A Fresh Take on the Evolving CFO Role: Insights from Chris Greiner
Chris Greiner, our featured expert, discusses risk management, prediction strategies, and public speaking prowess.
So, what's a CFO gotta do these days? Well, according to Chris Greiner, who's been around the block a few times, the game's a-changin'. Greiner, now back in the hot seat at Zeta Global, has brought a unique perspective to his role as CFO, shaped by his past experiences.
When Greiner took on the role of chief product officer, COO, and head of sales at a healthcare analytics company, it offered him a fresh perspective that reshaped his understanding of the CFO role. The gig taught him that value is added for customers through creating top-notch products, and for shareholders by streamlining the go-to-market strategy.
But it wasn't all smooth sailing. Greiner explains that in this role, he wasn't given the resources he needed to excel. Instead, he was subject to inspection, not enabled as a business driver. This experience left a lasting impact: CFOs need to step outside their function and recognize that their role isn't as critical as the value they help create and enable.
Greiner's approach to the martech space revolves around an ever-evolving resource allocation strategy, with constant reforecasting and dynamic decision-making. He believes that a CFO's job is to deploy capital effectively, ensuring it gets to the right places, at the right time.
Mo' Tech, Mo' Problems: Staying Competitive in Mad Tech
The mad tech (marketing and advertising technology) space is growing like wildfire, and Greiner has a strategy to keep Zeta competitive: daily reforecasting and a deep understanding of what drives revenue and growth. By staying on top of trends and reallocating resources based on those insights, Greiner aims to maintain Zeta's edge.
Data They Say, Data They Do: Cybersecurity and Data Governance
Cybersecurity and data governance are vital components of the budget, according to Greiner. At Zeta, data governance is about more than just security—it's about how data is used. Greiner and his team have implemented a single source of truth across the company and incorporate macro trends from their proprietary Zeta Economic Index (ZEI) into their forecasting models.
A Tale of Two Laryngitises: Mastering the Art of Communication
Greiner once grappled with speaking anxiety so severe he'd fake laryngitis to avoid public speaking. But the CFO has come a long way since then, now regularly addressing stakeholders, earnings calls, and public events. He attributes part of his growth to mentors, an emphasis on connecting numbers with narratives, and listening to diverse perspectives.
In the ever-evolving world of finance and technology, Greiner's insights provide a unique, pragmatic perspective on the role of a CFO. His emphasis on focusing on value creation, data-driven decision-making, and effective communication aligns with the demands of the modern martech landscape.
Sources:[1] https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/zeta-global-names-former-healthcare-analytics-executive-chris-greiner-as-cfo-301319332.html[2] https://www.forbes.com/sites/jimankouri/2020/08/24/the-future-ccfo-focuses-on-digital-transformation-analytics-and-cybersecurity/?sh=769fad683a0f[3] https://www.accountingtoday.com/news/the-top-10-challenges-for-cfo-s-in-the-new-year-2021-9
- Chris Greiner, now back at Zeta Global as CFO, has brought a unique perspective to his role, shaped by past experiences in various positions such as chief product officer, COO, and head of sales.
- Greiner's role change taught him that value is added for customers through creating top-notch products and for shareholders by streamlining the go-to-market strategy.
- In his previous role, Greiner was not given the resources he needed, instead, he was subject to inspection, not enabled as a business driver.
- Greiner believes a CFO's job is to deploy capital effectively, ensuring it gets to the right places, at the right time, as part of an ever-evolving resource allocation strategy.
- In the competitive mad tech space, Greiner's strategy for Zeta involves daily reforecasting and a deep understanding of what drives revenue and growth.
- Cybersecurity and data governance are vital components of the budget at Zeta, with data governance focusing on more than just security but also on how data is used.
- Greiner has overcome speaking anxiety and now comfortably addresses stakeholders, earnings calls, and public events, crediting this growth to mentors, connecting numbers with narratives, and listening to diverse perspectives.
- In the ever-evolving world of finance and technology, Greiner's emphasis on value creation, data-driven decision-making, and effective communication aligns with the demands of the modern martech landscape.
