The Pre-Read

Workiva
  • 4.8 (39)
  • BUSINESS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Just like the slides you get before a big meeting, The Pre-Read prepares CFOs and senior leaders for the decisions ahead. This is the global podcast for the modern office of the CFO, focused on how finance leaders drive performance, resilience, and long-term value in a constantly shifting environment. Designed for executives operating at scale, the show features candid conversations with CFOs, board advisors, regulators, and business leaders shaping how companies compete, comply, and grow. Hosts Alyssa Zucker and Steve Soter connect financial performance, data integrity, regulation, and technology to the real questions CFOs are being asked by boards, investors, and stakeholders. From AI adoption and enterprise data trust to evolving disclosure expectations and global regulatory pressure, The Pre-Read focuses on what matters now and what's coming next. Each episode cuts through noise to surface practical insight, strategic perspective, and the signals CFOs need to lead with clarity. If you're responsible for stewarding capital, managing risk, and creating value over time, you're in the right place.

  1. 19H AGO

    Davos Discussions: What is the ROI Heresy?

    Traditional finance models are hitting a wall. This episode highlights a panel at Davos that gets straight to the engine room of the enterprise.  Jatin Dalal, Chief Financial Officer, Cognizant; Mike Rost, Chief Strategy Officer, Workiva; Jonathan Zanger, Chief Technology Officer, Check Point; and Jennifer Steinmann, Global Sustainability Business Leader, Deloitte gathered to talk about:  The ROI heresy: Why waiting for a fixed ROI is like using an obsolete map for a moving target  The 3x productivity jump: Why a 300% increase is the new starting point for AI  Security risks: Understanding white font attacks and AI doppelgangers in HR systems  Strategic insights: How predictive analytics and earth observation are changing risk valuation  Timestamps: 00:00—Multiplying traditional productivity by three  02:15—The Davos panel: AI promise and peril  04:10—Why ROI is an irrelevant measure for AI  05:40—Security alerts: The white font attack  07:15—The $3.8 trillion insight at stake  08:20—The Monday morning mandate  "Whatever you thought about traditional productivity multiplied by three at minimum, and that should be a starting point, not the end point." —Jatin Dalal, CFO of Cognizant  Find past conversations at workiva.com/podcast/the-pre-read

    12 min

  2. 2D AGO

    Davos Discussions: Leaders vs. The Certainty Gap

    Misinformation, amplified by AI, has climbed to the top of the global risk landscape. What does that mean for the office of the CFO? We kick off a Davos miniseries with Workiva CSO Mandi McReynolds, bringing perspectives straight from the World Economic Forum in Davos. Mandi sits down with Ami Badani, CMO of Arm, Rob Fisher, Global Head of Advisory at KPMG, and Robin Hodes, CEO of Global Reporting Initiative, to break down brand risk, workforce pressure, and why transparent, trusted data is now a leadership mandate. In this episode: 04:00 Defending information certainty and proactive brand protection 09:30 The "dollar for dollar" rule: Investing equally in tech and people 18:00 Why reporting is becoming a frontline risk tool 21:00 Preview: The rise of cybersecurity doppelgangers "For every dollar on the tech, you should be spending a dollar on the workforce transformation." —Rob Fisher, Global Head of Advisory, KPMG Enjoy this episode? Find more at workiva.com/podcast/the-pre-read #Davos2026 #GlobalRisk #CFO #AIStrategy #WorkforceTransformation

    24 min
  3. The Translator: Bridging the Gap Between Finance and Sustainability

    FEB 19

    The Translator: Bridging the Gap Between Finance and Sustainability

    Is your organization ready for the SOX journey of sustainability data? In this episode of The Pre-Read, we sit down with Lori Defnet, ESG Controller at The Hershey Company, to define the core remit of this emerging role. While traditional controllers guard the known, ESG controllers manage ambiguity. Lori shares how she navigates moving targets in the regulatory landscape and why curiosity and adaptability are the most critical skills for the next generation of finance leaders. Key moments: 02:45—Defining the core remit of an ESG controller  05:30—The data challenge: ERP systems vs. supplier surveys  08:15—A "crawl, walk, run" approach to limited and reasonable assurance  11:40—Stakeholder management: Education and empathy  13:50—Will the ESG controller role eventually merge with finance? 17:15—Curiosity and adaptability in succession planning  "I think the role of that ESG controller is that translator to help teach the business and teach the finance organization how to get there." —Lori Defnet  Find past conversations at workiva.com/podcast/the-pre-read #ESG #Accounting #Sustainability #FinanceTransformation #Workiva

    22 min
  4. Decision-Grade Data: Turning Sustainability Silos into Strategic Assets

    FEB 9

    Decision-Grade Data: Turning Sustainability Silos into Strategic Assets

    How do leaders turn messy data into something they can trust? Global C-suite executive Amina Razvi joins us to explain why decision-grade data is the foundation of modern CFO risk management. She breaks down how integrating financial and non-financial data changes how companies manage volatility, price risk, and build long-term resilience. In this conversation, we cover: Why waiting for perfect data is a risk in itself How sustainability data quality drives innovation, not just compliance What CFOs gain by connecting financial, operational, and supply chain data Why working pre-competitively can reduce risk across entire industries Enjoying the show? Find past conversations at workiva.com/podcast/the-pre-read Subscribe for more insights on leadership, data, and risk.

    26 min
  5. When Congress Rewrites the Rules for FPIs

    JAN 26

    When Congress Rewrites the Rules for FPIs

    Is your team ready for foreign private issuer (FPI) Section 16 reporting? Congress recently passed the Holding Foreign Insiders Accountable Act, which fundamentally changes how international insiders must disclose their trades. Alan Wilson and Chelsea Hall join the conversation to break down these new FPI director and officer reporting obligations and why the SEC has a tight deadline of March 18 to implement the rules. We discuss the sudden loss of exemptions, the need for individual EDGAR® codes, and the risks of missing the two-day filing window.   Chapters: 00:00–Introduction: A Regulatory Ground Shift The hosts introduce the end of long-standing exemptions for FPIs and the era of regulatory accommodation. 05:15–Breaking Down FPI Section 16 Reporting Alan Wilson explains the nuances of Form 3, 4, and 5 requirements, noting that while reporting is mandatory, short-swing liability (Section 16b) currently does not apply. 06:45–The Surprise of Congressional Speed Analysis of why Congress moved faster than the SEC and what this bipartisan unity signals for future securities rulemaking. 09:30–Future Outlook: Beyond Section 16 Insights into potential further changes, including updates to the FPI definition and the convergence of IFRS and US GAAP. 13:15–Infrastructure for Resilience Why investing in stability and agility is the only way to meet rapidly approaching deadlines like the March 18 cutoff. 17:30–Closing Thoughts: The Complexity of Compliance Final debate on whether this is a "big lift" for FPIs and how the market might react to potential moves toward quarterly reporting. Enjoy this episode? Find past conversations at workiva.com/podcast/the-pre-read Subscribe to catch all our upcoming episodes.

    22 min
  6. Stability, Agility, and Clarity: What 2026 Will Demand from Leaders

    JAN 12

    Stability, Agility, and Clarity: What 2026 Will Demand from Leaders

    https://www.workiva.com/What does leadership look like when volatility becomes the norm? Workiva CEO Julie Iskow joins Steve Soder and Alyssa Zucker to unpack what 2025 taught executives and how to prepare for 2026. This conversation goes beyond headlines to explore how leaders can stay grounded while moving faster, make data a strategic asset, and meet rising board expectations with confidence. In this episode: Redefining resilience: Why stability and agility must coexist Data integrity as strategy: Turning trusted data into a competitive advantage AI readiness: Why governed, audit-ready data is the foundation for safe AI adoption The evolving boardroom: How expectations are shifting toward deeper, more frequent engagement Chapters 0:00 Defining resilience for 2026 3:15 Stability vs. agility in volatile markets 7:40 Data integrity: From compliance to strategy 11:20 When bad data becomes AI risk 15:00 The new expectations of the boardroom 18:30 Julie's word for 2026: Clarity Enjoy this episode? Explore more conversations at the intersection of finance, risk, and sustainability at workiva.com/pre-read-podcast.

    21 min

  7. 12/22/2025

    The Pre-Read Takes a Break: See You in 2026

    Steve and Alyssa are taking a well-earned break, but the challenges facing the office of the CFO are not slowing down. In this short episode, producer Mike Gravagno looks back on a year where AI moved from pilot programs to expectation and sustainability became more than a side conversation. Looking ahead to 2026, The Pre-Read will return with sharper conversations on data trust, AI governance, reporting rigor, and how leading teams turn systems into true productivity multipliers. Subscribe now and be ready for what's next.

    2 min
  8. Efficiency vs. Risk: The Semiannual Reporting Debate Continues

    12/15/2025

    Efficiency vs. Risk: The Semiannual Reporting Debate Continues

    Semiannual Reporting: Will doing "less" actually create more work? Finance and accounting leaders are split on whether moving from quarterly to semiannual SEC reporting will simplify processes or compound risk. In this episode, industry expert Tom Schneiders joins to unpack what a reduced cadence would really mean for teams, investors, and market stability. We cover: The hidden risk of doubling the data window—from three months to six Why most finance teams aren't asking to report less frequently How quarterly reporting strengthens risk management and operational discipline What's fueling the new momentum in the IPO pipeline Why generative AI is moving from experiment to essential for the C-suite If you want to understand how reporting cadence shapes trust, transparency, and executive decision-making, this conversation is for you.

    19 min
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4.8
out of 5
39 Ratings

About

Just like the slides you get before a big meeting, The Pre-Read prepares CFOs and senior leaders for the decisions ahead. This is the global podcast for the modern office of the CFO, focused on how finance leaders drive performance, resilience, and long-term value in a constantly shifting environment. Designed for executives operating at scale, the show features candid conversations with CFOs, board advisors, regulators, and business leaders shaping how companies compete, comply, and grow. Hosts Alyssa Zucker and Steve Soter connect financial performance, data integrity, regulation, and technology to the real questions CFOs are being asked by boards, investors, and stakeholders. From AI adoption and enterprise data trust to evolving disclosure expectations and global regulatory pressure, The Pre-Read focuses on what matters now and what's coming next. Each episode cuts through noise to surface practical insight, strategic perspective, and the signals CFOs need to lead with clarity. If you're responsible for stewarding capital, managing risk, and creating value over time, you're in the right place.

Information

  • Creator
    Workiva
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    167
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2023
  • Show Website
    The Pre-Read

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