These CFO Q&As, handpicked by our editors, offered insights into how five finance chiefs handled this year’s economic ups and downs while leading the charge in adopting new technologies.
In conversations with CFO editorial staff, they also shared how they lead, encourage innovation, plan for the future, and leverage their experience to solve problems and collaborate with the rest of the C-suite on strategy development.
Buying Businesses: Holding Company CFO Scott McKinney
In his first CFO role, General Electric alum Scott McKinney is helping Tiptree invest capital efficiently in solid middle-market management teams.
“I liked the concept of Tiptree, where there’s a group of 25 of us at headquarters and we can see the fruits of our labor immediately.”
Always Be Learning: GameStop’s Diana Saadeh-Jajeh
The GameStop CFO, who has since left the company, said her innate curiosity had enhanced her ability to lead accounting teams while equipping her to become a strategic thinker.
“CFOs are often known to be operating from an ivory tower. That’s not the case for me. My accounting background makes me hands-on and process-driven.”
From Astrophysicist to Finance Leader: Alice Globus
Globus shares how she shifted from astrophysics to finance and the role artificial intelligence will play in accounting.
"As an astrophysicist, I learned how to approach and solve problems. Those are the skills companies are looking for in a CFO."
Coupa CFO Tony Tiscornia: ‘I Wanted to Build Something Big’
Tony Tiscornia detailed the intricacies of a decade-long stint at Coupa that allowed the finance chief to see his company's growth nearly every step of the way.
“I wanted to be a part of something that was growing and also to build something big,” Tiscornia told CFO in April. (Coupa appointed a new CEO in early November and announced on Tuesday that it had named a new CFO to replace Tiscornia.)
Lamborghini CFO Paolo Poma: Luxury Auto Growth, Finance, and Competency to Execute
A new focus on the electrification and sustainability of Lamborghini's iconic sports cars has CFO Poma in search of new skills.
“Expectations are that cool electric cars will show up in the second part of the decade, so our customers are looking forward to having sustainable products.”