As Seen in CFO Studio Magazine Q3 2016 Issue

THE WINNERS OF THE 2016 CFO INNOVATION AWARDS SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS ON STAYING AHEAD OF THE CURVE

Innovators are men and women who make a difference in their chosen endeavors. Through their energy, leadership, identification of opportunities and risks, big thinking, unwavering dedication, and farsightedness, the 12 CFOs being honored this year are bettering 12 companies or tax-exempt organizations. Their bold actions have brought increased resources and/or respect to their employers. We asked each of the winners what they would say about CFOs as innovators. Several spoke about creating or carrying forward the company’s strategy. Others mentioned getting the most from their team. What these CFOs do every day is not unique, but it is highly successful because they have clear goals, leadership agility, and a plan for dealing with risk.

CFO INDUSTRY TRANSFORMATION AWARD

The CFO who has successfully transitioned from the position of CFO in one industry to the position of CFO in a company in an unrelated industry, and who has by applying experiences, insights, and skills from the previous CFO position had a significant impact on the new organization’s success.

ARLEN SHENKMAN

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, SAP NORTH AMERICA

“Decisions about how to allocate capital are complex, and depend upon many interrelated factors. The role of innovation is a key consideration. It influences how much of your available capital you’re going to invest in R&D and over what period of time you will look for your payback. It influences the amount of risk you’re willing to take and how you will seek to balance the long- and short-term interest of your shareholders. Investment decisions are not considered in isolation, but need to be judged in light of the strategy you’ve applied across the business. A decision to try to build new products needs to be assessed in relation to your broader capital deployment strategy to ensure a balanced risk and reward profile for your shareholder base.”

FINALISTS FOR CFO INDUSTRY TRANSFORMATION AWARD

David Feit, Chief Financial Officer, Pearl Capital Business Funding