Planning Aces

In this episode of  Planning Aces , hosts Jack Sweeney and Glenn Hopper lead a focused discussion spotlighting the thinking of CFO Kevin Rubin of Zscaler, CFO Bruce Schuman of Universal Technical Institute, and CFO Razzak Jallow of FloQast on how disciplined FP&A leadership is shaping AI adoption. Rubin frames AI as a capital allocation decision, supported by centralized governance to prevent tool...

In this Planning Aces special episode, CFO Thought Leader brings together three finance executives operating in very different industries—but facing remarkably similar planning challenges. David Lee of WEBTOON, Cristina Kim of Octaura, and Zane Rowe of Workday share how FP&A has evolved from a periodic planning function into a continuous decision system. Across global consumer platforms, fintech i...

In this episode of  Planning Aces , we spotlight FP&A insights from three CFOs leading innovation with discipline:  Chris Sands (InvoiceCloud) ,  Steve Sutter (Celigo) , and  Niels Boon (Cint) . Each shares how finance is shaping AI, go-to-market models, and data-driven transformation without losing rigor. From building an "AI Ops" function and embedding finance in sales strategy, to piloting AI t...

In this episode of  Planning Aces , host Jack Sweeney and resident thought leader Brett Knowles explore how finance leaders are approaching AI's early returns —balancing efficiency, experimentation, and human judgment. CFO Craig Foster of Pax8 discusses how AI enablement is driving measurable productivity gains. CFO David Obstler of Datadog reflects on finding ROI amid rapid innovation and market...

In this Planning Aces special, three finance leaders map how AI is moving FP&A from dashboards to decisions. Andrew Casey (Amplitude) shows agents automating analytics, experiments, and order-to-cash checks to democratize insight and speed action. Eric Brown (Cohesity) contrasts AI's capital intensity with the cloud era and spotlights an "epic data battle" where privileged datasets drive advantage...

In Episode 47 of  Planning Aces , Jack Sweeney and resident thought leader Brett Knowles explore the evolving role of FP&A through the lens of three forward-looking CFOs. Dan Zhang (ClickUp), John Rettig (Bill), and Josh Schauer (insightsoftware) share how they're driving enterprise agility, leveraging AI to eliminate inefficiencies, and rethinking capital allocation. From Zhang's battle against "...

In this episode of Planning Aces, co-hosts Jack Sweeney and Brett Knowles spotlight the FP&A strategies and AI adoption journeys of three CFOs—Jillian Munson (Vimeo), Dan Fletcher (Planful), and Chad Gold (FullStory). Each finance leader discusses how AI is reshaping their planning processes, from accelerating automation and revenue generation to transforming cross-functional collaboration. Brett...

This Planning Aces episode explores how finance leaders navigate volatility without drifting into political cross‑currents like tariffs. Prologis CFO Tim Arndt explains why e‑commerce triples warehouse demand and how real‑estate strategies must adapt. Genworth CFO Jerome Upton shows how disciplined leverage and balanced product exposure turn rate uncertainty into opportunity while guarding against...

In this episode of Planning Aces , three forward-looking finance leaders share how they're transforming planning and forecasting inside their organizations. CFO Kevin Rhodes of Extreme Networks discusses the dual lens through which he evaluates AI—external monetization and internal productivity. Brendon Sullivan, CFO of 2X, reveals how a post-PE investment reality check led him to pioneer a weekly...

In our latest Planning Aces episode of CFO Thought Leader , Jack Sweeney teams with FP&A veteran Brett Knowles to spotlight three finance leaders tackling one of business's most critical challenges: aligning sales, operations, and finance around a common goal. First, Orion Innovation CFO Cyrus Lam recalls how transparent metrics and well-crafted incentives helped double profit margins by bridging...

In this episode of Planning Aces , co-hosts Jack Sweeney and Brett Knowles explore insights from CFOs Sandra Wallach (Amprius Technologies), David Morris (Guardian Pharmacy Services), and David Eckstein (Vanta). The discussion highlights themes around technology adoption and data-driven decision-making. Sandra Wallach emphasizes the importance of hands-on involvement, leveraging weekly meetings an...

In the latest Planning Aces episode, hosts Jack Sweeney and Brett Knowles discuss how finance leaders are elevating FP&A as strategic partners within organizations. Featuring insights from CFOs Regi Vengalil, Matt Steinfort, and Isabelle Winkles, the episode highlights themes like the importance of reliable data, setting constraints to enhance strategic planning, leveraging AI in finance, real-tim...

In this episode of  Planning Episodes hosted by Jack Sweeney and Brett Knowles, three CFOs—Don McGuire of ADP, Scott Blackley of Oscar Health, and Patrick Fleury of TeraWulf—share their insights on financial planning and analysis (FP&A), with a focus on navigating complex business environments. Through their stories, listeners will gain a deeper understanding of how these finance leaders simplify...

In this episode of Planning Aces, Jack Sweeney and Brett Knowles discuss the evolving role of FP&A professionals, emphasizing the importance of relationship-building and strategic collaboration within organizations. As summer ends and fall approaches, Brett predicts a surge in business activity, particularly as companies rush to meet year-end objectives. The conversation highlights the decline in...

Brett & Jack discuss the commentary and insights of three accomplished CFOs (Sandeep Aujla from Intuit, Shelagh Glaser from Synopsys, and Seth Wunder from Acorns), while highlighting their distinct approaches to strategic finance, organizational structure, communication, and business growth.  While all three Planning Aces highlight the importance of strategic finance and organizational efficiency,...

On the latest episode of Planning Aces three dynamic CFOs—Robert Cornella (RNDC), Karen Williams (American Express Global Business Travel), and Tony Querciagrossa (Pinstripes)—share a menu of FP&A insights and experiences. Robert Cornella emphasized the importance of understanding value chain economics and achieving operational harmony within complex mergers. His experience at Coca-Cola highlighte...

Leadership in FP&A: All three CFOs emphasize the role of finance in leading and driving business performance through strategic foresight, detailed operational insights, and proactive engagement. Technology and Innovation: There is a strong inclination towards integrating new technologies like AI to enhance the capabilities of finance teams and improve business processes. Collaboration and Influenc...

This episode our Planning Aces emphasize the importance of leveraging one's breadth of experience, stepping beyond traditional FP&A roles, and focusing on execution to bring significant value to organizations. They also emphasize the evolving nature of finance professional interactions and the idea that strategic insights can serve as catalysts for organizational change, prompting shifts in produc...

Planning Aces co-hosts Brett Knowles and Jack Sweeney discuss the strategic efforts of two CFOs leading organizational turnarounds, and a third CFO, who offers key organizational insights from an earlier career chapter. Emphasizing simplification, strategic focus, and leveraging both human insight and technology, Marc Suidan of Beachbody, Emma Brown of Medius and David Freeman of Starburst share t...

This episode of Planning Aces sheds light on the critical role financial leadership and strategic planning plays in guiding companies through turbulent times and the importance of balancing short-term opportunities with long-term strategic planning. Each of the featured finance chiefs faced unique challenges related to the pandemic's impact on their businesses, and their responses offer valuable i...

Planning Aces Hosts Brett Knowles and Jack Sweeney discuss how AI's integration into FP&A is still in early stages, with many teams 'dabbling' in AI rather than regularly employing it. However, its use has been significant, inspiring creativity and improving team performance. This episode's conversation emphasizes how FP&A is not just about financial numbers but involves drawing in non-FP&A player...

This episode of Planning Aces Brett and Jack discuss FP&A's role when it comes to breaking down silos within departments, and how A.I. is quickly emerging as FP&A's ultimate silo busting partner. Their discussion highlights the importance of connecting business performance metrics with financial outcomes and the role of AI will play in complex analysis. CFO Lauren StClair talks about leveraging AI...

This episode features insights and commentary from three finance leaders: CFO Michael Linford of Affirm, CFO Ana Chadwick of Pitney Bowse, and CFO Jason Leet of Zylo. Imagine if these three finance leaders were to meet and have a discussion about their past roles. Each of them has a unique story to tell. Michael Linford, for example, was previously part of HP's M&A integration group and later beca...