CFO 4.0 Podcast

In this episode of CFO 4.0, Hannah Monro sits down with John Lees career strategist, coach, and author to unpack the real work behind a successful CFO transition. John shares why your first 100 days actually begin long before day one, how to balance appearing confident with genuine curiosity, and the art of "checking in" with peers, stakeholders, and even the person on the security desk. He also d...

Financial decisions are rarely as rational as we think. In this episode, Hannah Munro is joined by Lesley Thomas, Founder of the Money Confidence Academy, to explore the hidden psychology driving the choices CFOs and finance leaders make every day. In this episode, we cover: Why financial decisions are driven more by emotion than data The role your childhood relationship with money plays in your l...

CFO 4.0 is back! In this unmissable relaunch episode, Hannah Munro sits down with Tomas Hollington, Director of Technology at BW Workplace Experts, to pull back the curtain on what it really takes to lead change in a fast-growing, technology-driven business — and trust us, it's not what you'd expect. What’s covered in this episode  Why culture and trust are the real foundations of successful...

When we first released this conversation, it was our 100th episode, a milestone that felt worth marking with something special. Now, 174 episodes later, it's clear why this one deserved a revisit. Host Hannah Munro is joined by Glenn Hopper, Author of Deep Finance and now Managing Director at VAi Consulting for a discussion that's only grown more relevant with time. With over 15 years of experienc...

This week on the CFO 4.0 Revisited series, host Hannah Munro is joined by Isaac Strulowitz, Alternative Investments CFO, who offers his unique perspective on risk management, providing valuable insights into how CFOs can protect their firms against unforeseen challenges, a conversation that remains as timely and essential as ever. In this episode, we cover: Isaac's first-hand account of navigating...

Send us your thoughts Originally released as episode 144 of the CFO 4.0 Podcast, this episode is part of our CFO 4.0 Revisited series — bringing back some of our most valuable conversations for a new listen. Hannah Munro is joined by Sylvia Ionita, Finance Executive at LFG Solutions LLC, who at the time of recording was CFO at waterdrop. With hands-on experience scaling start-ups, Sylvia brings sh...

Send us your thoughts For this CFO 4.0 Revisited episode, Hannah Munro is joined by Oliver Deacon, Executive Coach and Founder of Oliver Deacon Coaching, to explore what the future of finance leadership really looks like over the next five years. As finance teams continue to face rapid technological change, increasing pressure to deliver insight, and evolving expectations from the wider business,...

Send us your thoughts For this CFO 4.0 Revisited episode, Hannah Munro is joined by Shaun Hayes, author of The Gray Choice , to explore the realities of leadership, resilience, and decision-making in high-pressure environments.  What’s covered in this episode  Why taking calculated risks is essential for long-term success   Lessons learned from major setbacks and how to recover stronger   The impo...

Send us your thoughts For this CFO 4.0 Revisited episode, Hannah Munro is joined by Catherine Clark, Lead CFO Mentor at GrowCFO and Director of Cristallum Limited, for a grounded and practical conversation on the power of mentoring in modern finance leadership. As the role of the CFO continues to evolve beyond technical expertise, the need for strong communication, self-awareness, and leadership c...

Send us your thoughts For this CFO 4.0 Revisited episode, Hannah Munro is joined by Cécile Parker, Group CFO at Vital Energi Utilities, to explore how finance leaders can play a far more integrated and influential role across the business. Cécile shares her journey to CFO and offers a clear view on how the function must evolve. This is not about finance sitting on the sidelines. It is about steppi...

Send us your thoughts In this CFO 4.0 Revisited episode, Hannah Munro is joined by Mark Lockton‑Goddard , now Founder & CEO at embracent, to explore what successful digital transformation really looks like for finance teams. With over 25 years’ experience across global organisations, Mark shares practical insight into how CFOs can approach transformation decisions, gain buy‑in from their teams...

Send us your thoughts For this CFO 4.0 Revisited episode, Hannah Munro is joined by Paul Lee, Partner at Deloitte UK, to explore one of the most debated shifts in modern working life – the move to hybrid. Drawing on his experience at Deloitte, Paul challenges the idea that there is a single “right” answer. Instead, he highlights the importance of asking better questions – around productivity, coll...

Send us your thoughts  For this CFO 4.0 Revisited episode, Hannah Munro is joined by James Owen, Global CFO of the Profiles Division at Kantar, to explore how modern finance leaders are reshaping planning, forecasting, and decision-making in an increasingly data-driven world.  What’s covered in this episode Why market data is essential for meaningful performance benchmarking How to improve communi...

Send us your thoughts For this CFO 4.0 Revisited episode, Hannah Munro is joined by Claire Bodanis, Founder and Director of Falcon Windsor and one of the UK’s leading authorities on corporate reporting. Claire shares a practical and honest view of what it really takes to produce an annual report that cuts through the noise.  What’s covered in this episode • The biggest challenges organisations fac...

Send us your thoughts In this episode of CFO 4.0 Revisited , Hannah Munro reconnects with Brent Dykes, Founder and Chief Data Storyteller at AnalyticsHero, to explore one of the most important skills modern finance leaders must master – turning data into meaningful stories that drive action. In this episode, we explore What a Chief Data Storyteller actually does Brent’s journey into analytics and...

Send us your thoughts In this CFO 4.0 Revisited episode, Hannah Munro is joined by experienced finance leader Martin Spiller to explore what funders are really looking for in a CFO. From common funding mistakes to the differences between start-up and scale-up investment, Martin shares practical insight on securing funding, choosing the right partners and positioning your business for sustainable g...

Send us your thoughts To mark the return of CFO 4.0 Revisited and celebrate International Women’s Week, we’re bringing back a powerful conversation that is just as relevant today as when it first aired. In Episode 77, Hannah Munro sits down with Fiona Hathorn, CEO of Women on Boards UK, to explore what it truly takes to step into the boardroom and succeed. Board roles are often discussed but rarel...

Send us your thoughts In this special Financial Transformation Live episode, Hannah Munro sets out a clear, practical agenda for finance leaders who want 2026 to be the year transformation actually happens. This session deliberately moves away from technology hype and focuses on the fundamentals that enable progress. Hannah makes the case that 2026 must be a people and process year, not a rushed r...

Send us your thoughts In this third episode of the CFO 4.0 Revisited series, Hannah Munro is joined by Howard Tunnicliffe, now FP&A Director at Busuu, to revisit a conversation that remains highly relevant for modern finance leaders. Originally recorded when Howard was Head of Finance Subscriptions at The Economist, this episode tackles a topic that still separates good finance teams from grea...

Send us your thoughts  In this episode of CFO 4.0, Hannah Munro is joined by Etinosa Agbonlahor, CEO of Decision Alpha, to break down why pricing causes so much anxiety and how finance leaders can take control of it in a structured, evidence-based way. Together, they explore how behavioural economics, customer insight, and disciplined iteration can turn pricing from a reactive afterthought into a...

Send us your thoughts As a follow-up to their Financial Transformation Live discussions, Hannah Munro is joined by Neil Lynchehaun, Transformation and Delivery Manager at itas, to launch The Readiness Challenge series . In part one, they take an honest look at what project readiness really means and why so many finance transformations struggle before they even begin. Drawing on real delivery exper...

Send us your thoughts In this special highlights episode of CFO 4.0 , host Hannah Munro reflects on the most impactful conversations of 2025, bringing together lessons from CFOs, transformation leaders, and futurists. Drawing on insights from across the year, this episode explores what finance leaders have really learned as the role continues to evolve under pressure from growth, technology, and r...

Send us your thoughts In this episode, Hannah Munro sits down with Omar Choucair, CFO at Trintech, for a forthright look at life inside private equity. Omar offers a clear view of what the role truly demands and why it isn’t for the faint hearted. He discusses the expanded remit of today’s CFO, the operational intensity of PE-backed firms and the importance of pace, people and process when value c...

Send us your thoughts In this episode of the CFO 4.0 Podcast, recorded in partnership with ACCA, Hannah Munro is joined by Nicolas Raynaud FCCA, CFO at the Science Museum Group. Nicolas shares a frank and practical view of what it really takes to settle into a new CFO role and why those early months demand clarity, curiosity and steady judgement. In this episode, Nicolas covers  Why the first 100...

Send us your thoughts In this in-person conversation, Hannah Munro sits down with Matthew Robinson, Financial Controller at Zebra Pens, to explore the realities of running and transforming finance inside a small but ambitious business.  This episode covers Why small-business finance needs pragmatism, balance and the courage to let go of total control  How Matt rebuilt finance around risk-based thi...