The CFO Track

Sam Nagra has spent 23 years with Sonic Healthcare, moving from Financial Controller at the largest pathology practice in Sydney to CFO of the Australian Pathology Division managing across seven countries.
In Episode 9 of The CFO Track, Sam shares how he navigated several due diligence projects in a decade while building for successful integrations and stepping into a CFO role five months before COVID hit.
He goes through why culture beats strategy when deciding which acquisitions to walk away from and why staying 23 years at one organisation builds understanding that accelerates decision-making in ways job-hopping can't.
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
Career inflection points: spending 17 years as Financial Controller at one practice before stepping up to divisional CFO, questioning whether staying too long would hurt career progression but recognising the privilege of being in a globally successful Australian healthcare company.
Navigating seven M&A projects in a decade: learning that success is measured not by deals completed but by deals walked away from, focusing on cultural alignment and balance sheet quality over P&L promises when assessing acquisition targets.
Managing industry consolidation: transitioning from straightforward acquisitions when smaller to navigating formal processes and providing granular data as the market leader. How to avoid creating delays and uncertainty that will require new frameworks for integration planning.
COVID baptism of fire: becoming CFO in October 2019, then facing massive uncertainty five months later when scaling COVID testing at enormous volumes, while also maintaining existing testing levels and managing PPE shortages with financial consequences then taking a back seat.
The benefits of 23 years at one organisation: building deep understanding that accelerates conversations, developing strengths through multiple business cycles, and establishing cultural norms that align teams toward patient outcomes rather than short-term metrics.

If you're navigating high-growth M&A environments or leading through industry consolidation, this episode is one to keep an eye out for.

Stream the full episode now on Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts.

Laavanya Pari moved through four completely different industries before becoming the CFO of Beforepay, a high-growth, ASX-listed fintech.
In Episode 8 of The CFO Track, Laavanya shares what it's like to transition across shipping, digital media, and fintech. Then navigating the shift from non-stop work travel to choosing part-time work for a better work-life balance.
While at the same time, she learnt to build forecasts for digital businesses with zero historical data to work from.
Laavanya goes into detail about her progress across five different roles in eight years with the same business, the year-long process of getting to know a CEO before accepting the CFO role, and why weighing up your priorities matter more than chasing the perfect role.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
• Career inflection points: moving through shipping, digital media, and fintech by prioritizing learning from people outside your immediate team rather than staying siloed in traditional finance roles.
• Choosing work-life balance: transitioning from constant travel to moving part-time while her partner went full-time, finding a structure that worked for their family.
• Building forecasts without data: stepping into digital businesses with no historical financial data, pulling metrics from different systems to create dollar-per-listen models that adapt rather than become obsolete immediately.
• Transitioning between industries: writing down your honest top three priorities instead of chasing the full wishlist, finding transitional stepping stones rather than waiting for the perfect role at the perfect company.
• Taking a year to assess fit: spending almost 12 months in conversations with a CEO before accepting a CFO role, getting to know leadership style and team dynamics before committing to the move.

If you're navigating industry transitions or balancing career progression with personal priorities, this episode is one you don’t want to miss.

Stream the full episode now on Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts.

Nick Verrecchia went from a 10 week accelerated accounting course to becoming CFO of DHL Global Forwarding South Pacific, managing Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Papua New Guinea.
In Episode 7 of The CFO Track, Nick shares what it's really like to step into a CFO role, turning around a challenging leadership dynamic and navigating constant role changes every two years to keep learning.
Then why seeking knowledge from people smarter than you matters more than pretending to know everything.
Nick goes through consolidating five warehouse sites by learning from operations experts, managing through COVID when freight rates spiked and cargo replaced passengers in plane seats, and the reality of pitching business cases for hundreds of millions at global board level.
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
• Career inflection points: taking a 10 week accelerated accounting course instead of a traditional degree pathway, then intentionally changing roles every two years to keep learning rather than staying comfortable.
• Stepping into a CFO role with a challenging start: building trust with a managing director who initially had reservations, working alongside the previous CFO who became head of accounting, and turning the relationship around over five years.
• Seeking knowledge from people smarter than you: learning warehouse specifications from operations experts when tasked to consolidate five sites, admitting what you don't know rather than pretending expertise.
• Managing through COVID in logistics: adapting operations with split shifts and remote work setups, navigating planes flying with cargo in passenger seats as freight rates spiked and market dynamics shifted dramatically.
• Pitching business cases at global board level: presenting proposals for hundreds of millions in capital investment, handling feedback and rejections, then refining and re-pitching when circumstances change.

If you're thinking about international moves to accelerate your career or managing complex stakeholder relationships, this episode is one for you.

Stream the full episode now on Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts.

Sarah Petty spent nearly 20 years in corporate finance across global conglomerates before founding Olive Business Partners, a virtual CFO firm.
In Episode 6 of The CFO Track, Sarah shares what it's really like to step into a CFO role without an Audit background, navigating cultural nuances across Southeast Asia and Africa and the phased maternity leave return that helped to continue her career growth during COVID lockdowns.
She goes through the planning process before leaving corporate to start her own business, why sales and BD became her biggest challenge as a finance professional and how she's building a firm that gives both clients and CFO level professionals the flexibility they need.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:
Stepping into CFO role without an typical corporate accounting background: hiring complementary skillsets, building harmony between accounting and FP&A teams and why leadership matters more than technical expertise.
Cultural learning across Southeast Asia and Africa: discovering cultural differences and why curiosity beats assumptions when pricing products.
The phased maternity leave return: working part time on projects during COVID lockdown, before gradually ramping back to full time and passing that flexibility down to her own team.
Starting a virtual CFO firm: six months of planning, testing the market, building financial runway, then going cold turkey because sales and BD, don't happen from behind your desk.

Visit the Olive Business Partners Website https://olivebusinesspartners.com.au/ for more info.

If you're considering stepping into CFO without Audit experience or thinking about starting your own Fractional/Virtual CFO business, tune in to EP 6 of The CFO Track Podcast.

Stream the full episode now on Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts.

Deb Lane went from automating paper-based finance systems to becoming CFO at Laseraid and President of CPA NSW Divisional Council.
In Episode 5 of The CFO Track, Deb shares what it's really like to say yes to messy projects, managing teams through COVID lockdowns while building solar farms and the gap analysis that helped her land her first CFO role.

She goes through juggling 60+ hour weeks between her day job and public speaking, navigating AI in the corporate space and why soft skills and critical thinking will matter more than ever.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
Career inflection points: saying yes to messy projects and stepping into cleanup roles where others saw chaos, not opportunity.
Managing through COVID while building solar farms: keeping teams connected through video calls and managing by outputs rather than presence.
The gap analysis that unlocked a CFO role: printing job descriptions, identifying capability gaps, then asking for project exposure to build those skills.
Juggling CFO and CPA President roles: managing 60+ hour weeks, breakfast events before work, evening speeches after and why backing yourself beats waiting for "career fairies".
AI and the human element: why critical thinking and soft skills will become more valuable as AI handles tasks and how reverse mentoring from junior staff keeps leaders current.

If you're stepping up to CFO or trying to build influence alongside technical capability, this episode is one you dont want to miss!

Stream the full episode now on Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts.