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All the Action from October
We’ve been everywhere this month: hosting, speaking, and connecting. Here’s a look behind the scenes.
London | New York
Welcome to the October Edition of the Zanda Newsletter!
October was a packed month for our team, filled with events, conversations, and connections. We were delighted to be invited to speak at two external events, alongside hosting our own CFO Roundtable and CFO Masterclass, each events being a great opportunity to share insights and learn from the wider community.
Looking ahead, November is shaping up to be just as busy. With only two months left in the year, we’re keeping the momentum going and can’t wait to dive into more discussions, collaborations, and opportunities to support our community.
Keep reading to see the highlights from October, from key takeaways to memorable moments across our events.
We’d be super grateful, if you find these newsletters insightful to share them with your network. Also, remember to reach out if you have a Finance leader requirement or need any advice on how to elevate your finance function.
Enjoy this month’s edition and if there is anything you would like to see included, get in touch with [email protected]
What's included in this Edition?
Fractional Finance Playbook | Now Live
This month we were super excited to launch our new Fractional Finance Playbook - a comprehensive guide that breaks down how startups can access strategic financial leadership without the full-time commitment or cost.
Founders are getting smarter about finance, bringing in fractional experts for high-level support only when they need it, helping them scale effectively.
However, we frequently get asked:
When’s the right time to bring in fractional support?
What level of expertise do you actually need?
How do you structure an engagement that drives real impact and ROI?
Our new Fractional Finance Playbook breaks it all down - from understanding the levels of support available, to structuring your first engagement, onboarding effectively, and measuring impact.
This playbook is designed for founders and startup leaders at every stage of growth. Whether you’re currently managing your company’s finances yourself, running a pre-seed or seed-stage startup and considering your first finance hire, or simply exploring smarter ways to build a scalable finance function, this guide will help you make confident, strategic decisions that align with your goals.
CFO Masterclass | What comes after Xero?
We hosted a highly engaging CFO Masterclass on one of the most common questions we hear from scaling businesses: What comes after Xero?
As startups grow, their finance function inevitably evolves and so do their systems. This session brought together finance leaders and CFOs to explore what the transition beyond Xero really looks like, how to get it right, and what new solutions are emerging in the market.
We explored how startups can get the most out of Xero while it meets their needs, how to spot the signs that it’s time to move on, and how to evaluate the right ERP solution, whether traditional or AI-native, for your stage and strategy.
The session also covered practical tips for smooth migration and integration, highlighted emerging AI-driven finance systems and their potential, and discussed how CFOs and finance teams can plan for the short and long-term evolution of finance systems in a rapidly changing digital landscape.
A huge thank you to David Tuck, Matt Benaron, and Rolf Buhler for their valuable perspectives and insights, and to everyone who joined us for the thoughtful questions and discussion.
We’ve put together a full recap blog packed with insights, practical tips, and emerging trends from the session.
CFO Roundtable event | October highlights
At our recent CFO Roundtable, we gathered an incredible selection of CFOs who had the opportunity to discuss the evolving challenges and opportunities shaping their roles today.
Led by Edward Barrow, the session covered a wide range of topics: from the Founder’s Mindset and the dynamics of the CFO-CEO relationship to VC & PE economics and AI’s growing influence on the P&L.
One of points mentioned during the discussion centred around cloud infrastructure spend, now emerging as the second-largest line item after payroll, and in some startups, even surpassing it. Despite its scale, visibility into this area remains limited, creating what many described as a “black hole” in financial data.
It was fascinating to hear from Edward and the team at Cloud Capital on how they’re tackling this issue, helping CFOs gain greater transparency, control, and strategic oversight over one of their fastest-growing cost centres.
A huge thank you to all the CFOs who joined us, your insights and energy made it an incredibly valuable conversation.
AI and the Future CFO | CFO Connect Recap
In early October, our co-founder Dav hosted a lively discussion at the CFO Connect Summit with Jessica Pillow (Global Total Rewards Leader, Deel) and Mike Tsang (Finance Director, ARIA). Together, they explored how AI is changing the role of finance leaders and what skills will define the next generation of CFOs.
The session dug into how automation is reshaping workflows, the traits that keep finance teams ahead of the curve, and the mindset shifts every finance leader should be making now.
Here are a few highlights from the session, in case you missed it:
AI is transforming, not replacing, finance roles. Automation is freeing teams to focus on strategy, growth, and value creation.
Curiosity is the new competitive edge. As Jessica noted, there’s no playbook, teams should “treat AI like a product,” experimenting and learning by doing.
Upskilling is a shared responsibility. Employers can enable it, but individuals need to lead their own learning journeys.
Human judgment still matters most. Compliance, ethics, and decision-making remain at the heart of effective finance leadership.
The main takeaway? AI may change the tools, but people will always define the future of finance.
Zanda x Gathr | Breakfast with VC Professionals
At the beginning of the month, we had the opportunity to team up with Gathr to host an intimate breakfast for senior VC platform and investment leaders, a morning full of thoughtful conversations and shared insights.
The discussion often circled back to a key question: what should founders really focus on in their finance function between Seed and Series B? It’s a topic we’re always excited to unpack, as the right financial foundations can make all the difference to a company’s growth trajectory.
We’re proud to collaborate with Gathr in creating spaces where early-stage experts can exchange ideas, challenge assumptions, and help founders scale with confidence.
A big thank you to Mark Shepherd and everyone who joined us for such an energising and valuable morning.
Testimonial | RoleMapper
We know that choosing between hiring a full-time finance leader or bringing on a fractional CFO can be a defining moment for a growing business. It’s not just about filling a role, it’s about aligning financial leadership with your company’s stage, goals, and ambitions.
That’s why we take the time to truly understand where each client is on their journey. Whether it’s preparing for a fundraise, strengthening finance operations, or scaling with confidence, our tailored approach ensures you have the right person, in the right structure, at the right time.
We’re proud to have recently supported RoleMapper in navigating this exact decision, and the results speak for themselves. Their new fractional CFO is already driving real impact across the business, and we couldn’t be more excited to see their next chapter unfold.
Thank you Samantha Miller for the opportunity to support you with this important hire.
Current Opportunities
In this episode we have highlighted just a handful of our newest jobs, if you would like to apply for any of these roles please send an email to [email protected]
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If you have a similar role you are currently recruiting for, register your vacancy here!
