# Controllers Classified podcast Join us as they divulge exclusive insights on the topics redefining the world of accounting and finance, from AI to digitization to globalization. **URL Source:** https://www.brex.com/resources/podcast --- ### Text Controllers Classified Controllers and accountants perform some of the most critical and dynamic roles in business — and this podcast will share their inside stories and strategies. Join us as they divulge exclusive insights on the topics redefining the world of accounting and finance, from AI to digitization to globalization. Presented by Brex, an AI powered spend platform. ### Hosted by HOSTED BY [**Erik Zhou**](https://www.brex.com/authors) Chief Accounting Officer at Brex ![erik-zhou](https://brand.brex.com/transform/e4198fe4-c8c5-4380-aa48-0d67da638f97/erik-zhou) LISTEN ON [Apple](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/welcome-to-controllers-classified/id1712897034?i=1000632031041) | [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/episode/5AXQvXNVuQKXbi76jA7u3K?si=77dad7b62d174688&nd=1) Season 2 Season 1 ## Related Articles ### [Season 2 Episode 12](https://www.brex.com/resources/controllers-classified/season-2/episode-12) **Description:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou sits down with Richie Mashiko, Fractional CFO, to cover tariffs, ad spend, pricing strategies, and profitability for e-commerce and CPG companies. **Excerpt:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou sits down with Richie Mashiko, Fractional CFO, to cover tariffs, ad spend, pricing strategies, and profitability for e-commerce and CPG companies. ### [Season 2 Episode 11](https://www.brex.com/resources/controllers-classified/season-2/episode-11) **Description:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou sits down with Amber Papp, VP of Finance at Scentbird, to dive into the challenges of e-commerce accounting. **Excerpt:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou sits down with Amber Papp, VP of Finance at Scentbird, to dive into the challenges of e-commerce accounting. ### [Season 2 Episode 10](https://www.brex.com/resources/controllers-classified/season-2/episode-10) **Description:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou sits down with Brad Silicani, COO of Anrok, to talk about his journey from Big Four accounting to leading operations at a fast-growing tech company. **Excerpt:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou sits down with Brad Silicani, COO of Anrok, to talk about his journey from Big Four accounting to leading operations at a fast-growing tech company. ### [Season 2 Episode 09](https://www.brex.com/resources/controllers-classified/season-2/episode-09) **Description:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou sits down with Michael Williams, a Tax Partner at PwC, to unpack his firm’s POV on corporate tax strategies in 2025 and beyond. **Excerpt:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou sits down with Michael Williams, a Tax Partner at PwC, to unpack his firm’s POV on corporate tax strategies in 2025 and beyond. ### [Season 2 Episode 08](https://www.brex.com/resources/controllers-classified/season-2/episode-08) **Description:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou discusses the types of exit strategies and the role of the accounting team in those strategies with Karen Wu, CAO at Clari. **Excerpt:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou discusses the types of exit strategies and the role of the accounting team in those strategies with Karen Wu, CAO at Clari. ### [Season 2 Episode 07](https://www.brex.com/resources/controllers-classified/season-2/episode-07) **Description:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou covers building the finance function from scratch amidst an acquisition with Jeff Arensman, Controller at Bloomerang. **Excerpt:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou covers building the finance function from scratch amidst an acquisition with Jeff Arensman, Controller at Bloomerang. ### [Season 2 Episode 06](https://www.brex.com/resources/controllers-classified/season-2/episode-06) **Description:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou discusses building the accounting function out at a growth stage company with Desene Sterling, Controller at Sourcegraph. **Excerpt:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou discusses best practices for building the accounting function out at a growth stage company with Desene Sterling, Controller at Sourcegraph. ### [Season 2 Episode 05](https://www.brex.com/resources/controllers-classified/season-2/episode-05) **Description:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou tackles accounting process optimizations with Jake Jones, Controller at FinQuery. **Excerpt:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou tackles accounting process optimizations with Jake Jones, Controller at FinQuery. ### [Season 2 Episode 04](https://www.brex.com/resources/controllers-classified/season-2/episode-04) **Description:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou welcomes Jessica Peng, Controller at Invoca, who uses a recent revenue recognition system overhaul to highlight change management best practices. **Excerpt:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou welcomes Jessica Peng, Controller at Invoca, who uses a recent revenue recognition system overhaul to highlight change management best practices. ### [Season 2 Episode 03](https://www.brex.com/resources/controllers-classified/season-2/episode-03) **Description:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou discusses public company accounting considerations and best practices with Eric Van Cleve, Controller at 8x8. **Excerpt:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou discusses public company accounting considerations and best practices with Eric Van Cleve, Controller at 8x8. ### [Season 2 Episode 02](https://www.brex.com/resources/controllers-classified/season-2/episode-02) **Description:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou is joined by Jack McCullough, President of the CFO Leadership Council, to discuss the evolving role of the CFO and the rise of the CAO role. **Excerpt:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou is joined by Jack McCullough, President of the CFO Leadership Council, to discuss the evolving role of the CFO and the rise of the CAO role. ### [Season 2 Episode 01](https://www.brex.com/resources/controllers-classified/season-2/episode-01) **Description:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou discusses considerations for accounting in highly regulated industries with NexHealth Controller Matt Didden. **Excerpt:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou discusses considerations for accounting in highly regulated industries with NexHealth Controller Matt Didden. ### [Episode 12](https://www.brex.com/resources/controllers-classified/episode-12) **Description:** In the season 1 finale of Controllers Classified, host Erik Zhou is joined by Sarah Hinkfuss from Bain Capital Ventures to discuss investment due diligence. **Excerpt:** In the season 1 finale of Controllers Classified, host Erik Zhou is joined by Sarah Hinkfuss from Bain Capital Ventures to discuss investment due diligence. ### [Episode 11](https://www.brex.com/resources/controllers-classified/episode-11) **Description:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou is joined by Eugene Spevakov, Treasurer and Head of Corporate FP&A at 6sense, for a discussion on cash and risk management. **Excerpt:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou is joined by Eugene Spevakov, Treasurer and Head of Corporate FP&A at 6sense, for a discussion on cash and risk management. ### [Episode 10](https://www.brex.com/resources/controllers-classified/episode-10) **Description:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou is joined by Patrick Lynch, SVP and Controller of the Boston Celtics, to do a deep dive into the world of accounting and finance for sports teams. **Excerpt:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou is joined by Patrick Lynch, SVP and Controller of the Boston Celtics, to do a deep dive into the world of accounting and finance for sports teams. ### [Episode 09](https://www.brex.com/resources/controllers-classified/episode-09) **Description:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou welcomes Katie Slattery, VP of Accounting and Corporate Controller at Fivetran to discuss high-performing teams & global operations. **Excerpt:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou welcomes Katie Slattery, VP of Accounting and Corporate Controller at Fivetran to discuss high-performing teams & global operations. ### [Episode 08](https://www.brex.com/resources/controllers-classified/episode-08) **Description:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou welcomes Barrett Daniels, the co-leader of US IPO services at Deloitte to talk through considerations and best practices in the IPO process. **Excerpt:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou welcomes Barrett Daniels, the co-leader of US IPO services at Deloitte to talk through considerations and best practices in the IPO process. ### [Episode 07](https://www.brex.com/resources/controllers-classified/episode-07) **Description:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou meets with Sean Soper, Head of Financial Ops and Accounting at Alchemy, to discuss the state of the union for blockchain & its accounting use cases. **Excerpt:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou meets with Sean Soper, Head of Financial Ops and Accounting at Alchemy, to discuss the state of the union for blockchain & its accounting use cases. ### [Episode 06](https://www.brex.com/resources/controllers-classified/episode-06) **Description:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou is joined by Tom Kelly, NetSuite’s Product Marketing Lead, to explain why finance leaders need to be astute technologists. **Excerpt:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou is joined by Tom Kelly, NetSuite’s Product Marketing Lead, to explain why finance leaders, now more than ever, need to be astute technologists. ### [Episode 05](https://www.brex.com/resources/controllers-classified/episode-05) **Description:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou is joined by Sowmya Ranganathan, OpenAI’s Controller to discuss the different ways AI can make the accounting process more efficient. **Excerpt:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou is joined by Sowmya Ranganathan, OpenAI’s Controller to discuss the different ways AI can make the accounting process more efficient. ### [Episode 04](https://www.brex.com/resources/controllers-classified/episode-04) **Description:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou discusses tips for smart spending and important financial processes for post-IPO success with guest Angelina Hendraka, CAO at Redis. **Excerpt:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou discusses tips for smart spending and important financial processes for post-IPO success with guest Angelina Hendraka, CAO at Redis. ### [Episode 03](https://www.brex.com/resources/controllers-classified/episode-03) **Description:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou discusses how to build financial processes across regions and systems with guest Daniel Hilli, Head of Business Control at Alstom. **Excerpt:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou discusses how to build financial processes across regions and systems with guest Daniel Hilli, Head of Business Control at Alstom. ### [Episode 02](https://www.brex.com/resources/controllers-classified/episode-02) **Description:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou discusses best post-merger best practices and considerations with guest Lindsey Oshita, CAO, Americas at Franklin Templeton. **Excerpt:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou discusses post-merger best practices and considerations with guest Lindsey Oshita, CAO, Americas at Franklin Templeton. ### [Episode 01](https://www.brex.com/resources/controllers-classified/episode-01) **Description:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou dives deep into the evolution of accounting and finance with guest Ron Cook, the VP/Controller at Lightcast. **Excerpt:** Brex’s CAO Erik Zhou dives deep into the evolution of accounting and finance with guest Ron Cook, the VP/Controller at Lightcast.