In the latest episode of The CFO Playbook, David McClelland is joined by Ben Dooley, CFO at Accel to explore nuances of the CFO role within lean, agile organisations with vast geographical footprints.

Highlighting venture capital's vibrant evolution, Ben shares the ripple effect of successful startups and Accel’s strategic focus on early-stage tech investments across Europe, Israel, and India. Hear how Accel's vision complements Silicon Valley's tech dominance and the necessity for European firms to establish their US presence while preserving their European roots.

Highlighting the role of a CFO in guiding companies through growth stages, including pre-IPO rounds, in a rapidly evolving VC landscape, Ben explains the significance of nurturing relationships with portfolio companies and investors alike.

Drawing clear distinctions from other industries, Ben highlights the nuances of being a CFO in a VC firm, explaining the predictability of revenue streams and cost structures that set venture capital apart. With universal importance of clear communication and strategic foresight when engaging with stakeholders remaining paramount, particularly in the fast-paced world of venture capital.

Reflecting on his own approach as a CFO, Ben emphasises the use of storytelling in boardrooms and the longstanding power of the elevator pitch, especially in an era of AI and cybersecurity challenges.

From emerging trends to best practices, this episode is packed with insights for aspiring and current finance leaders navigating complex business environments.

Find all episodes of The CFO Playbook here.

Beyond the balance sheet, what strategies do CFOs in the fast-moving consumer goods industry deploy to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving market?

In this episode, Claire Caulliez, CFO at Nestle Italy & Malta, gives David McClelland a behind the scenes insight into the unique challenges finance leaders face in an industry driven by high volume and fierce brand loyalty.

Claire’s strategies for smart sourcing, hedging, and agile pricing are not just tactics but essential tools for sustaining consumer attention and ensuring product availability. Highlighting how agility in financial planning is paramount amidst whirlwind changes in buying tastes and commodity prices, Claire explains that much like managing personal finances, it's about distinguishing between essentials and expendables.

Discussing the broader role of a CFO in fuelling growth, Claire advocates collaboration across departments including sales, supply chain, and HR, as being critical for transparency and risk management, while having the courage to be a change-maker within the organisation.

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Following the Chancellor’s Spring Statement, David McClelland is joined by an expert panel to explore how the Statement, alongside the wider economic landscape, will influence CFOs ability to plan, invest and drive confidence.

Baroness Ayesha Hazarika MBE, Oli Lawson, CFO at Sigma Sports, and Helen Ashton, former CFO of ASOS, discuss the economic context of Rachel Reeves' Statement and Labour's vision for economic growth. Hear their thoughts on the challenges and opportunities for enhancing the UK's business climate and attracting international investment, and strategies for building confidence in decision-making, drawing parallels to Ireland's success with corporation tax rates.

As we navigate the post-Brexit and post-Covid business landscape, the discussion highlights how businesses can manage current challenges and seize growth opportunities. Underscoring the critical role of CFOs and finance professionals in steering through market volatility with advanced planning tools and AI, our panel examines how government collaboration and investment in digital technologies, R&D, and workforce training, particularly in the construction sector, can create a resilient and thriving economy.

Find all episodes of The CFO Playbook here

Organisations are making bold bets on AI for the long-term, with 89% planning to increase or maintain their AI investments in 2025*. Moving beyond experimentation, organisations are now zeroing in on the bottom line - and it’s CFOs who are responsible for making sure these investments deliver real business impact.

In this episode, Monica Proothi, IBM Consulting’s Global Finance Transformation Leader joins David McClelland to discuss finance transformation and the role of AI in enhancing financial operations. They explore the changing landscape of finance, the importance of integrating technology, and the challenges organisations face in adopting AI.

With over 20 years of experience in finance transformation, partnering with CFOs at some of the world’s largest companies to drive growth and productivity, Monica shares insights on the need for clear strategy and collaboration across departments, the importance of bridging the skills gap and understanding barriers to change.

A passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion, Monica is dedicated to fostering an inclusive culture, serving as a champion for women in senior finance roles. The episode also explores the cultural and technical barriers faced by different industries and the significance of continuous improvement in finance practices.

*IBM ROI of AI Report December 2024

Find all episodes of The CFO Playbook here.

In this episode of The CFO Playbook, David McClelland is joined by Jitesh Sodha, outgoing CFO of Spire Healthcare and a winner of the HotTopics Global CFO 100.

A seasoned, but initially accidental CFO with over 25 years experience including FTSE 250 NED (PZ Cussons) and PLC board experience, Jitesh candidly reflects on the influences of luck and timing in his career advancement, observing that many CFO positions arise from the necessity to address specific challenges within a business.

Rather than focusing narrowly on statistics or technical tasks alone, proactive decision-making has been front and centre over his quarter of a century as a CFO. Going beyond analysing the numbers, a broader approach of solving problems and building cooperative and collaborative relationships, has led to him leaving every organisation in a better place than when he joined it.

Throughout his tenure, Jitesh has witnessed first-hand how data has revolutionised decision-making. Reflecting on past practices, he recalls how businesses once relied on monthly data cycles, leading to delayed decisions and limited agility. Today, thanks to advances in technology, daily and real-time data empowers CFOs to make hundreds of decisions, accelerating progress even if some decisions don't always land perfectly.

Highlighting the impact of emerging technologies on finance leadership, he passionately advocates for the cautious deployment of responsible AI in enhancing operational efficiency to maximise benefits while managing risks.

As he prepares for the next chapter of his career in a range of non-exec roles, Jitesh is committed to mentoring future finance leaders, and is proud to have been honoured as a Global CFO 100 winner in his final year as CFO at Spire Healthcare.

Find all the episodes of The CFO Playbook here.

In this episode, David McClelland is joined by Thomas Schindler, CFO at Allianz Global Investors to explore the evolving role of finance leaders in today's dynamic business landscape.

As Thomas shares in today’s episode, Asset Managers have a unique, if under-recognised, impact on the world around us – one that touches each of our lives.

A lawyer by training who previously served as the company’s General Counsel, Thomas discusses his journey to CFO, revealing how his legal expertise enriches his approach to leadership and decision-making in Finance.

He advocates for a collaborative culture within finance teams, where open communication and cross-functional partnerships lead to better decision-making and strategic growth. Hear how Thomas’ approach to making himself replaceable has allowed him to empower teams who innovate in their roles, ensuring that they add value to their organisation beyond traditional financial metrics.

The episode also explores highlights from Soldo’s 2025 Productivity at Work report, with Thomas reinforcing the necessity of continuous improvement in processes to avoid bureaucratic bottlenecks, ultimately positioning finance as a key enabler of business success.

Click here to download the report.

Strategic leader, collaborator, innovator, and communicator – the role of a modern CFO encompasses all of these and more.

CFOs today are tasked with balancing financial expertise with creativity, guiding businesses through uncertainty, and building trust across their organisations.

But what does all of that look like in practice?

For this special episode of The CFO Playbook, we're joined by CFO of Soldo, Sacha Herrmann to discuss 6 lessons we have learned from world-class CFOs, finance leaders, and founders from some of the fastest-growing companies.

Hear highlights of interviews with -

Baron Anyngwe, Finance Director at We Are Fulfillmeant, shares his experience balancing risk and reward.

Giles Andrews OBE, co-founder of the world's first peer-to-peer lending business, Zopa, who invested heavily in machine learning.

Richard Dana, CEO of Tembo Money, shares the story of his first business venture in the volatile travel industry. The experience was harsh but valuable.

Huiming Chen, CFO at American biotechnology company Illumina, describes the ideal CFO as someone who operates seamlessly between strategy and operations, acting as a co-pilot to the CEO.

Helen Ashton, Former CFO of ASOS and now Founder of Shape Beyond, has a refreshing take on decision-making.

Mehjabeen Patrick, Finance Director at Arts University Bournemouth, emphasises the importance of being a transparent and inspiring communicator.

About Soldo:

Soldo is the proactive spend management solution that frees up businesses to accomplish more.

We champion the notion of Progressive Finance, because we believe in a decentralised approach to financial decision-making and greater spending autonomy for everyone. Over 25,000 organisations across 31 countries use Soldo to bring order, efficiency and agility to their decentralised spending, and empower the whole company to spend safely and responsibly.

By combining pre-programmed cards, a user-friendly app and a powerful spend management platform, Soldo enables decentralised spend decisions and frees everyone from tedious admin, while ensuring compliance.

Everyone gains back time to focus on the things that matter. For Finance teams, that means more time for the rewarding parts of your role, such as in-depth data analysis, defining overall business strategy, and implementing process improvements that empower everyone to achieving business goals.

Liberate Finance. Accomplish More.

In this episode, Christopher Striano, Chief Operating Officer of Global Finance at Blackstone, joins David McClelland to discuss the impact of corporate culture on business success, from the perspective of the world’s largest alternative asset manager.

With over $1 trillion in assets under management, Blackstone invests in businesses across industries and geographies, including private equity, real estate, credit, and hedge funds. In this revealing discussion, we hear how global entities need to balance culture and strategy to attract and retain great talent.

Chris shares highlights from his 25-years at Blackstone; how the company has evolved from a small entity to a global powerhouse, while maintaining a cohesive and inclusive culture; and how it stayed true to its core values by embracing regional influences in its 26 offices across the Americas, Europe and Asia.

Highlighting a trinity of healthy competition, teamwork, and philanthropy in creating an engaged and unified Finance team, Chris puts his long-term career growth and job satisfaction down to nurturing relationships and great communication.

We also explore how integrating technologies and AI might be changing strategy for Finance teams, through strategic alignment, it doesn’t have to change culture.

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