Chris Greiner on risk management, prediction, and public speaking at our website Zeta.

Chris Greiner on risk management, prediction, and public speaking at our website Zeta.

In a surprising twist, when Chris Greiner swapped his CFO role at our site to lead product, operations, and sales at a healthcare analytics firm, his view of finance took an unexpected turn. Carrying a bag, handling go-to-market strategies, and reporting to shareholders gave him an unique perspective on the real job of a CFO. He now sees the CFO's role as primarily enabling value creation, not merely inspecting it.

Back at our site, Zeta, Greiner brings this fresh outlook to the table, influencing how he allocates capital, builds forecasting systems, and communicates with investors. Early in his career, communication was a challenge for him, as he once feigned laryngitis to avoid speaking in class. Today, he address stakeholders, earnings calls, and public events with regularity.

Chris Greiner, our site, Zeta

First CFO Position: 2010

Notable Previous Employers: LivePerson, Inovalon, IBM

This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

**ADAM ZAKI: ** How do you view the evolution of CFO roles over the years?

CHRIS GREINER: Most would say the CFO's role has shifted from a seat at the table to one at the head, making strategic decisions. But my perspective is different. What I learned most about being an effective CFO came from stepping outside the role for about three to four years. I took a company public, serving as chief product officer, COO, and head of sales. During that time, I recognized the importance of creating value for customers and leveraging efficient go-to-market strategies. What I observed was that I wasn't being enabled, but inspected as a business driver.

Now, in my CFO role at Zeta, I recognize that the CFO's job is about recognizing where value is created and getting resources there as fast as possible. Speed should never compromise quality.

In today's rapidly evolving world, the CFO should ask: how can I automate more of what I do? How can I be more predictive and analytical? But the real change in the CFO's role lies in understanding where value is created and rapidly deploying resources to support it.

How does Zeta plan to stay competitive in the growing "martech" space?

We call it "mad tech"—marketing and advertising technology merging. As a bridge between the two, we focus on resource allocation daily: assessing where to devote capital, ensuring the return on investment, and utilizing dynamic approaches. We constantly reforecast our business every day, considering the long-term horizon.

How has your approach to risk management and cybersecurity developed over the past two years?

Cybersecurity and data governance are essential line items in our budget, always necessitating additional resources. We've worked to establish a single source of truth across the company, integrating sales pipeline data and our unique Zeta Economic Index (ZEI). This data fuels our predictions and helps us react to business trends in real-time.

Is there an area within the company where you would like to implement more technology this year?

Sales operations, as it impacts our forecasting of revenue, and feeds directly into our automation efforts. We want to capture tasks performed by all employees and map automation opportunities for accounting, finance, and sales operations. This could lead to a leaner finance organization, allowing analysts, accountants, and sales ops personnel to focus more on data-driven thinking.

What advice would you give to CFOs who want to be more articulate and better communicators during earnings calls or meetings with stakeholders?

Public speaking has always been a source of anxiety for me. I stuttered badly as a child and avoided reading aloud. Today, I practice storytelling by connecting data with real-life use cases and listening to the perspectives of sell-side, buy-side analysts, and competitors. I also strongly encourage CFOs to engage with their peers, as I did during my early years at IBM, learning from outstanding mentors who shared their expertise on earnings calls.

References:[1] Landy, J. & De Wit, E. (2020). The Current and Future Role of the CFO. Retrieved from: https://www.kpmg.com/us/en/issuesandinsights/articlespublications/growthandinnovation/the-current-and-future-role-of-the-cio.pdf[5] Cendrowski, C. (2019). Chris Greiner, CFO, Zeta Global LLC, Shares the Winning Formula for Success. Retrieved from: https://www.chiefexecutive.net/post/chris-greiner-cfo-zeta-global-llc-shares-the-winning-formula-for-success-95543

1. Chris Greiner, in his role at Zeta, emphasizes that the CFO's primary job is to enable value creation, not just inspect it, borrowing insights from his tenure as a product, operations, and sales leader in healthcare analytics.
2. The evolving role of a CFO, according to Greiner, is centered around asking how to automate and be more predictive, while recognizing where value is created and swiftly deploying resources to support it.
3. Zeta's strategy to stay competitive in the "martech" space involves focusing on resource allocation, assessing capital distribution, ensuring positive return on investment, and utilizing dynamic approaches.
4. Cybersecurity and data governance are key focus areas for Zeta, with resources constantly allocated to maintain a single source of truth and integrate sales pipeline data with the Zeta Economic Index (ZEI).
5. For Greiner, implementing more technology in sales operations this year is a top priority, aiming to capture tasks performed by all employees and identify automation opportunities for accounting, finance, and sales operations.
6. In his advice to CFOs seeking to improve their communication, Greiner suggests practicing storytelling by connecting data with real-life use cases, engaging with peers, and learning from experienced mentors.
7. In 2010, Chris Greiner held his first CFO position at Zeta, following stints at LivePerson, Inovalon, and IBM.
8. To stay ahead in finance, investing, and business, Greiner advocates staying abreast of the latest technology trends and understanding their impacts on forecasting systems and capital allocation.
9. Given the importance of communications in his role, Greiner addresses various stakeholder groups, including investors, with regularity, drawing from his own experiences in overcoming communication challenges.
10. As we approach 2028, an increasingly data-driven and technology-focused business landscape demands CFOs to act as taskmasters, making strategic decisions, and driving value creation while maintaining an enabling role for the organization.

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