies, and the role of the accounting team in those strategies.Specifically, Karen speaks to some ‘musts’ that accounting teams have to get right no matter the exit strategy - things like closing the books on time, ensuring precision and reliability in financial statements, and being able to comply with public company requirements. She speaks to the IPO readiness timeline, and how companies should approach it not just through the lens of accounting and finance, but across all functions.The conversation then pivots to Karen’s ti

Ashim Gupta, who has evolved from a pre-IPO CFO to now serving as both CFO and COO, is busy redefining the role of finance in driving growth and innovation. Initially focused on strict financial discipline, Gupta’s responsibilities have expanded to integrate long-term growth initiatives with day-to-day operational execution.In our discussion, Gupta explains that funding AI projects at UiPath is guided by a rigorous evaluation framework. “We assess every project based on scalability, efficiency, revenue impact, and strategic differentiation,” he tells us. This disciplined approach ensures that each AI investment not only delivers measurable ROI but also aligns with UiPath’s broader vision of merging AI with automation.Transparent communication with the investment community has been key to this evolution. Gupta emphasizes that clearly articulating milestones and performance metrics is essential as the company’s narrative shifts from its RPA origins to becoming a leader in AI-driven automation, he tells us. This

Like many seasoned finance executives, Damon Fletcher saw Snowflake as a game-changer in cloud-based data management. While a senior finance executive at Tableau, he championed its adoption, recognizing its ability to scale analytics and streamline enterprise data operations. But he also discovered a challenge familiar to many finance leaders—the hidden costs that come with cloud consumption-based pricing.At Tableau, Fletcher tells us, the company’s Snowflake costs grew exponentially, mirroring a broader trend in tech where companies struggle to control cloud spend. This realization led Fletcher beyond the CFO office. In 2023, he co-founded Caliper, a company dedicated to bringing greater cost transparency and AI-powered efficiency to cloud spending.Fletcher tells us that AI is central to Caliper’s approach. The platform leverages machine learning forecasting to predict cloud usage trends and generative AI to surface actionable cost-saving recommendations. Unlike traditional cloud cost tools, Caliper provides

Early in his career, Lior Maza chose to immerse himself in smaller, venture-backed startups instead of large enterprises—a move that exposed him to an array of responsibilities, from fundraising, recruiting to crisis management. “When you’re in a small team,” Maza tells us, “you end up doing everything, and that’s where the agility mindset really takes root.”Years later, after honing his skills in larger organizations, he joined Priority Software, an established yet agile cloud ERP firm. Under his guidance, the finance function embraced new performance measurements—focusing on recurring revenue, net retention, and churn—to manage a transition from traditional licensing to a SaaS model. “Agile finance leadership,” Maza tells us, “is about looking beyond immediate metrics and creating frameworks that drive long-term value.”

Bill Korn approaches board leadership with the same strategic, forward-thinking mindset that defined his CFO career. He believes a board member's role extends beyond governance to actively supporting company growth, shaping financial discipline, and guiding leadership teams through inflection points. Bill prioritizes long-term value creation over short-term gains, leveraging his M&A expertise, IPO experience, and global operations knowledge to help companies outmaneuver larger competitors. He advocates for hiring and retaining top talent, using technology as a competitive advantage, and fostering a culture of transparency and accountability—ensuring that businesses not only grow but sustain their success in evolving market conditions.

In this episode of Controllers Classified, host Erik Zhou sits down with Jeff Arensman, Controller at Bloomerang, to cover two important topics: building a finance function from scratch and the role of finance in acquisitions.For Jeff, the two are inextricably linked at Bloomerang. As the first finance hire at the company, his first task was supporting an acquisition that needed to close in just three weeks. He then quickly turned to building a strong foundation for the accounting and finance practice at the company through new processes, tools, and technology. Jeff covers how he spent his time in the first few years at Bloomerang, including how he approached team building, and then turns to his current priorities now four years in at the company (a big NetSuite implementation!).After sharing how he approached building a function, Jeff does a deep dive into considerations during acquisitions both on the buy and sell side. He details his extensive experience in acquisitions and highlights some of his best prac

For Matt Collis, CFO of PairSoft, storytelling is more than a skill—it’s a strategic tool for aligning teams and scaling businesses. Whether leading acquisitions or guiding cross-functional teams, Collis uses financial narratives to clarify priorities and inspire action. “Someone has to be the storyteller,” Collis tells us, emphasizing how framing financial data in relatable terms helps drive organizational alignment and decision-making.Collis’ career began in accounting, where he spent seven years honing technical expertise in public accounting. However, he recognized early on that his ambitions extended beyond the technical realm. His transition into leadership roles provided opportunities to engage directly with business leaders, crafting financial strategies that supported operational goals. A pivotal chapter in his career came at Transaction Data Systems (TDS), where he helped the company scale dramatically. Over five years, TDS tripled in size through seven acquisitions, Collis tells us, requiring him t

Arriving at a high school in Cape Town, South Africa, without speaking English, Cosmin Pitigoi faced an immediate communication challenge. Yet he refused to be deterred, immersing himself in language studies and expanding his vocabulary so he could thrive in the classroom. Years later, that same resolve reemerged in eBay’s IR function, where Pitigoi realized the company’s available data was falling short in communicating the breadth of eBay’s story. This time, Pitigoi immersed himself in the data, adding and fine-tuning metrics that would allow him to better convey eBay’s message.Before joining Flywire as CFO, Pitigoi spent two decades rotating through leadership roles at eBay and PayPal, building his finance acumen across treasury, investor relations, FP&A, and data analytics. “I never stayed in a single role for more than 18 months,” Pitigoi tells us, describing his drive to learn every facet of the business. By immersing himself in diverse functions, he honed both analytical and communication skills—cr

Stacy Tumarkin unexpectedly found herself stepping into the CFO seat—twice—earning the moniker “The Accidental CFO.” Early in her career, she worked at a hedge fund, diving headfirst into uncharted responsibilities when a mentor urged her to stretch beyond strict accounting roles. “I was only 26 when I first became CFO,” Tumarkin tells us, recalling how imposter syndrome quickly followed. Despite her misgivings, she soon realized the best way to grow was to embrace discomfort and learn on the fly.A second twist came when she joined Kubecost as Chief of Staff, overseeing everything from support to finance. When the CEO asked her to serve as CFO yet again, she hesitated—still viewing herself as more of a people-first leader. But Tumarkin tells us that ownership of the finance function gave her a strategic seat at the table, allowing her to shape the company’s trajectory while drawing on her passion for operations and culture.

Back in the mid 1990s–when Russ Keefe decided it was time for a career pivot–he got behind the wheel. With a Jeep packed full of his belongings, he drove from Washington, D.C., to San Francisco, father riding shotgun, to explore fresh opportunities in Silicon Valley. He had just completed a stint at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, where he gained a deep respect for transparency and learned the importance of full disclosure.Eager to drive business outcomes, Keefe immersed himself in tech, soon discovering a passion for FP&A and leadership. Early roles exposed him to sales operations, giving him a front-row seat to understand revenue streams and product strategies. “That was when I realized finance is so much more than keeping score—it’s about guiding strategic decisions,” Keefe tells us.Today, as CFO of cybersecurity innovator Corelight, Keefe applies a forward-looking mindset to navigate hypergrowth markets. His background at the SEC informs his ethos of communicating frequently and candidly

It was shortly after Eugene Wong exited the banking world to advance into a senior operations role that he realized the importance of a holistic view. At one meeting, he uncovered a disconnect between product and sales teams that threatened a strategic initiative. By stepping in and aligning priorities, he emerged as a “quarterback,” bridging perspectives and clarifying responsibilities.This revelation set the tone for Wong’s career journey. Originally honing his financial acumen at Silicon Valley Bank, he gained close exposure to startup ecosystems and leveraged finance transactions. Later, he pursued an MBA, joined Goldman Sachs to build on transactional capabilities, and returned to Silicon Valley Bank in a senior role. Ultimately, he stepped into the fast-paced realm of growth-stage companies, seeking to become a true financial operator.Today, Wong serves as CFO of Clara Analytics, where he orchestrates data-driven decision-making and fosters cross-functional collaboration. “You can’t stay behind spreadsh

Four years into his 12-year career chapter at Amazon, Hetu Patel was appointed Finance Director for Prime—a role he credits with opening his eyes to strategic finance. In the days ahead Patel would be handed a milestone assignment, where he worked on a groundbreaking framework attributing the total value of Prime membership to each bundled benefit: video, music, books, and fast shipping. Collaborating with economics and business teams, he quantified how each offering affected purchase behavior and membership renewals, “Patel tells us.” This data-driven approach ultimately informed billions in investment decisions, illustrating how finance could reshape strategy, boost decision-making speed, and deliver transformative impact.Patel’s nearly 12-year tenure at Amazon exposed him to operations, retail category development, and even a general manager role, sharpening his analytical skills and broadening his perspective on enterprise-wide connectivity. “Improving the quality and speed of decision-making is the most

When you think about accounting at growth stage companies, the word "artistry" might not immediately come to mind, but Desene Sterling makes a compelling case for it in this episode of Controllers Classified. As the Controller at Sourcegraph, Desene describes how crafting processes, like implementing procurement workflows or streamlining month-end close, feels like painting a masterpiece—except her medium is reconciliations and financial statements.This episode takes a deep dive into what it takes to build an accounting function from scratch in a growth stage startup. Desene recounts the feeling of being the first in-house accounting hire, navigating "free-for-all" credit card policies and training teams to embrace structure in a way that doesn’t stifle innovation. Her philosophy? Build processes that flex and grow alongside the company, even if that means starting with something imperfect.But it’s not all about debits and credits—relationships take center stage too. Desene explains how building credibility w

CFO Kfir Lippmann began his career at Ernst & Young in Tel Aviv, auditing high-growth tech clients and navigating the intricacies of IPO-bound businesses. The experience gave him a deep understanding of strategic finance early on, Lippmann tells us. Later, he joined Monday.com when it was still a small startup, helping scale the organization through multiple investment rounds and significant secondary transactions. These transactions, which allow employees to sell shares prior to an IPO, can be tricky to manage from a morale standpoint. “It’s about maintaining fairness and long-term vision,” Lippmann tells us.By educating employees about responsible wealth management, Lippmann tellsus he was able to preserve the company’s collaborative culture and harness momentum for broader strategic goals. His approach to finance leadership emphasizes transparency and data-driven decisions across all functions, not simply “being the bad guy,” Lippmann tells us. Now as CFO of Salt Security, he applies the same philosoph

When Emma Seymour arrived at Deputy in early 2022, she became focused on strengthening the company’s financial foundation. In the three years since, Deputy has achieved a historic milestone—reaching unicorn status through strategic partnerships with major customers who not only become clients but also invest capital, thereby opening new distribution channels and co-creating additional value.Turning back the clock, Seymour tells us her initial focus was “runway optimization”—a disciplined approach to spending and resource allocation that helped the business thrive in uncertain market conditions.Seymour’s path to the CFO office was paved by a broad advisory background, where she honed her ability to identify “leaky taps” and champion data-driven decisions. At Deputy, she has sought to refine revenue models, implement robust metrics, and guide the firm through a series of pivotal fundraising conversations.The move to pursue strategic investments from major customers rather than relying solely on venture capital