Better Finance: CFO Insights podcast

In this episode of the EY Better Finance: CFO Insights podcast, Myles Corson speaks with David Homonoff, CFO at Feast & Fettle, about what it takes to lead finance in a fast-growing business where culture and customer experience are deeply intertwined. David shares how Feast & Fettle's success stems from a simple yet powerful idea: make decisions through the lens of the customer. He explains why treating the customer as the North Star shapes nearly every decision, from pricing and expansion to how the organization thinks about retention, profitability and long-term value. Rather than chasing growth at any cost, the conversation explores how finance leaders can use their operating model to make thoughtful trade-offs as complexity increases. The episode offers an inside look at the modern CFO mindset. David reflects on why strong fundamentals are essential, but not sufficient, and why some of the most important work happens outside the spreadsheet. He talks candidly about testing new ideas, learning from experience and willingness to adjust course when something no longer makes sense. Throughout the conversation, David highlights the importance of building teams that take ownership, stay curious about technology and are prepared to navigate uncertainty, illustrating how today's CFOs are evolving from financial stewards into true business leaders. Follow the EY Better Finance: CFO Insights podcast for more conversations with global CFOs and finance leaders. Find out more on ey.com/betterfinance. Key takeaways: Understand how strong finance fundamentals and operational discipline create the foundation for sustainable, profitable growth. Discover why treating the customer as the North Star can help CFOs balance expansion, pricing and investment decisions without compromising quality or culture. Learn how embracing innovation, including AI, while leading with integrity can enable finance leaders to navigate complexity and create long‑term value. © 2026 Ernst & Young Global Limited

In this episode of the EY Better Finance: CFO Insights podcast, Brian Tomlinson, Managing Director, ESG, Financial Accounting Advisory Services, Ernst & Young LLP, speaks with Jan Rosenow, Professor of Energy and Climate Policy at the University of Oxford, about how the global energy transition is reshaping the economic landscape for businesses. The discussion explores the growing role of industrial policy in decarbonization and how different regions are using incentives such as tax credits and subsidies to influence where clean energy technologies are developed and deployed. As economies shift from fossil fuel dependence toward electrification, companies face new considerations around energy costs, supply chain exposure and policy uncertainty. Jan shares practical insights on how organizations can approach the transition, highlighting the importance of improving efficiency first and making step-by-step investments that make financial sense. The conversation also examines how quickly markets can change and why companies that delay adaptation may face competitive risk. Follow the EY Better Finance: CFO Insights podcast for more conversations with global CFOs and finance leaders. Find out more on ey.com/betterfinance. Key takeaways: Understand how industrial policy and targeted incentives can influence investment decisions and competitive positioning. Discover how shifting from fossil fuels to electrification can change cost structures, supply chain exposure and energy risk. Learn how a phased, efficiency-first approach can help organizations navigate the transition while maintaining financial discipline. © 2026 Ernst & Young Global Limited

In this episode of The EY Better Finance: CFO Insights podcast, host Myles Corson speaks with Riya Grover, CEO and co-founder of Sequence, about how CFOs and finance leaders can navigate revenue complexity and enhance collaboration. Riya shares her entrepreneurial journey and discusses the important role of finance in shaping revenue strategy. She highlights how identifying disconnects between pricing, revenue data and accountability can improve decision-making and business performance. The conversation explores how CFOs can leverage technology for better visibility into pricing strategies, track revenue trends and maintain pricing hygiene as organizations scale. She also discusses the impact of emerging pricing models, such as usage-based and outcome-based pricing. The discussion highlights the evolving role of finance in driving growth and the importance of collaboration between finance sales teams to effectively manage revenue and growth. Follow The EY Better Finance: CFO Insights podcast for more conversations with global CFOs and finance leaders. Find out more on ey.com/betterfinance. Key takeaways: Understand the strategic importance of pricing for CFOs and its impact on revenue management. Recognize how early involvement in pricing decisions can transform the role of finance leaders. Explore the role of data integrity and collaboration in informed financial decision-making. Learn how CFOs can leverage technology for visibility into pricing strategies and revenue trends. Identify challenges and opportunities with emerging pricing models, including usage-based pricing. © 2025 Ernst & Young Global Limited

Cash flow forecasting and liquidity confidence have become defining priorities for CFOs and finance leaders, yet both remain persistent challenges across organizations. Two studies, APQC's Cash Flow and Liquidity Management Practices Report and the 2025 EY Global DNA of the Treasurer Survey, found that even with automation, AI and analytics, many finance teams may struggle to trust their source data and forecast with accuracy. In this episode of the EY Better Finance: CFO Insights podcast, host Myles Corson speaks with Kelley Pruetz, Principal Research Leader at APQC, and Francois Holzman, EY Global Treasury and Commodities Leader, about how CFOs and treasurers can improve cash visibility and strengthen liquidity management. They discuss why forecasting remains difficult in an era of technology-enabled finance and how leading organizations can improve collaboration, data transparency and agility to make more confident decisions. Follow the EY Better Finance: CFO Insights podcast for more conversations with global CFOs and finance leaders. Find out more on ey.com/betterfinance. Key takeaways: Discover why cash flow forecasting remains a persistent challenge for treasurers and CFOs despite advances in automation and analytics. Explore how cross-functional collaboration can help finance and treasury teams break down silos to improve forecasting accuracy and liquidity resilience. Recognize how "transformative treasurers" can redefine value creation through mentorship, collaboration and strategic leadership. © 2025 Ernst & Young Global Limited

In this episode of the EY Better Finance: CFO Insights podcast, host Myles Corson speaks with Simon Brown, EY Global Learning and Development Leader and co-author of The Curious Advantage. Drawing on years of research into learning, leadership and behavioral science, Simon explains how embedding curiosity into everyday practices can help finance teams evolve beyond traditional ways of working. The conversation explores how a mindset of curiosity can help CFOs lead through uncertainty and respond to emerging challenges. Through real-world examples, Simon illustrates how asking better questions, creating space for exploration and staying open to different perspectives can uncover opportunities that might otherwise be missed. The conversation reframes curiosity as a leadership behavior that fosters stronger connections across the business and supports a culture of continuous learning. Key takeaways: Explore how curiosity can help CFOs strengthen decision-making, build collaboration and foster trust. Understand how asking better questions can guide teams through complexity with greater clarity and confidence. Learn how psychological safety and a culture of experimentation can strengthen resilience and spark innovation in finance. Discover ways to embed curiosity into everyday leadership behaviors and continuous learning practices. © 2025 Ernst & Young Global Limited ________________________________________________ Tap the FOLLOW button now to ensure you never miss the latest episode of the EY Better Finance: CFO Insights podcast! For more conversations with global CFOs and finance leaders: ey.com/betterfinance.

In this episode of the Better Finance: CFO Insights podcast, host Myles Corson speaks with Alex Curran, CEO of Aptitude Software, about what it takes to lead finance transformation in today's data-rich, technology-enabled landscape. Drawing on findings from the 2025 Global Autonomous Finance Benchmark, they explore how finance teams are making progress through scalable initiatives, cross-functional collaboration and a focus on real-time insights. Alex stresses that successful transformation starts at the leadership level. She discusses how CFOs, CTOs and CIOs are aligning on priorities, breaking down silos and rethinking how technology, talent and data can come together to support strategic outcomes. She also shares how leading organizations are modernizing finance by automating manual processes, building business cases for AI adoption and shifting from a compliance mindset toward strategic partnership. As new skill sets emerge, including data science and business analytics, finance is being redefined from the ground up. Key takeaways: Learn how CFOs, CTOs and CIOs are aligning to lead transformation with shared priorities and accountability. Explore why high-performing finance teams start small, prove value early and then scale successful initiatives. Understand how clean, real-time data can help finance leaders shift from control to strategic partnership. Discover emerging skill sets that are shaping the future of finance, from data science to cross-functional collaboration. Recognize the importance of leadership alignment in driving successful finance transformation. © 2025 Ernst & Young Global Limited

In this episode of the Better Finance: CFO Insights podcast, host Myles Corson speaks with Stacey Ryan-Cornelius, who served as the CFO of Ogilvy at the time of recording and now holds the role of Global CFO at Burson. In this episode, Stacey shares how the role of CFO is evolving from financial stewardship to a more human-centered leadership approach, where influence, empathy and communication are just as important as technical expertise. She discusses how finance leaders are navigating complexity by fostering psychological safety, strengthening relationships across the business and turning data into compelling stories that drive alignment and action. Stacey also explores how technology, including artificial intelligence (AI), is helping enhance decision-making and enabling more innovative ways of working. Stacey highlights the importance of cultivating presence and leading with purpose, encouraging finance professionals to create a lasting impact that extends beyond the numbers. © 2025 Ernst & Young Global Limited

In this episode, Brian Tomlinson, Managing Director, ESG, Financial Accounting Advisory Services, Ernst & Young LLP, speaks with Aniket Shah, Managing Director and Global Head of the Sustainability and Transition Strategy team at Jefferies. They discuss how finance leaders can navigate the growing complexity of environmental, social and governance (ESG) as it becomes increasingly integrated into strategic decision-making. Aniket explains how ESG has evolved beyond just disclosure to encompass investor expectations, business resilience and regulatory pressures. He highlights the importance of materiality, urging CFOs to focus on ESG factors that align closely with their sector, strategy and value drivers. The conversation delves into how public policy developments are influencing ESG implementation in real time, requiring finance leaders to balance long-term vision with short-term catalysts. They also explore the role of CFOs in integrating ESG into capital allocation, regulatory alignment and strategic planning, as well as how evolving stakeholder expectations are influencing decision-making. © 2025 Ernst & Young Global Limited

In this episode of the EY Better Finance: CFO Insights podcast, host Myles Corson speaks with Isaac Heller, CEO of Trullion, an AI-powered accounting software company. They explore the transformative role of CFOs amidst rapid technological advancements. As organizations grapple with the complexities introduced by AI in finance, Isaac shares insightful strategies for CFOs to navigate these challenges and create value. Isaac emphasizes the importance of technology and innovation in refining financial processes and enhancing decision-making capabilities. He elaborates on how CFOs can leverage data and AI to develop insights that facilitate informed decision-making and optimize operations, while also highlighting the need for high-quality data. Throughout the discussion, Isaac draws from his extensive experience in finance and accounting, offering actionable advice for both aspiring and current CFOs. He highlights the necessity for CFOs to act as the CEO's closest business partner, trusted to assist in making critical organizational decisions. © 2025 Ernst & Young Global Limited

Rory Sutherland, Vice Chairman of Ogilvy UK and expert in behavioral economics, shares insights on bridging finance and marketing. He discusses the importance of a probabilistic approach in finance, encouraging leaders to embrace uncertainty for innovation. Rory highlights the role of AI in enhancing decision-making and creativity, while cautioning against the dangers of prioritizing efficiency over customer value. The conversation encourages finance professionals to understand customer behavior, fostering collaboration and strategic thinking for better outcomes.