Unlocking the CFO’s Strategic Power in the AI Era with Kumar Parakala, CEO of Tabhi

In this episode of CFO Weekly, Kumar Parakala, a distinguished CEO, founder, investor, and board director, joins Megan Weis to explore how modern CFOs are evolving from traditional financial guardians to strategic architects of organizational transformation in an AI-centric world. Kumar brings 25+ years of experience including 15 years with KPMG where he co-founded the $3 billion technology advisory practice, and recently exited GHD Digital, a global business he founded that grew to 700 professionals across nine countries and was valued at over $400 million.

With his deep background in digital transformation and C-suite advisory, Kumar shares how finance leaders can leverage AI for real-time financial intelligence, dynamic forecasting, and strategic decision-making. Currently incubating 100 startups globally through his company Tribeco and bestselling author of "Lead to Disrupt: Seven Keys to Success," Kumar provides insights on how CFOs can transition from reactive financial reporting to proactive future-proofing of their organizations.


What You'll Learn:
➡️ Why CFOs must evolve to become "Chief Future Officers" and business model architects
➡️ How AI enables real-time financial intelligence and continuous budget management
➡️ The critical difference between traditional ROI metrics and AI investment evaluation
➡️ Strategies for CFOs to balance automation with human judgment and leadership
➡️ How to transform from mechanical financial operations to strategic organizational catalysts
➡️ The future skills CFOs need: digital intelligence, systems thinking, and design thinking

Learn more about Kumar:
➡️ Kumar Parakala on LinkedIn:   / kumarparakala  
➡️ Tabhi Website: https://www.tabhi.com/
➡️ "Lead to Disrupt" Book: https://a.co/d/6ek9nFV

Episode resources:
👉 Personiv's Website: https://www.personiv.com/
👉 Personiv on LinkedIn:   / personiv  
👉 Personiv on Facebook:   / personiv  
👉 Personiv on Twitter:   / personiv  

Listen to the full episode on your favorite podcast platform:
➡️ Apple: https://apple.co/3UpKFdJ
➡️ Spotify: https://bit.ly/4mAnKs7

Chapters:
[00:00] Intro
[04:31] Redefining Success: The Evolution of Modern CFOs
[12:04] AI-Powered Financial Tools: Forecasting, Risk & Budgeting
[16:08] CFOs as Chief Data Strategists
[21:04] AI Strategy: Startups vs Large Organizations
[26:12] Managing AI Risks and Cultural Transformation
[30:22] Continuous Learning in the AI Era
[34:26] Measuring AI ROI: Beyond Traditional Metrics
[38:41] The Future CFO: From Guardian to Transformation Catalyst
[43:40] Key Takeaways & Final Thoughts