Chat CFO

Simon Loveridge stepped into the CEO seat at Rafter Group, a PE-backed self-storage business operating across five European markets, after joining as CFO. The insight at the heart of his transition: as CFO, you're judged on being right. As CEO, you're judged on being clear. In this episode of Chat CFO, Simon breaks down what that shift actually demands, how Rafter Group doubled in size i...

Jim Buckle has spent 25 years building a CFO career that defies the obvious path. He started at KPMG, moved to the BBC, then Dell, ran a startup that collapsed in six months, turned around Property Finder, and eventually sold LoveFilm to Amazon before scaling Gusto from under £100 million to over £300 million in two years during Covid. In this episode, Jim breaks down the real difference between P...

Exit readiness is not a six-week project. Dominic Wilkinson, CFO of Team Sport, the UK's largest indoor go-karting brand, shares what it actually takes to be PE-backed and exit-ready at the same time, why due diligence rewards the data-driven, and how a consumer leisure business is deploying AI to manage its biggest cost pressure: people. Dominic also covers CFO career development in private...

Everybody wants to be a CFO. Almost nobody is prepared for what the job actually demands. Alex Gersh has led a Nasdaq IPO at Sportradar, the merger of Betfair and Paddy Power, and the £2.7 billion sale of Evelyn Partners to NatWest. Carrie Hutchinson is a transformation and turnaround CFO who negotiated £800 million of CapEx builds at Gatwick Airport and has driven exit readiness across multiple P...

Victoria Bell has led finance functions through growth, turnaround, and exit across some of Europe's most demanding private equity environments. She is direct about the role in a way that most people in it are not. In this episode, Victoria explains what she calls "boardroom to basics": the ability to shift fast between strategy and detail, and why that is the skill most finance lea...

If there is no playbook, how confident are you in running the business while preparing to sell it at the same time?  Trade sales are often described as a process. In reality, they are a test of judgement. Leaders are expected to keep performance on track, manage investors, support teams, and make irreversible decisions, all while the business is being prepared for exit, often with imperfect inform...

What does it take to build a business where AI enhances human expertise? In this episode, Pippa Dussuyer and Dean Farthing of Unity Advisory discuss how they helped build a firm designed to grow with AI from day one. For most businesses, bolting AI onto old structures magnifies existing problems as it highlights broken data and siloed teams. Pippa and Dean share how a culture built on open informa...

Why do ERP programmes feel so painful, even when they are meant to make things better? In this episode of Chat CFO , we sit down with Gareth Bennett, Finance Transformation Lead at News UK, and John Ashworth, Finance Transformation Director at The Crown Estate.  Gareth and John share their experiences from the sharp end of ERP and finance transformation. They talk openly about what goes wrong befo...

What does it really mean to be the CFO of a national sport, where decisions are public and trade offs are unavoidable? In this episode of Chat CFO, we sit down with Nimesh Kataria, CFO at the England and Wales Cricket Board, to talk about the reality of leading finance inside a national institution. Nimesh opens up about his move from media and broadcast into sport, the change from operating withi...

In this episode of Chat CFO, we sit down with Mark Buckley, former CEO of Perfect Moment, to talk through what it takes to get a business listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Mark shares the full story behind taking a loss-making, private equity backed consumer brand through a US IPO, after exhausting every other funding route. We talk openly about the pressure, the fundraising reality, the time...

In this episode of Chat CFO, Benyam Hagos, CFO at Form3, explains how a CFO in a FinTech needs to think and act more like a commercial partner than a traditional finance lead.  He talks about shaping the story of the business for investors, pushing for new markets, and treating growth conversations with the same energy and intent you would usually see from a sales leader. It is a view developed fr...

In this episode of Chat CFO, Tom Platford, fractional CFO to early-stage startups, shares his journey on scaling SuperAwesome from Series A to exit, and what he learned along the way. Tom reflects on the toughest moments of his journey, including managing a nine-figure acquisition deal and why being an expert generalist is no longer optional. Tom covers: •The difference between early and late-stag...

What happens when someone who scaled technical hiring at Google starts rethinking what good leadership looks like in private equity? In this episode of Chat CFO, Jenny Collins, Head of Talent at Faraday Partners and former Google and PE Chief Talent Officer, shares her take on what great hiring really looks like. She talks about her years in global tech and what she learned about culture from watc...

What happens when a bold COO questions how conscious consumerism really works? In this episode, Shonagh Primrose, Chief Operating Officer at Wylde Market, rips apart the rules of growth and reveals how to build a purpose-led platform without bowing to the noisy short-term pressures of venture investors. We get into: 🌱 Why slow commerce might be the most radical growth strategy yet ⚡ The tough tr...

What does it really take to lead finance in one of the world’s most fast-paced and complex tech companies without following the traditional path? In this episode, Katie Brewis, Strategy & Commercial Finance Director at Google, shares her journey from economist to strategy consultant, and now to leading finance across Google’s EMEA marketing organisation. We get into: 🐬 The leadership mindset...

Vineta Bajaj didn’t follow a traditional path to the top – and she’s not shy about saying so. Now Group CFO at Rohlik Group, Vineta shares the unfiltered story behind her rise, from teaching piano and side-trading during uni, to leading billion-euro businesses and rewriting what it means to lead in finance. This episode is packed with bold moves, real career talk, and the kind of lessons you don’t...

What does it really take to lead a private equity-backed business through growth, exit, and transformation while staying true to your leadership style? In this episode, Stephan Burow, CFO at Lintbells, shares his journey from Unilever to high-growth scaleups like Gousto, and now to leading finance, tech, and people at a purpose-driven pet wellness company. We dive into: 🧠 The mindset shift requir...

AI is transforming finance—but how do you cut through the noise and turn data into real impact? In this episode, Rosanne Werner, CEO of XcelerateIQ, shares her journey from Deloitte to driving data-led transformation at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners. She breaks down: 📊 Why finance leaders must master data storytelling 🔄 The AI mindset shift CFOs need to stay ahead 💡 How to bridge the gap betwe...

How does a CFO successfully balance career and motherhood? 🤘 Dominique Highfield of Bloom & Wild shares her insights. From building strong support systems to embracing self-confidence, she demonstrates that balance is the key to long-term success. In this episode, Dominique offers an honest perspective on integrating professional and personal responsibilities. She discusses her approach to ma...

What a fantastic episode this was! Dan Sherfield, former Head of Finance for Psycle  and current CFO of Grind | Certified B Corp, takes us behind the scenes of his nine-year journey transforming a local café chain into an e-commerce sensation.  Through many ups and downs, including navigating the pandemic, Dan led Grind’s shift to e-commerce with agility and vision—proving that in today’s world, a...

We had a lot of fun recording this episode with Mary C., former Managing Director and former Chief Financial Officer at JustPark ! With over a decade of diverse financial experience, Mary takes us on her fascinating journey—from jellybean-wrapping to corporate finance to leading in the tech start-up space. Amid the laughs, you’ll uncover profound insights on: ⚙️ Adapting to a start-up culture with...

Well, this is a unique journey—swapping an outstanding sports career for chartered accountancy. 🏉 In this episode, we sit down with Mark Foster, former SVP of LIV Golf , and and CEO of WinSure Group , whose impressive background spans real estate, corporate finance, and private equity. 💼 What sets Mark apart is his remarkable journey from professional sports to corporate leadership. In this conv...

Law, Finance & Sustainability: Aurore Gil's Inspiring Journey 📖 Studied law and finance, then earned her stripes at business school in Paris, and built a remarkable 14-year career in M&A at UBS - all while starting a family. Aurore’s story didn’t stop there. After stepping away from banking, she pursued sustainability at Cambridge University and went on to drive change as the Investm...

Growing up in South East London in the 70s and experiencing overt racism and hatred having been born in Bombay and moving to the UK aged 2......... A chip on his shoulder, or a flame to get to the top of Finance? 🔥 Getting lucky. 🍀 Making sacrifices. Working all hours of the day and the weekend. 😰 The reality of being a big PLC and Private Equity CFO. 💥 Becoming 'The Saviour' and mak...

We’re very excited to welcome Alex Gersh, most recently, Chief Financial Officer at Paysafe (NYSE: PSFE), ex-CFO PaddyPowerBetfair (now Flutter Entertainment) and before, CFO at Sportradar Group to the latest episode of The STOIX Podcast! With over 30 years of diversified international financial experience across technology, consumer, digital, and eCommerce industries, Alex is truly a heavyweight...