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The CFO Playbook: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Soldo
Being a finance leader is no longer just about controlling costs. 2025’s CFOs are trusted business leaders and innovators that drive growth throughout the organisation. Hosted by technology reporter, presenter and consumer champion, David McClelland, The CFO Playbook features interviews with world-class CFOs, finance leaders and founders from some of the fastest growing companies. The CFO Playbook is brought to you by Soldo.
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- Yesterday40 min
“Move Fast, Break Things, Hire a CFO”: Michiel Boere, CFO at Remote
What does it take to lead finance when AI is changing how the work gets done? Want more insights from finance leaders? Subscribe to Progressive Finance, Soldo's new newsletter featuring practical leadership insights, finance trends, and conversations with CFOs and industry experts: https://substack.com/@progressivefinance Is there someone you'd like to see on The CFO Playbook? Email us at: pr@soldo.com In this episode of The CFO Playbook, David McClelland is joined by Michiel Boere, CFO at Remote. Remote helps companies hire, manage and pay people anywhere in the world. Michiel describes what it takes to run finance for a business that operates in almost every country. His team of around 150 people manages hundreds of bank accounts, dozens of audits every quarter and a constant flow of tax filings. He was Remote's first CFO, and he explains what that meant: clearing the backlog that fast growth leaves behind, and building the foundations that helped the company pass $300 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR) and become cash-flow positive. Michiel tells David how AI agents now handle much of the repetitive work in his team. "Bob" is a back-office bot that processes bank statements. "Tim," the Treasury Investment Manager, moves cash around the world efficiently. A supervisor agent checks their work, and humans still make the decisions. He also describes the culture shift that followed, as hesitant team members became enthusiastic adopters. Michiel also looks back on seven years at Uber, where he moved from marketing into finance. He became CFO of Uber Eats just before the pandemic and helped take it from burning around $1 billion a year in EBITDA to being EBITDA-positive. He shares what that period taught him about fast decision-making, knowing your unit economics in depth, and not relying too heavily on forecasts. He also explains why he thinks companies are more at risk of under-investing in AI than over-investing. In this episode, you'll learn: What a first-time CFO must fix after a period of hyper-growth How AI agents are automating treasury and back-office work, and where humans stay in the loop Why finance has been slower than other functions to adopt AI, and the role auditors and regulators play How to bring a team from AI hesitancy to AI enthusiasm Lessons from turning Uber Eats from heavy losses to EBITDA-positive Why understanding the unit P&L is essential to managing profitability country by country How to make confident decisions with imperfect information, even when AI sounds certain Why future budgets may combine headcount and tokens, and why AI ROI may soon be the wrong question Why CFOs should watch frontier AI labs' pricing models and avoid being locked into one vendor Why the long-term value lies in doubling down on the "hard things" your customers can't do themselves
- Sep 24, 202640 min
Building an Operator CFO Mindset with Robert Checchia
What does it take to become the kind of CFO who can turn fast growth into disciplined, sustainable progress?Want more insights from finance leaders? Subscribe to Progressive Finance, Soldo’s new newsletter featuring practical leadership insights, finance trends, and conversations with CFOs and industry experts: https://substack.com/@progressivefinanceIs there someone you’d like to see on The CFO Playbook? Email us at: pr@soldo.comIn this episode of The CFO Playbook, David McClelland is joined by Robert Checchia, CFO at Benzinga.Robert shares his perspective on the modern CFO as an operator: someone who gets close to the business, understands how teams work, and helps turn an ambitious growth plan into clear priorities, accountable ownership and sustainable margins. Drawing on his experience across banking, consulting, private equity and operating roles, he explains why the best finance leaders are not gatekeepers—they empower others to make better decisions.In his conversation with David, Robert explores the discipline required to scale a business under private-equity ownership. He discusses how to distinguish good opportunities from the few that deserve real investment, how to give P&L owners meaningful visibility into their numbers, and why finance must connect revenue growth to margin, cash generation and execution.Robert also reflects on building a career across countries and industries, the importance of making decisions with imperfect information, and why leaders must own the consequences of their recommendations. He shares practical advice on using AI to improve productivity without losing human judgement, including how to encourage experimentation while maintaining effective guardrails.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why the strongest CFOs are operators, not just financial stewardsHow to say no to good opportunities so you can focus on the best onesHow to empower P&L owners with clear, consistent financial informationWhy revenue growth must be measured alongside margin and cash generationHow to make decisions confidently with imperfect informationThe value of accountability, ethics and clear communication in leadershipHow to build incentives that align teams around growth targetsHow to introduce AI tools responsibly while protecting human judgementWhy career pivots can build resilience, perspective and better leadership
- Aug 27, 202628 min
Leading Finance Through Hypergrowth with Roy Hefer
What does it take to become the kind of CFO who can lead through hypergrowth, change and uncertainty? Want more insights from finance leaders? Subscribe to Progressive Finance, Soldo’s new newsletter featuring practical leadership insights, finance trends, and conversations with CFOs and industry experts: https://substack.com/@progressivefinance Is there someone you’d like to see on The CFO Playbook? Email us at: pr@soldo.com In this episode of The CFO Playbook, David McClelland is joined by Roy Hefer, CFO at Perk and a finance leader with experience taking two companies public. Roy shares a practical leadership playbook for CFOs: build a world-class team, create leverage through delegation, and make culture and trust as rigorous a priority as the numbers. He explains why the finance team that gets a business through its early growth is not always the one that will take it to the next stage—and how leaders can make the difficult people decisions that scaling demands. In his conversation with David, Roy explores the judgement behind successful M&A, arguing that culture and values matter as much as synergy models. He shares how to assess fit through time, candour and difficult conversations, why gut instinct is informed by experience, and how to build teams where credibility, reliability, confidentiality and accountability create lasting trust. Roy also discusses how CFOs can turn AI into real operating impact, build investor relationships long before a fundraise, and stay effective under pressure. From prioritising ruthlessly to protecting physical and mental health, his advice is a reminder that the modern CFO’s impact is ultimately defined by the people they build and the decisions they enable. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why building a world-class finance team is a CFO’s defining responsibility How to create leverage through delegation and high-performing teams Why culture and values determine whether an acquisition integration succeeds How to test cultural fit through time, candour and difficult conversations The role of trust, ownership and accountability in effective finance leadership How CFOs can turn AI and automation into meaningful operational improvements Why investor relationships must be built long before a fundraise How to prioritise ruthlessly while protecting physical and mental health
- Jul 30, 202643 min
The Rise Of The Advisory CFO with Sara Daw
Is the future of finance full-time? Or are the best CFOs increasingly working across multiple businesses?Is there someone you’d like to see on The CFO Playbook? Email us at: pr@soldo.comIn this episode of The CFO Playbook, David McClelland is joined by Sara Daw, Global CEO of The CFO Centre and the Liberty Group, and one of the world’s leading voices on fractional finance leadership.Sara shares why more businesses are choosing to access CFO expertise rather than employ it full-time, and explains what she’s learned after more than two decades working alongside hundreds of finance leaders across 18 countries. She explores how the CFO role has evolved from technical expert to trusted strategic adviser, why relationships matter more than reporting, and how the best finance leaders help CEOs make better decisions.In her conversation with David McClelland, Sara discusses her own unconventional career journey from Deloitte and London Business School into the emerging world of fractional finance, why she chose flexibility over investment banking, and how that decision led to building the world’s largest network of fractional CFOs. She also explains what makes a successful fractional CFO, how businesses know when it’s time to hire a full-time finance leader, and why access to leadership is becoming more valuable than ownership of talent.Sara also shares her research into the future of work, including psychological ownership, blended workforces, and how organisations can build trust and commitment beyond traditional employment models. Finally, she looks ahead to an AI-enabled finance function, explaining why judgment, ethics, and human relationships will become even more valuable as finance becomes increasingly autonomous.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why businesses are increasingly hiring fractional CFOsWhat CEOs really value from finance leaders beyond technical expertiseThe signs a business is ready for a full-time CFOThe skills that separate great fractional CFOs from the restHow to build trust and psychological ownership in flexible teamsWhy relationships matter more than reportingHow AI is changing the future of finance leadershipWhy judgment, ethics, and communication will become a CFO’s greatest competitive advantageAbout SoldoSoldo is the proactive spend management solution that frees progressive businesses to accomplish more.Learn more: https://www.soldo.com/en-gb/Useful Links 🔗Sara Daw - https://www.linkedin.com/in/saradaw/
- Jun 25, 202640 min
The CFO Playbook: What Corporate CFOs Can Learn from Amnesty International
How do you lead finance in a global human rights organisation, protect independence, and make sure every pound supports the mission?Is there someone you’d like to see on The CFO Playbook? Email us at: pr@soldo.comIn this episode of The CFO Playbook, David McClelland is joined by Rohan Hewavisenti, CFO at Amnesty International, one of the world’s most recognised human rights organisations.Rohan shares what financial discipline looks like when the stakes are not measured in profit, but in people’s lives. He explains how Amnesty International’s International Secretariat operates as a £100 million organisation, working as part of a wider €400 million global movement, and why preserving independence shapes everything from funding decisions to resource allocation.In his conversation with David McClelland, Rohan reflects on his career across the not-for-profit sector, from ActionAid and Breast Cancer Care to the British Red Cross, RNIB and Amnesty International. He discusses managing volatility, rebuilding from a £20 million deficit, investing in future areas of human rights work, and keeping finance closely connected to mission impact.Rohan also explores the role of generative AI in a human rights organisation, from the ethical questions around bias, data, and autonomous weapons to the internal opportunities for improving efficiency and accessing decades of research. He explains why CFOs need to understand the cost of AI, build data skills across their teams, and stay open to technology by using it regularly.Rohan’s CFO Playbook principle: Understand the organisation deeply, from what drives income and costs to what drives good performance in mission-related work.About SoldoSoldo is the proactive spend management solution that frees progressive businesses to accomplish more.Learn more: https://www.soldo.com/en-gb/Useful Links 🔗Amnesty International – https://www.amnesty.org/en/Rohan Hewavisenti – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohan-hewavisenti-b716617/
- May 28, 202649 min
The Black Swan CFO: Planning for What You Can't Predict
How do you rebuild a heritage automotive brand, manage risk through volatility, and keep finance close to the factory floor?Is there someone you’d like to see on The CFO Playbook? Email us at: pr@soldo.comIn this episode of The CFO Playbook, David McClelland is joined by Andy Mullineaux, CFO at MOKE International, the British automotive brand reimagining the iconic MOKE as a fully electric, modern vehicle built in the Midlands.Andy shares what it takes to build a lean finance function inside a niche automotive business, from keeping teams small and data clean to making sure finance processes are embedded across operations, manufacturing, supply chain, and risk management. He explains why good inputs matter more than trying to predict the future of AI, and how preparing data properly today can make finance teams more effective tomorrow.In his conversation with David McClelland, Andy reflects on his journey from PwC to McLaren and then MOKE, including the lessons learned from scenario planning through crisis, navigating funding gaps, and working with world-class engineers. He also discusses the challenge of scaling a beloved heritage brand, the impact of US tariffs, why CFOs need to get out from behind the spreadsheet, and how asking “stupid” questions can be one of the smartest things a finance leader can do.Andy’s CFO Playbook principle: Get yourself a rubber duck, explaining the problem out loud might just solve it.Chapters: Intro: from supercars to a heritage electric automotive brand The story of MOKE, from failed military project to holiday icon Building a lean finance function from a blank sheet of paper AI, clean data, and preparing finance for future tools Lessons from McLaren and the challenge of independent automotive brands Why Andy’s CFO role is deeply embedded in operations Scenario planning, funding gaps, and the arrival of the pandemic Risk management, curiosity, and asking the obvious questions MOKE’s US ambitions, tariffs, and market diversification Rubber duck programming as a CFO leadership principleAbout SoldoSoldo is the proactive spend management solution that frees progressive businesses to accomplish more.Over 25,000 organisations across 31 countries use Soldo to end slow, messy, and inefficient spending, bringing financial agility and control over every expense.Soldo frees finance with a uniquely proactive approach to managing decentralised spending with real-time expense reporting. By combining a powerful spend management platform, a user-friendly mobile app, and prepaid and virtual cards, Soldo automates expense administration to eliminate inefficiencies in managing business spending.By proactively managing decentralised spend, organisations empower employees to spend when and where it's needed, keeping productivity high while avoiding month-end surprises.Founded in 2015 by Italian digital innovator Carlo Gualandri, Soldo is headquartered in London, with offices in Dublin, Milan, and Rome.Learn more: https://www.soldo.com/en-gb/Useful Links 🔗MOKE International – https://mokeinternational.com/Andy Mullineaux – https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-mullineaux-aca-27b32060/
- Apr 30, 202640 min
The CFO as Storyteller: Why Numbers Alone Aren’t Enough
How does a CFO help turn startup chaos into scale-up structure, translate numbers into action, and support growth across every part of the business?In this episode of The CFO Playbook, David McClelland is joined by Brad Channer, CFO at UBIO, the automation company helping businesses connect systems that were never designed to work together.Brad shares why the CFO role in a startup or scale-up is far broader than finance alone. At UBIO, that means working across fundraising, sales, legal, HR, operations, board reporting, and exit planning — often all at once. He describes the CFO as the “glue” in a business: the person who connects teams, brings clarity, and helps turn data into decisions.A key theme in the conversation is Brad’s idea of “narrating the numbers.” He explains why finance leaders must do more than report figures — they need to communicate them in ways that founders, boards, and investors can understand and act on. For Brad, strong finance leadership combines technical accuracy with empathy, storytelling, and an understanding of what matters most to each audience.Brad also reflects on his unconventional route into finance. Before becoming a CFO, he trained as an actor, worked in hospitality and street sales, launched startups, and learned fundraising and resilience through experience. That background still shapes how he leads today, particularly in communication, confidence, and understanding motivation.The episode also explores fundraising, founder-CFO relationships, and the future of finance in an AI-driven world. Brad argues that early-stage fundraising is often about belief in the founder as much as the business, and that AI will increasingly automate junior finance work — making judgment, adaptability, and communication even more valuable.Brad’s CFO Playbook principle:Communicate clearly, know your objective, and make sure the numbers tell a story people can act on.Useful Links 🔗UBIO – https://ub.io/Brad Channer – https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradchanner/ About The CFO PlaybookThe CFO Playbook is hosted by David McClelland, exploring how world-class finance leaders use technology, set goals, plan, lead teams, and drive growth.
- Mar 26, 202638 min
Why Operational CFOs Win: Strategy, Speed, and Leading Through Change with SmartRecruiters' Tom DiDesidero
How does a CFO help a business stand out in a crowded market, execute a bold AI strategy, and lead the company through acquisition without losing focus? In this episode of The CFO Playbook, David McClelland is joined by Tom DiDesidero, CFO at SmartRecruiters, the hiring platform focused on making recruitment easier and more effective for enterprise customers. Tom explains why the most effective CFOs are deeply operational, not just financial stewards. He reflects on joining SmartRecruiters at a pivotal moment, partnering closely with CEO Rebecca Carr, and helping the company sharpen its strategy in an increasingly commoditised HR tech market. That meant narrowing the product focus, moving decisively on AI, and building belief across the organisation that the business could move faster than bigger competitors. Tom shares how SmartRecruiters differentiated itself by simplifying its offering and investing in an AI-powered platform, including its agentic system, Winston. He discusses the importance of making bold decisions early, aligning teams around a clear direction, and turning strategy into execution through disciplined sequencing, milestones, and focus. The conversation also explores what SAP saw in SmartRecruiters, and what it really takes to prepare a company for acquisition. Tom breaks down the finance leader’s role before, during, and after a deal: getting the data right, creating a credible story, managing confidentiality tightly, supporting teams through uncertainty, and adapting from a fast-moving independent company into a much larger, more matrixed organisation. Tom also reflects on his wider career journey across software, e-commerce, payments, IPO environments, and transformation moments, and shares his view on AI in finance: use it to automate lower-value work, free up time, and help teams focus on better decisions and more valuable analysis. Tom’s CFO Playbook principle: move quickly, be decisive, communicate clearly, and keep repeating the why until people understand their role in it. Useful Links 🔗 SmartRecruiters - https://www.smartrecruiters.com Tom Di Desidero - https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasdidesidero/ About The CFO Playbook The CFO Playbook is hosted by David McClelland, exploring how world-class finance leaders use technology, set goals, plan, lead teams, and drive growth. Brought to you by Soldo.
About The CFO Playbook
Being a finance leader is no longer just about controlling costs. 2025’s CFOs are trusted business leaders and innovators that drive growth throughout the organisation. Hosted by technology reporter, presenter and consumer champion, David McClelland, The CFO Playbook features interviews with world-class CFOs, finance leaders and founders from some of the fastest growing companies. The CFO Playbook is brought to you by Soldo.
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