CFO Connect

✨ Wrapping up 2024 with Gratitude and Big Plans for 2025! ✨ What a year it’s been for the CFO Connect community!  In our latest survey, 75% 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐂𝐅𝐎 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐬—through peer learning, benchmarking tools, or building connections that truly matter. That’s exactly why we do this. 💪 As we head into 2025, we’re doubling down on what you love and adding fresh opportunities to help finance leaders like you thrive. Here’s a glimpse of what’s coming: 🔹 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐥𝐲 𝐖𝐞𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐬: Expert-led, action-packed sessions on the topics you care about. 🔹  𝐃𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐃𝐚𝐲:  Born from member feedback, DemoDay connects you with the tools you need, featuring live demos and direct vendor access—all in one streamlined experience. 🔹 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠: Our 1:1 curated matching program pairs you with other finance leaders to exchange battle-tested strategies. 87% of participants say these conversations have helped them make better business decisions. 🔹 𝐈𝐧-𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬:  You've asked for more in-person, intimate experiences. In 2025, we’re bringing you more intimate, curated events in key cities across Europe—designed to foster meaningful connections and deeper insights. 🔹 𝐂𝐅𝐎 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭: The same great content, but expect a a new format to make it easier to consume all the rich content in a easy and digestable way. 🔹  𝐄𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬: From the Salary Benchmark Report to the Top Tools Report, these resources help you navigate complex, ever-changing landscapes in finance. 🔹 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬: We’re teaming up with innovative partners to bring you even more opportunities for you to learn from the best and elevate the community to new heights. All of this is possible thanks to our incredible CFO Connect team—Luc Hancock, Georgina Bulpett, and Ben Jones—who work tirelessly to bring our mission to life. 🌋 Here’s to thriving together—see you next year! 🥂

"𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐞-𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲." This insight has shaped Vulnavia Kombora ACCA’s career and approach to negotiation. In our latest High-Low interview, she shares how understanding what truly motivates people—whether it’s recognition, flexibility, or growth—can unlock powerful solutions. Her experience taught her a fundamental principle: Supply and demand isn’t just for economics—it’s a game-changer in negotiations. When resources are limited, focusing on what others value can help you navigate challenges and build trust without always needing to rely on money.

According to McKinsey & Company, only 7% of finance teams are actively leveraging AI. The potential? 𝐇𝐮𝐠𝐞 The adoption rate? 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐥𝐨𝐰. In our recent CFO Connect webinar, Anne-Claire CHANVIN, founder of Finup360, shared a practical, step-by-step AI roadmap for CFOs. Her approach proves that integrating AI doesn’t need to be overwhelming. So, what’s stopping CFOs? 📊 37% struggle to see ROI 📊 32% lack skills or training 📊 15% cite time constraints Anne-Claire’s advice? Start small. Automate one repetitive task. Build momentum. Upskill your team. AI tools like ChatGPT, Zapier, and Google Scripts don’t require heavy IT lifts but deliver massive impact.

🌋 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡-𝐋𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐂𝐅𝐎: Vulnavia Kombora ACCA From the moment we started speaking with Vulnavia, it was clear—negotiation isn’t just her expertise—it’s her art form. Whether she’s reworking millions in debt with bold brinkmanship tactics or outmanoeuvring investor demands with calm precision, her ability to turn complex challenges into strategic opportunities is unparalleled. What truly sets her apart is her ability to make finance feel human. With her refreshing honesty, quick wit, and knack for turning challenges into opportunities, Vulnavia proves that being a great CFO is about much more than numbers. 🖋️ In our latest High-Low interview, Vulnavia shares her: 🔹 Insights into brinkmanship and bold negotiation 🔹 Philosophy on leadership and team-building in times of crisis 🔹 Candid thoughts on overhyped trends like “AI”

🌟 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐨𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐲𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡? At this year’s CFO Connect Summit, we were fortunate to hear from an incredible panel of finance leaders—Nelly M., Jay Peir, Jennifer Loo, and Maria Hedengren—who’ve each successfully navigated the challenges of hypergrowth. The panel explored how CFOs can: 🔹 Balance risk and opportunity in a fast-paced environment 🔹 Leverage automation and data to drive smarter decisions 🔹 Build adaptable, collaborative finance teams that thrive under pressure 🔹 Move beyond the “CFO No” stereotype to become true business partners How are you approaching hypergrowth in today’s economic climate? Let’s discuss below!

Wondering which tools are driving success for finance teams in 2024? 🚀 Our 2024 CFO Top Tools Report uncovers the tech stack behind today’s fastest-growing companies—from AI-powered ERPs to streamlined accounting platforms. ⭐ Featured favourites include NetSuite, Anaplan, Pigment, Spendesk, Stripe, and Personio. Curious about the full list and why these tools are leading the charge? Download the report now and get the inside scoop on the tools shaping smarter, more efficient financial operations. 👇 Click the link in the comments to download the full report today!

What personal values drive leadership in the space industry? 🌌 In our latest High-Low with a CFO series, Ervin Alliu, Head of Finance at Isar Aerospace, shares how his principles shape his approach to leading in a field that's out of this world. 🚀 Check out the full interview to explore Ervin’s take on leadership, strategy, and building a career in the groundbreaking world of aerospace.

🌍 𝐍𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐇𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 Expanding your global workforce can be a game-changer—but it’s not without its challenges. As companies venture into new markets, setting competitive, locally-aligned compensation packages becomes a critical part of the strategy. We asked Philippe Bouaziz, CFO of Deel, for his expert advice on how to get it right. His insights highlight the importance of balancing local market knowledge, regulatory compliance, and strategic flexibility to attract and retain top talent worldwide. 🎯 𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐮𝐩 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞? Deel's 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 makes it easy to navigate the complexities of global compensation. Use it to understand costs and create packages tailored to your company’s growth goals. 👉 Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/grgzf4KZ

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐂𝐅𝐎: 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐒𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫 🌟 At our recent CFO Connect Summit, we were thrilled to welcome finance leaders Kinga Blaut from Visa, Roy Hefer from TravelPerk, and seasoned investor Raluca Ragab for an inspiring discussion on the evolving role of the CFO. Balancing traditional financial duties with deeper engagement in strategy and operations doesn’t come without challenges. In this blog, we look at six key steps to help finance leaders make this shift successfully.

⚡ Welcome to the December Edition of Finance Flash 📈 Job Hiring Zone: Delivery Hero, SmartestEnergy UK, Skello, & Precision Research Group are all hiring. Jobs available as always on our job board! 🌋 AI Workshop: Hear from Anne-Claire CHANVIN on how to integrate AI into your 2025 finance strategy! 👉 Watch the recording here: https://lnkd.in/ejShW9z3