Finance Unscripted

Peter Grausgruber (CFO at SoSafe) has built and scaled finance functions at the center of Europe’s fintech and crypto ecosystem. After starting his career in the Big 5 and the traditional corporate world in Oil and Gas, Peter made a highly unconventional move into crypto by joining Bitpanda in 2019 shortly after the company raised €43.6 million through its Initial Exchange Offering of the Bitpanda Ecosystem Token BEST.

As one of the first finance hires, he built the finance function from scratch and stayed through the full growth journey from early institutional rounds to Series C, raising a total of $485 million and bringing the company to a $4.1 billion valuation.

In this episode, Peter explains the difference between finance in tech versus traditional corporates and why modern CFOs must move beyond reporting into real time analytics and true strategic partnership. He shares a practical fundraising playbook based on his experience leading multiple rounds, covering investor relationship building, equity storytelling, choosing the right advisors and running disciplined processes.

Peter also reflects on the FTX collapse and how Bitpanda’s strong focus on risk management, treasury discipline and internal controls helped navigate industry wide turmoil. He walks through his approach to building finance teams from the ground up, scaling the function from zero to 350 people across finance in less than two years, hiring for mindset over credentials, sequencing accounting and FP and A functions, and building a structure that could support hypergrowth, lessons he continued applying at Fourthline.

Finally, Peter shares his perspective on the evolution of the finance tech stack, automation, treasury tooling and the modern ERP landscape. He explains why traditional ERP vendors are likely to remain relevant through acquisition and adaptation, and how AI is reshaping finance by shifting the role of the CFO from data preparation to judgment, quality control and strategic decision making.

⁠Stephen Ruegg⁠ (CFO at Podimo) began his career at UPS before moving into FP&A at Amazon, where he was shaped by a culture of disciplined metrics, ownership, and radical accountability. He later joined Flexport during its hypergrowth phase, learning how those principles must evolve inside a capital constrained scale up where focus, trade offs, and execution matter more than ever. His journey from the US to Amsterdam and now Copenhagen reflects a career built on operating at scale while adapting to very different environments.

In this episode, Stephen unpacks the cultural contrasts between Amazon and high growth startups, the role of finance as an accountability engine for the business, and how sharper prioritization drives long term outcomes. He also argues that the future of finance belongs to builders. As automation and AI handle the repeatable work, the real edge will come from leaders who combine deep business understanding with the ability to design systems, build automations, and create decision support tools. Off the shelf software may solve most of the problem, but the final 20 percent must be invented.

Julian Lange (CFO at Upvest) has built and scaled finance teams across some of Europe’s fastest-growing tech companies. He shares how he started his career in the U.S. at General Electric, became CFO of a business unit, and then took a high-risk move back to Europe to join the Berlin startup ecosystem. Julian breaks down the lessons from taking Marley Spoon, a German company with U.S. operations, public on the Australian Stock Exchange just four years after founding.

Julian also shares a practical fundraising playbook from leading late-stage rounds at scale-ups like Aiven (Series C and D) and Upvest (Series B+ and C). Beyond operating roles, Julian talks about his approach to angel investing, the energy he draws from working with founders and why giving back to the startup community matters to him. He closes with his perspective on how AI is starting to reshape the finance tech stack, including changing tools, workflows, and how finance teams work and scale.

Andras Mecser (CFO of Leapwork) shares his unexpected journey from mathematician to consultant to CFO, and the lessons he learned while building finance teams across regulated fintech and fast-growing SaaS companies. He reflects on the shift from consulting to operating inside high-growth startups, the realities of scaling a complex business, and what it takes to evolve finance from a control function into a true commercial partner. Andras also offers an inside look at major transactions, including leading the $500M acquisition of Sendwave while at WorldRemit during Covid. He breaks down what truly drives value in M&A, how he evaluates the modern finance tech stack, and why reliability still matters even as AI reshapes the tools, workflows, and skills of the next generation of finance leaders.

Hanno shares his unexpected journey to becoming a CFO, the lessons learned along the way, and his transition from investor to finance leader. He opens up about the complexities of guiding a company through the IPO process, the realities of life after going public, and the strategic balancing act between debt and equity financing.

What We Explore in the Podcast:

• How Hanno’s path to CFO was unplanned and shaped by unexpected turns.

• The value of learning from others’ mistakes and how it influenced his leadership style.

• Why communication skills are critical for effective leadership in finance.

• What it takes to successfully transition from investor to CFO.

• Behind the scenes of the IPO journey: preparation, strategy, and execution.

• The realities of life post-IPO, including new challenges and heightened expectations.

• Importance of optimizing Capital Structure

• Why profitability in software is not only possible but increasingly essential.

• How AI will transform finance teams, shifting the focus toward strategy and insights.

In this conversation, Robertjan Dekker⁠ (ex-VP Finance, Controller EMEA, APAC, LATAM) reflects on their journey with Netflix, beginning as one of the first employees in Europe. They share insights on the growth of the finance function, the pivotal role of company culture, and strategies for building high-performing teams. The discussion explores the challenges of navigating cultural differences in hiring, the evolving role of finance as a true business partner, and the impact of technology and AI on the function. Finally, they broaden the lens to the European tech ecosystem, emphasizing the importance of creating a supportive environment for startups and scale-ups.

What We Explore in the Podcast:

• Started as one of the first employees at Netflix in Europe.

• The finance function grew significantly as Netflix expanded globally.

• Hiring strategies focused on generalists who could adapt to various roles.

• Cultural differences in hiring practices were a challenge.

• Company culture is dynamic and evolves with the business.

• Finance should be seen as an enabler of business success.

• Technology and automation are crucial for improving finance processes.

• AI is viewed as a tool to enhance efficiency and decision-making.

• Building a thriving tech ecosystem in Europe requires collaboration.

• Leadership involves questioning and fostering a culture of feedback.

In this conversation, Chloé Giraut-Pierron (ex-Pigment, Qonto) joins Stacks Founder and CEO Albert Malikov to share her insights on fundraising, building finance teams in startups, and the evolving role of finance in the context of AI. She reflects on her personal journey from traditional finance roles to the startup ecosystem, highlighting the importance of relationships in fundraising, the challenges of scaling finance functions, and the skills founders and finance leaders need in the AI era.

What We Explore in the Podcast:

• Fundraising takes time and preparation, often between six months to a year.

• Founders often underestimate the time needed to gather and verify data during fundraising.

• Building a finance team requires a mix of experienced and junior roles to balance immediate needs and long-term strategy.

• Relationships with investors are crucial for successful fundraising rounds.

• The finance function in startups should evolve with the business, adapting to new technologies and market conditions.

• AI will play a significant role in automating repetitive finance tasks, changing the structure of finance teams.

• Hiring the right talent is critical, and it's important to look for problem solvers and adaptable individuals.

• Startups should focus on building a strong finance foundation even before Series A funding.

• The future of finance teams will likely be leaner, with a focus on high-value tasks rather than routine data processing.

• Continuous learning and adaptation are essential for finance leaders in a rapidly changing environment.

In this episode of Finance Unscripted, seasoned finance leader ⁠Dave Arkell⁠ joins Stacks Founder & CEO ⁠Albert Malikov⁠ to share lessons from bringing two European companies public on U.S. exchanges. Drawing from his extensive experience in SaaS and AI, Arkell discusses the evolution of finance metrics, building high-performing teams in early-stage companies, and how finance leaders can navigate the unique challenges of scaling and going public.

What We Explore in the Podcast

• Navigating the early stages of SaaS and AI transformation

• Building effective finance teams in a changing landscape

• The role of CFO: when and why to hire

• Common pitfalls in finance team development

• Journey of bringing two European companies on US exchanges

• Challenges and adaptations during the IPO process

• The role of finance leaders during transitions

• The future of finance tools and AI integration

• The evolving role of the CFO

In the first episode of Finance Unscripted, CFO of Mews ⁠Daniel Ahremark⁠ joins Stacks Founder and CEO ⁠Albert Malikov⁠ for a thoughtful exploration of how LLMs and automation are transforming the finance function at high-growth companies.

What We Explore in the Podcast:

• From military intelligence to finance: leadership through clarity

• Navigating IPO pressure and strategic acquisitions

• Building finance as a product-driven function

• Why data infrastructure powers modern finance teams

• The path to a fully automated finance org

• Hiring for impact in AI-native environments

• Structuring interviews to identify top talent

• Future skills every finance professional needs now

• How ERP systems are evolving with AI

• Leveraging AI to scale finance intelligently

• Changing mindsets for the AI finance era