7: How CFOs Get Hired: What Boards and Investors Really Look For

7: How CFOs Get Hired: What Boards and Investors Really Look For

This episode is Part 2 of our Investment Savvy CFO series, recorded live at our recent Incremental Edge event. In this episode, Emma Pownall is joined by Peter Holt, Partner at Drax Executive, to explore how CFOs are assessed, hired and positioned in today's market. Moving beyond theory, the conversation explores what boards and investors are really looking for, what makes a CFO stand out, and how finance leaders can demonstrate impact beyond job titles or time served. The discussion also covers private equity readiness, ownership mentality, professional development, and the behaviours that can signal whether a CFO is ready for the next stage of their career. Whether you're a CFO, MD or business leader, this conversation provides a practical view of what boards and investors are really looking for. ▶️ Watch the conversation on YouTube [https://youtu.be/DKg0eVs8h8Q] 🔗 Connect with Emma Pownall [https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmapownall/] 🔗 Connect with Peter Holt [https://www.linkedin.com/in/peholt/]

6: Casting the Modern CFO: Expectations from Boards, Investors and

This episode is Part 1 of our Investment Savvy CFO series, recorded live at our recent Incremental Edge event. As expectations of finance leaders continue to evolve, the CFO role is becoming far more commercial, strategic and influential within growing businesses. In this episode, Emma Pownall is joined by finance leaders, investors and advisors to explore what high-performing finance leadership really looks like today. The conversation explores credibility, communication, operating at pace in invested environments and how finance leaders use data to influence business outcomes. Whether you’re a CFO, MD or business leader, this discussion offers a practical look at how finance teams are adapting to support growth, investment and decision-making across the wider business. ▶️ Watch the conversation on YouTube [https://youtu.be/SKpCdzdchyA] 🔗Connect with the speakers: Emma Pownall [https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmapownall/]Katy Bruce [http://linkedin.com/in/katybruce?originalSubdomain=uk]Tom Wildig [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-wildig-87b0a656/]Peter Holt [https://www.linkedin.com/in/peholt/]Vanessa Worsley [https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessa-worsley-fca-ba-hons-6a06442a/] 🔗 Incremental Edge is a Datel podcast. For more insights from Datel: https://datel.info/insights [https://datel.info/insights]

5: The OKR Effect: How Outcome Focus Transforms Strategy Execution

In this episode of the Incremental Edge, Emma [https://uk.linkedin.com/in/emmapownall] speaks with Roger Longden [https://uk.linkedin.com/in/rogerlongden], founder of There Be Giants [https://therebegiants.com/], a consultancy supporting organisations that want to turn strategy into action through OKRs. Roger works with businesses from ambitious 60-person teams to 20,000-person global corporates, and he shares what they all have in common when it comes to execution, alignment and accountability. They discuss why annual planning cycles no longer keep pace with reality, how shorter cycles help leaders course-correct, and why “spotlighting” creates real strategic focus. Roger also explains the relationship between OKRs and KPIs, the part psychological safety plays in making OKRs work, and the early pitfalls leaders fall into when they try to implement OKRs alone. If you’re an MD, CFO or operational leader who wants more agility, clearer priorities and better outcomes, this episode offers practical steps you can take straightaway. Follow the conversation on: ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4u-IlwKISLE [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4u-IlwKISLE]  🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0zcaM5eYG6MvbldHkOAg1q [https://open.spotify.com/episode/0zcaM5eYG6MvbldHkOAg1q]  🎧 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-okr-effect-how-outcome-focus-transforms-strategy/id1822520873?i=1000739310707 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-okr-effect-how-outcome-focus-transforms-strategy/id1822520873?i=1000739310707]  Read: Episode Shownotes & Key Takeaways: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/okr-effect-how-outcome-focus-transforms-strategy-execution-datel-gmlwe?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios&utm_campaign=share_via [https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/okr-effect-how-outcome-focus-transforms-strategy-execution-datel-gmlwe?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios&utm_campaign=share_via]  Read on Datel Blog: The OKR Effect: Why outcome focus improves strategic execution [https://datel.info/insights/the-okr-effect-why-outcome-focus-improves-strategic-execution]  Connect with the speakers: Emma Pownall - https://uk.linkedin.com/in/emmapownall [https://uk.linkedin.com/in/emmapownall] Emma Pownall is Marketing Director at Datel.  Roger Longden - https://uk.linkedin.com/in/rogerlongden [https://uk.linkedin.com/in/rogerlongden] Roger Longden is the founder of There Be Giants https://therebegiants.com/ [https://therebegiants.com/] Incremental Edge is a Datel podcast: For more insights from Datel https://datel.info/insights [https://datel.info/insights]

4: Inside Team GB: How Digital Change Turned Finance into a Strategic Partner

Team GB is a non-profit funded entirely by sponsorship - which means finance has to work differently. In this episode of The Incremental Edge, CFO Sarah Wallace joins host Emma Pownall to share how small, practical changes have shifted her finance team from admin to true business partners. Sarah explains how technology freed her team from manual work, why mobile purchase order approvals cleared a 12-year backlog, and how building everyday relationships across the organisation is changing the perception of finance. She also shares how better data on sponsorship margins is shaping smarter conversations, and why cash management is always front of mind in a sponsor-funded model. In this episode: * What makes Team GB’s finance model unique * The small wins that transformed ways of working * Finance as a trusted partner, not just a back-office function * Data that drives better sponsorship and cash decisions * One small action leaders can take this week Watch the conversation on: ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dcw8nmtwusw [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dcw8nmtwusw] 📝 Datel Insights Blog: [link] Read the ShowNotes & key takeaways: [LINK] 🔗 Connect with the speakers: Emma Pownall →  https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmapownall [https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmapownall] Sarah Wallace →  https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-wallace-53b64053 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-wallace-53b64053] Learn more about Team GB: https://www.teamgb.com/ [https://www.teamgb.com/] Incremental Edge is a podcast by Datel: https://datel.info/ [https://datel.info/]

3: Boardroom Balance: How Diversity Drives Better Decisions

What if your boardroom was more than a decision-making table.  What if it was the blueprint for culture and performance? In this episode of The Incremental Edge, Emma Pownall [https://uk.linkedin.com/in/emmapownall] is joined by Louise Stephenson [https://uk.linkedin.com/in/lousteph], Partner at LCAP Group and founder of the Empowering Women in Business community. Louise advises founders and private equity-backed businesses on building leadership teams that deliver real value. They discuss: * The three types of diversity that matter most * Why cognitive variety beats "groupthink" * How board composition shapes culture and future hires * The simple questions leaders should ask before their next appointment Whether you’re a CFO, MD or senior leader, you’ll come away with clear, practical ideas to build stronger, more effective leadership teams. PACE™ [https://web.draxexecutive.com/cn/advsj/LD_PACE] is a behavioural evaluation tool that benchmarks leaders against archetypes developed based on over 12,000 profiles to show how high-performing teams think and act.