In this episode, Summa Simmons, Associate VP of Treasury at Victoria’s Secret & Co., shares what most people get wrong about treasury and why it's a strategic powerhouse. She explains how treasury helps companies manage cash, risk, and financial readiness during major business decisions like mergers and divestitures.

Summa also opens up about her own journey from accounting to treasury, and what it means to be a true business partner across teams.

You’ll learn:

• How treasury supports M&A and long-term business strategy
• Why relationship-building is key to finance leadership
• The mindset shift from accounting to strategic thinking
• Career lessons on ownership, feedback, and staying curious

Most companies think cybersecurity is about firewalls and IT policies. But the real risk often starts with culture.

In this episode, Dutch Schwartz, VP of Cloud Services at SideChannel and former security leader at AWS and Raytheon, shares why companies with poor culture are three times more likely to face a breach. We talk about how leadership, disengaged employees, and outdated mindsets quietly open the door to cyber threats.

You'll also hear:

• The $25 million AI voice scam that could have been prevented
• How to build a culture of security that actually sticks
• What CFOs need to understand about working with CISOs
• Why cybersecurity is no longer just a tech problem

This conversation is a must-listen for finance and business leaders navigating today's digital risks.

Christina Ross, serial CFO turned CEO of Cube, explains why spreadsheets aren’t the problem and what finance leaders should focus on instead. She shares multiple frameworks for moving from manual chaos to strategic clarity. This episode is packed with insights on real-time planning, clean data, and leading high-impact finance teams.

In this episode, we cover:

• The four layers of strategic finance
• How to plan faster and forecast smarter
• Partnering across departments for better data
• Leading with speed, structure, and strategic intent

In this episode of The Diary of a CFO, Wassia Kamon speaks with Dr. Tamer Alsayed, CFO at the Future Investment Initiative and author of The Art of Becoming a Strategic CFO. With over two decades of experience across industries and regions, Dr. Tamer offers a clear-eyed view of what today’s finance leaders need to succeed.

The discussion covers:

• How the CFO role has evolved beyond reporting and compliance
• What it means to think and lead strategically in finance
• Lessons from working on IPOs, M&A deals, and international startups
• Why transparency matters more than polish in investor relations
• The impact of mentorship, curiosity, and AI on future finance teams

This episode is for anyone who wants to grow as a finance leader and make a meaningful impact in their organization.

Special thanks to Bill for sponsoring this episode.

Visit https://www.bill.com/guides to download a free toolkit on leading through uncertain times.

Welcome to Season 2 of The Diary of a CFO.

In this kickoff solo episode, Wassia Kamon shares behind-the-scenes highlights from Season 1, why some careers stall at the executive door, and what actually opens it.

You’ll hear:

• The real reason technical skills alone won’t get you promoted
• The 3-digit P.I.N. code to executive leadership
• What separates great CFOs from the rest
• Why work-life harmony beats balance
• What’s new in Season 2?

🎥 Full-video episodes on YouTube

🗞 A brand-new Substack called Off the Record

Join the conversation at: https://wassiakamon.substack.com/

In this episode, Syed Nadeem shares the lessons he wishes more finance professionals learned early on. He talks about why certifications alone won’t get you promoted, and why your mindset, human skills, and personal brand matter just as much as your technical skills.

Syed also shares how losing his job became a turning point. He built a global brand and started helping others grow in their careers. From business partnering to leadership, this episode is full of insights that can help you stay relevant and move forward, no matter where you are in your finance journey.

Today’s episode is brought to you by BILL, a leading financial operations platform for small and midsize businesses. I’m also hosting a free webinar on June 24th, 2025 at 1pm ET. Click here to learn more.

If you’ve ever lost sleep over complex contracts, usage-based pricing, or revenue schedules that live in hundreds spreadsheet tabs, this episode is for you.

I’m joined by Apurv Bansal, co-founder and CEO of Zenskar, to talk about how AI is helping SaaS companies automate billing and revenue recognition end-to-end. We unpack why legacy tools can’t keep up with modern pricing models, what finance teams really need from automation, and how to avoid the most common implementation mistakes.

Special thanks to Zenskar for sponsoring this episode.

Visit zenskar.com/upgrade to learn more.

Audit Director at FORVIS Mazars and board treasurer for Girls on the Run Georgia, Kendra LaFleur opens up about her journey from intern to partner, how she grew into strategic leadership, and how she navigates the evolving role of finance in mission-driven organizations.

Stephen McLain led 250 soldiers as an Army Commander. He built internal controls in Iraq to fight fraud and misuse of funds. And, he defended military budgets in front of NATO.

Now, he helps corporate finance and accounting teams fix problems with their internal processes, financial modeling, and strategy development.

In this episode, he shares what finance professionals can learn from leading in high-stakes environments. We talk about strategic thinking, transitioning from military to corporate finance, and the leadership gaps most companies overlook.

Treasury often works behind the scenes, but Matthew Harlan shows why it should be a key player at the table. We cover what treasury leaders bring to IPO readiness, how to rethink working capital, and how finance teams can collaborate better across functions.