Russell Lester: From Gatekeeper to Strategic Advisor – How a New Breed of CFO Is Driving Business Impact

CFOs are no longer just financial gatekeepers. They’ve evolved into strategic advisors that drive impact and alignment across the organization. Today, three-time CFO Russell Lester is living and breathing this elevated role. In this episode, Russell shares his secrets to leveling-up as a CFO, what it takes to build a successful partnership with IT, and how he’s driving business results with SaaS management.

Key Takeaways:

• [00:00 - 01:56] Introduction to Russell Lester, CFO at Versapay
• [02:04 - 06:14] Driving change in the business as a CFO in the macroeconomy
• [06:13 - 09:05] The people and tools that put information in context
• [09:06 - 11:37] The skills financial and procurement professionals need to thrive
• [11:41 - 15:43] Identifying SaaS management as a business priority
• [15:44 - 18:46] How Russell works with IT as a CEO
• [18:53 - 21:15] SaaS management's shift from IT to finance, working together
• [22:16 - 24:05] The hardest part about building a relationship with IT
• [24:06 - 26:09] Fear and lack of understanding about bringing partners into SaaS management
• [26:10 - 28:22] Compelling business investments and looking for what supports the company plan
• [28:29 - 30:55] Russell's role as the final approval for SaaS purchases
• [30:56 - 34:03] Tools and processes that support procurement responsibilities
• [34:04 - 35:44] What indicates your team is ready for procurement?
• [35:45 - 37:36] "Assimilating my neural network"
• [37:35 - 42:10] Rapid fire
• [39:10 - 40:11] Russell's favorite SaaS apps