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