Jennifer Garner’s Once Upon a Farm CFO Gets Post-IPO Raise
Once Upon a Farm, the organic kids‑food brand that raised about $198 million in its February IPO, announced a post‑IPO compensation overhaul. CFO Lawrence Waldman’s base salary jumps to $450,000, his bonus is set at 70 % of that salary, and he receives $1 million in restricted stock units vesting in two years. Co‑founder and brand ambassador Jennifer Garner will earn an additional $3 million over two years starting in 2027, expanding her existing $8 million spokesperson agreement. The moves aim to lock in leadership as the company scales its refrigerated pouch portfolio.
4 Legal Pricing Pitfalls to Avoid
Companies are increasingly using sophisticated pricing tools, but antitrust enforcement is tightening, prompting CFOs to scrutinize pricing practices. Attorney J. Wyatt Fore warns that even informal price discussions with competitors can trigger cartel allegations. Recent high‑profile cases, including Live Nation’s $9.9 million...
Prophix CEO Cautions Against Building an AI ‘Faster Horse’
Prophix CEO Alok Ajmera warned against merely speeding up existing finance tools, likening AI development to building a faster horse instead of a car. He highlighted continuous budgeting as the AI‑driven breakthrough the CFO office has chased for two decades....
Rebound in Hiring, Steady Job Openings Highlight Firming Labor Market
Hiring accelerated in March, with 655,000 more hires bringing total hires to 5.6 million and the hiring rate up to 3.5%. Job openings held steady at 6.9 million, roughly 3% below last year’s average. Meanwhile, layoffs rose by 153,000 and the quit...
The Knot Worldwide’s Michael Pickrum: How to Be a ‘Value CFO’
The Knot Worldwide (TKWW) appointed Michael Pickrum as CFO in January, branding himself as a “value CFO” who blends cost control with revenue‑generating insight. He is steering the wedding‑tech platform toward operational excellence by embedding artificial intelligence and reshaping finance...
The Real Gap Between Cybersecurity and Finance
Chief Information Security Officer Brian Blakley argues that CISOs and CFOs manage the same enterprise risk but speak different languages. The CISO’s technical focus on threats and controls often fails to translate into the financial impact that CFOs need for...
Data Bottlenecks Stall CFOs’ Push for Faster Month-End Close
LiveFlow’s survey reveals that nearly eight‑in‑ten finance professionals blame data‑access delays for sluggish month‑end closes. Only 16% of companies can close in under three days, while 37% need three‑to‑five days and a sizable share exceeds ten days. Although 80% of...
Age Fades as Barrier to Winning the CEO Seat: NBER Research
National Bureau of Economic Research researchers find the average age of newly appointed U.S. CEOs jumped ten years, from about 47 in 2000 to 55 in 2023. The rise reflects a growing demand for generalist skills as firms confront heightened...
Iran War Strains Global Business Travel, as Companies Adjust Meeting Plans
A Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) poll shows the Iran‑Israel conflict is straining corporate travel, with 76% of ticket‑purchasing decision‑makers reporting moderate or significant impact and 83% of travel suppliers seeing material effects on customers. Half of firms have altered...
Beyond the Numbers: FP&A’s Evolving Role in Driving Strategy
Financial Planning & Analysis is evolving from a historical reporting function to a strategic engine powered by real‑time data, automation and AI. The new model emphasizes rapid, decision‑grade scenario planning that informs product launches, M&A and capital allocation. Deloitte outlines...
New Checkr CFO Seeks to ‘Invest Heavily’ in AI, Core Tech
Checkr has appointed Tim Yarbrough, formerly CFO of ZipRecruiter, as its new chief financial officer. Yarbrough says artificial intelligence is a non‑negotiable investment as the company moves beyond employment screening into tenant, mortgage and other identity‑verification markets. He estimates a...
Global Payroll Is a Strategic Problem. AI Is Finally Solving It.
Global payroll has long been treated as a fragmented, operational chore, relying on a patchwork of local vendors and costly reconciliation. Recent AI advances shift payroll from assistance to autonomous execution, delivering "zero‑click" processing that cuts workforce‑management expenses by roughly...
Why Your First AI Hire in Finance Should Focus on Operations
The article argues that a finance team’s first AI hire should target operational tasks such as reconciliations, invoicing and cross‑system handoffs rather than analytics. Recent improvements in large‑language‑model precision, guardrails and audit trails now make AI reliable enough for repetitive,...
CFOs Flag Tariff Refunds, Led by Ford’s $1.3B Claim
Ford and General Motors have disclosed sizable potential tariff refunds in their Q1 earnings calls, with Ford reporting a $1.3 billion benefit and GM anticipating $500 million. The refunds stem from tariffs struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court, and U.S. Customs...
KPMG Trims US Advisory Business and Audit Partners
KPMG confirmed it will cut about 400 advisory employees—roughly 4 % of its U.S. advisory workforce—and separate approximately 100 audit partners, representing 10 % of its U.S. audit partners. The firm is also exiting its U.S. federal audit practice, impacting around 450...
Warner Bros CFO Awarded Salary Hike Amid Paramount Deal Pushback
Warner Bros. Discovery CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels will see his base salary increase to $2.5 million and receive a one‑time $2 million RSU award under a new contract extending to April 2028. His total 2025 compensation was $17.7 million, with a 175% bonus opportunity and...
Microsoft CFO Flags Workforce Cuts as AI Spending Surges
Microsoft CFO Amy Hood announced that the company will continue to shrink its workforce in the upcoming fiscal year, following a year‑over‑year headcount decline to about 228,000 employees. The move coincides with a $900 million one‑time retirement charge and a plan...
Economy Rebounds to 2% Growth in Q1, Spurred by AI Spending
U.S. economic growth rebounded in Q1 2026, expanding at a 2% annualized rate as record AI investment lifted business spending. Equipment and structures outlays surged 10.4%, the strongest pace since Q2 2023, while consumer spending rose 1.6% despite a 44%...
Puma Names New CFO; Touts Turnaround Progress
Puma announced that former Hugo Boss CEO Mark Langer will take over as chief financial officer and join the management board on May 1, succeeding Markus Neubrand, who will depart by September 30. The sports‑wear maker called its first quarter of 2026 a "solid start"...
Maryland Governor Signs CPA Bill Amid Licensing Reform Movement
Maryland Governor Wes Moore signed HB 643, a CPA licensing reform that adds a third pathway to the profession, eliminating the traditional 150‑hour college credit requirement. Effective Oct. 1, candidates can qualify by holding a bachelor’s degree, passing the CPA exam, and...
AI Could Unlock 10 Margin Points of Growth for CFOs by 2029: Gartner
According to Gartner’s 2026 Finance Technology Bullseye report, CFOs who align artificial‑intelligence initiatives with broader finance‑technology investments could generate an additional ten percentage points of margin growth by 2029. The study, based on a survey of 314 organizations, finds three‑quarters...
CFOs Expect Smaller Finance Teams, Fewer Junior Roles Amid AI Push: Survey
A new Oliver Wyman survey of nearly 500 global CFOs shows finance headcount will largely stay flat or shrink over the next three years, with 30% planning reductions and 61% expecting less than a 10% change. The bigger shift is in...
Nvidia Hands New Accounting Chief $12.9M in RSUs
Nvidia announced that Intel veteran Scott Gawel will become its chief accounting officer on May 4, succeeding retiring CAO Donald Robertson. Gawel will receive an $800,000 base salary and new‑hire RSU grants worth $12.9 million, vesting over four years. The move...
Former Waste Management CFO to Women: Don’t Wait for Perfect
Devina Rankin, who spent nine years as Waste Management’s chief financial officer, stepped down in November and now serves as an advisor before leaving the company. In a candid interview she urged women aspiring to finance leadership to abandon perfectionism...
CFOs Lean on AI, ‘Synthetic Audiences’ to Decode Consumer Behavior
Stubborn inflation and shifting consumer demand are forcing CFOs in retail to revamp forecasting and pricing strategies. A recent CFO Dive and Retail Dive panel highlighted how finance leaders are leveraging AI to generate synthetic audiences, drive precise markdowns, and...
Why AI Poses a Unique ROI Challenge for Accounting Firms
The article highlights the emerging difficulty accounting and law firms face in quantifying AI’s return on investment, as traditional efficiency‑based metrics clash with billable‑hour revenue models. While 34% of tax firms and 41% of law firms have broadly deployed generative...
What CFOs Can Learn From America’s Interstate Highway System
CFOs are urged to treat North American cash management like the Interstate Highway System, replacing fragmented banking silos with a unified, real‑time infrastructure. The article highlights that trade under the US‑Mexico‑Canada Agreement now exceeds $1.5 trillion annually, yet treasury teams still...
Break Free From Spreadsheet Chaos and Redefine Financial Leadership with Cloud ERP
CFOs are moving from pure reporting to real‑time strategic partners, driven by the need for faster decision‑making. Legacy ERP systems and spreadsheet‑based data stitching create risk and slow finance teams, prompting a shift to connected cloud ERP platforms. Integrated cloud...
Vibe Coding Got Finance Excited About AI. Now What?
Finance teams are increasingly using large language models to "vibe code" internal tools, turning weekend experiments into functional prototypes. While these early models demonstrate tangible value, the article outlines five warning signs that indicate a prototype has outgrown the sandbox...
Developing Equity Extension Strategies Through Systematic Fundamental Alpha Capture
Equity extension strategies aim to outperform benchmarks by pairing long positions with short sales, creating exposure beyond a traditional 100% long‑only portfolio. Fidelity’s Fusion Alpha Equity Extension applies a systematic, fundamentally‑driven 150/50 long‑short structure that leverages internal analyst research, portfolio‑manager...
Consumer Sentiment Sags to Record Low Following Gas Price Surge
U.S. consumer sentiment fell to a record low of 49.8 in April, driven by a 36% jump in gasoline prices after the Iran conflict. Inflation expectations for the next year rose to 4.7%, while long‑term expectations ticked up to 3.5%,...
FASB Steps Toward Extending ‘Portfolio Layer’ Hedge Rules to Liabilities
The Financial Accounting Standards Board voted unanimously to add a project that would extend the portfolio‑layer method of hedge accounting to interest‑rate‑sensitive liabilities. Currently, GAAP limits the method to assets, leaving insurers and banks unable to hedge life‑insurance policies, annuities...
Expedia Names Ex-Snap CFO as Finance Chief
Expedia announced that Derek Andersen, the outgoing CFO of Snap, will assume the finance chief role on May 11, succeeding Scott Schenkel. Andersen brings seven years of experience at Snap and prior finance leadership at Amazon and Fox Interactive Media....
P&G Expects $150M Earnings Hit From Middle East Conflict
Procter & Gamble said the Middle East conflict will shave about $150 million after‑tax from its fiscal 2026 earnings, mainly due to higher commodity costs, feedstock prices and logistics disruptions. The CFO noted that most of the hit will fall in...
WVU’s Incoming CFO Cited in Ohio State Probe
Ohio State University released a 47‑page report accusing former President Walter “Ted” Carter Jr. of misusing his position and finding senior advisor Chris Kabourek failed to stop or report the misconduct. Kabourek, who resigned from Ohio State on April 14,...
Iran War Slows Growth in Services, Manufacturing: S&P Global
S&P Global reports that Iran’s ongoing war has pushed the services purchasing managers index to its weakest three‑month level since early 2024, while output prices surged to a 45‑month high. Manufacturing output grew at the fastest pace in four years,...
The AI Journey Isn’t a ‘Sprint,’ Trintech CFO Says
Trintech CFO Omar Choucair says AI adoption is now an expectation for finance leaders, but it must be reliable, auditable, and aligned with the CFO’s zero‑tolerance for error. Trintech has embedded AI across its suite, launching the Beacon assistant to automate...
ServiceNow CFO Says Middle East Conflict Delayed Large Deals
ServiceNow disclosed that ongoing U.S.–Israel‑led conflict with Iran delayed several large on‑premise deals in the Middle East, creating a roughly 75‑basis‑point headwind to its subscription revenue in Q1 2026. Despite the delay, the company posted $3.8 billion in total revenue, up...
CFOs Feel Healthcare Pain Rising as GLP-1s Stretch Budgets: Mercer
A Mercer survey of 161 CFOs reveals that nearly three‑quarters now rank healthcare among their top five operating‑expense concerns, driven largely by soaring GLP‑1 weight‑loss drug costs. Employer‑sponsored health insurance expenses are projected to climb 6.7% in 2026, pushing average...
Gummy Bear-Maker Haribo of America CFO Departs
Haribo of America CFO Wes Saber announced his departure after 11 years, ending a tenure that saw the launch of the company’s first U.S. manufacturing plant. Saber, a former Mars executive, oversaw the $300 million, 500,000‑square‑foot facility in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin,...
Workday Preps AI Tool Aimed at Fraud, Error Detection in Finance
Workday is set to roll out its Financial Test Suite, an agentic AI tool that continuously scans financial transactions for fraud, duplicate invoices, and other anomalies. Currently in a limited pilot, the solution is slated for general availability in the...
AI Payoff Remains Distant as Firms Keep Spending, PwC Finds
PwC’s latest executive survey finds 81% of C‑suite leaders believe meaningful AI returns are at least a year away, even as 74% plan to maintain or increase AI spending over the next 12 months. The study places CFOs at the...
Contracts Are Turning Into Budget Protectors with Spend Intelligence
Financial contract intelligence, an emerging AI category, converts static vendor contracts into structured, queryable financial data. By parsing pricing, terms, and obligations, platforms like SpendBrain enable finance teams to validate charges, spot overpayments, and proactively manage renewals. This transforms spend...
Powering Partner Success with Innovation and AI: Avalara November 2025 Partner Webinar Highlights
Avalara’s November 2025 partner webinar unveiled an agentic AI strategy that embeds artificial intelligence across its compliance platform. New capabilities include AI‑driven reporting, plain‑language tax research, and integrations that let partners connect their own AI tools via Google’s A2A protocol....
FASB Cautiously Advances New Stablecoin Guidance
The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) announced it will issue illustrative examples in Topic 230 of the Statement of Cash Flows to help determine when stablecoins qualify as cash equivalents. Board members emphasized preserving the strict definition of cash equivalents, limiting...
How CFOs Can Lead a Smooth Digital Transformation: Wolters Kluwer
CFOs are increasingly tasked with digital transformation, with 53% now owning these initiatives, according to Wolters Kluwer’s global survey. Yet 27% flag cultural resistance as the biggest obstacle, highlighting the need for effective change management. CEO Maria Montenegro stresses that transformation...
What CFOs Should Know About Trump’s Tariff Refund Process
U.S. Customs and Border Protection will debut a new online portal on Monday to accept tariff‑refund claims stemming from recent court rulings, with potential payouts of up to $166 billion. Early data show 56,497 importers have already submitted documentation covering roughly...
Kimberly-Clark Keeps Urdaneta as CFO of Combined Company
Kimberly‑Clark announced that CFO Nelson Urdaneta will stay on as finance chief of the combined company after its pending $50 billion acquisition of consumer‑health firm Kenvue. The post‑merger leadership team includes CEO and executive chairman Mike Hsu, group president and COO Russ Torres, and...
States Diverge on OBBBA, Complicating Tax Filing Season
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) is prompting a fragmented response from U.S. states, with some conforming, others decoupling, and many taking a mixed approach. This patchwork is creating a massive tracking and modeling burden for corporate tax departments,...
Payscale CFO Calls for ‘Always on’ Comp Talks
Payscale CFO Philip Watson says the rise of Gen Z, ubiquitous salary data and expanding pay‑transparency laws are driving a shift toward “always on” compensation conversations. He argues that waiting for an annual review to discuss pay leaves employees under‑informed and...