Work Hard, Play Hard: What’s The Future of Office Happy Hours?

From having a drink with a coworker after a long day, to the person that has one too many at the holiday party, most professionals have taken part in mixing work and play with an alcoholic beverage or two. The power dynamic between managers and employees mixed with alcohol could become awkward so...

By Adam Zaki • March 31, 2023

Father-Son Finance Pros Create Fintech Startup

When father and son team Greg and Derek Kautz decided to co-found a fintech business, they knew their finance and accounting experience would play a pivotal role.There was the obvious product piece, of course. After Derek had a difficult experience implementing lease accounting software that was ...

By Sandra Beckwith • March 30, 2023

CFOs On the Move: Week Ending March 24

Russell HutchinsonRussell Hutchinson | Ally FinancialRussell Hutchinson will join Ally Financial as its new chief financial officer on July 3. Hutchinson most recently was chief operating officer for global mergers and acquisitions at Goldman Sachs Group, where he worked for 22 years. He previous...

By Lauren Muskett • March 24, 2023

Greg and Derek Kautz: A Father and Son’s Journey to Disrupt Accounting Landscape

This three-part series explores the inception of a business idea, a partnership between a father and son, and how they seek to impact the fintech space to make future CFOs' worlds a little bit more manageable. 

By Sandra Beckwith • March 24, 2023

Accountant Turns Software Frustration Into a Startup

Derek Kautz has always been fascinated by accounting systems. As a university accounting student, he taught classmates how to use Excel. And, instead of joining the accounting organization, he was a member of the university’s Association for the Management of Information and Operations group. Thi...

By Sandra Beckwith • March 23, 2023

Only 19% of Employees Used Mental Health Benefits in 2022: Weekly Stat

As employee benefits continue to be an important factor in the competition for quality talent, executives have looked to new offerings to gain a recruiting advantage. Ranging from free coffee and snacks, all the way to access to professional mental health care treatment, organizational efforts to...

By Adam Zaki • March 22, 2023

CFOs On the Move: Week Ending March 17

Eric LevinEric Levin | Warner Music GroupWarner Music Group CFO Eric Levin will retire by the end of 2023. Levin joined the entertainment and record label conglomerate in 2014 and has held several senior executive roles in the U.S. and Greater China. He also helped lead the company through its IP...

By Lauren Muskett • March 17, 2023

Communication During Crisis: Tech CEO Manages Silicon Valley Bank Collapse

Executives are on high alert — especially CFOs — after an unforgettable week in the banking world. In the aftermath of the failures of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and Signature Bank, and with more banks being put on notice, much of the attention has been on depositors, investors, shareholders.Howev...

By Adam Zaki • March 17, 2023

From CFO to Fintech Entrepreneur

When Canadian finance veteran Greg Kautz’s son brought him an idea for innovative technology to solve a vexing lease accounting problem, Kautz didn’t hesitate to say, “Count me in.” “I saw Derek's vision. I saw his passion for it. And I saw the opportunity,” Kautz said about the decision to co-fo...

By Sandra Beckwith • March 16, 2023

One-Third of CFOs Saw Up to 25% Increase in Total Pay Last Year

Compensation continues to be a pivotal point in executive-level talent acquisition and retention. The implementation of salary transparency laws into labor markets has removed some stigma, but CFOs, like everyone else, are looking to get the best compensation packages for their work.New data from...

By Adam Zaki • March 15, 2023

CFOs On the Move: Week Ending March 10

Dan JeddaDan Jedda | RokuDan Jedda is joining Roku as its new chief financial officer, effective May 1. Jedda has been CFO at Stitch Fix since 2020. Before that, he worked at Amazon for 15 years, including as vice president and chief financial officer of digital, advertising, and corporate develo...

By Lauren Muskett • March 10, 2023

5 ‘Quiet’ Workplace Trends CFOs Need to Know

Emerging from the years of the pandemic, "quiet" trends have become synonymous with the shifting balance of power between employees and employers. Policies including return-to-office initiatives and salary transparency have major impact on the way employees of all industries are hired. With these...

By Adam Zaki • March 10, 2023

The 6 a.m. CFO: How Sentry Equipment’s CFO David Ring Starts His Day

Welcome to The 6 a.m. CFO, where finance chiefs share how they jump-start their days and engage with the tasks that are in front of them. Today, Sentry Equipment's David Ring shares why he avoids communicating through email, how a variety of different team situations have shaped his life, and how...

By CFO Editorial Staff • March 9, 2023

69% of Global Finance Leaders Plan to Maintain or Increase Remote Work

Alongside flexible work’s transition from a perk to a near standard in the corporate landscape, employees have begun to prioritize where and how they work above all else. As data from FTI’s 2023 Global CFO Survey indicates, nearly seven in 10 out of the more than 300 global finance leaders survey...

By Adam Zaki • March 8, 2023

Properly Communicating Layoffs Builds Trust With Employees

The thought of layoffs creates anxiety both in the C-suite and among rank-and-file employees. But sharing the news with your colleagues properly can actually work to build trust in your organization, its leadership, and the decisions they’re making. Layoffs perhaps have the most personal impact a...

By Cass Bailey • March 3, 2023

CFOs On the Move: Week Ending March 3

Tom SweetTom Sweet | Dell TechnologiesTom Sweet, CFO of Dell Technologies, will retire after 26 years at the company. Sweet joined Dell in 1997 and held various leadership positions before assuming the CFO role in 2014. Sweet will be replaced by Yvonne McGill, the company's corporate controller. ...

By Lauren Muskett • March 3, 2023

87% of CFOs Say CEO Relationship Drives Retainment: Weekly Stat

With the end of 2022 bringing a near five-year high in CFO turnover rates, labor issues are impacting every level of talent within organizations. Even with talent retainment efforts becoming more of a focus, CFOs still tend to be consistently on the move looking for the next best gig. Whether it’...

By Adam Zaki • March 1, 2023

CFOs On the Move: Week Ending February 24

Joanne KnightJoanne Knight | CargillAgribusiness giant Cargill named Joanne Knight as its new finance chief. Knight took over as the company’s acting CFO last month after former chief financial officer Jamie Miller stepped down to become global CFO of Ernst & Young. Before this role, Knight w...

By Lauren Muskett • Feb. 24, 2023

No Gimmicks, Just Authenticity: How To Attract Gen Z Talent

Generation Z, or those born between 1997 – 2012, are much different than any other age group interacting in today’s work environment. Whether they're your children, neighbors, employees, or customers, in-person interaction with the first generation to grow up completely in twine w...

By Adam Zaki • Feb. 24, 2023

Why a Looming Recession Is No Reason to Cut Training Budgets

The layoffs just keep stacking up, raising fears that we’re on the brink of a recession. Google-parent Alphabet let 12,000 people go, mere days after Microsoft and Amazon announced that they were slashing 10,000 and 18,000 jobs, respectively. These announcements come on the heels of recent big-ti...

By Eric Lloyd • Feb. 24, 2023

The 6 a.m. CFO: How Singing Machine’s Lionel Marquis Starts His Day

Welcome to The 6 a.m. CFO, where finance chiefs share how they jump-start their days and engage with the tasks that are in front of them. Today, Singing Machine's Lionel Marquis shares how he likes to keep future thoughts in mind, how consistency makes working in a team easier, and how he beats s...

By CFO Editorial Staff • Feb. 23, 2023

67% of Hybrid Workers Would Take a Pay Cut to Keep Work Environment

Return to office (RTO) policies are making their way through the corporate landscape, and employees who have adapted to hybrid work have grown accustomed to the benefits of working from home. With the debates on the tradeoffs of employee work/life balance versus employee engagement and productivi...

By Adam Zaki • Feb. 22, 2023

CFOs On the Move: Week Ending February 17

Vasant PrabhuVasant Prabhu | VisaVisa CFO Vasant Prabhu will leave the company on Sept. 30. Prabhu, who joined Visa as finance chief in 2015, will help with the search for and onboarding of his replacement. He previously held CFO roles at NBCUniversal, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, and Safeway. ...

By Lauren Muskett • Feb. 17, 2023

5 Questions CFOs Should Ask About Talent Strategy

As we enter 2023, businesses across industries are shifting from a “growth at all costs” mentality to one of profitability and operational efficiency. And in this new climate, today’s C-suite must understand that a company's financial management is as much about cash flow as it is about people. A...

By Elaine Mak • Feb. 17, 2023

CFOs On the Move: Week Ending February 10

Todd MorgenfeldTodd Morgenfeld | PinterestTodd Morgenfeld, chief financial officer and head of business operations of Pinterest, will leave the company for a new job on July 1. Morgenfeld joined the social media platform in 2016 from Twitter, where he was vice president of finance. Morgenfeld led...

By Lauren Muskett • Feb. 10, 2023