E*TRADE Financial Corp. has promoted corporate controller Matthew Audette to lead the finance function. He takes over from Bruce Nolop, who is retiring at the end of the year but will remain as an adviser through the first quarter of 2011.

Randal Freitag has been promoted to the top finance spot at Lincoln Financial Group. He succeeds Frederick Crawford, who will become head of corporate development and investments. Freitag joined the company in 1995 and has been chief risk officer since 2007.

Monsanto Co. has promoted Pierre Courduroux to CFO. He currently heads finance for the firm’s global business operations.

Joseph Euteneuer will become CFO of Sprint Nextel following the retirement of Bob Brust. Euteneuer, now finance chief of Qwest Communications International Inc., is expected to take on his new role after Qwest’s merger with CenturyLink Inc., and Brust will stay on as head of finance until then.

The Hanover Insurance Group Inc. has named David Greenfield senior financial officer; he will take on the posts of CFO and principal accounting officer in March, when current CFO Steven Bensinger leaves the company. Previously, Greenfield was CFO of AXIS Capital Holdings Ltd.

Industrial-packaging company Greif Inc. has selected Robert McNutt to head finance. He replaces Donald Huml, who is retiring. McNutt comes to the firm from Boise Inc., where he also served as CFO.

JoAnn Lilek will lead the finance function at executive-search firm and consultancy Accretive Solutions. Formerly, she was CFO of Midwest Banc Holdings.

Geeknet Inc. has appointed Kathryn McCarthy as its new CFO. She joins the online network after 18 years at General Electric, where she held several positions, including CFO of GE Healthcare in London and vice president of GE’s audit staff.

Mall-based retailer Aeropostale Inc. has promoted Marc Miller to the top finance spot. He has been at the company since 2005, most recently as senior vice president of strategic planning and new business development.