We all know by now that the finance chief’s role has evolved from a tactical numbers cruncher to a strategic-thinking executive. A key part of the CFO’s expanding remit is juicing company strategy and growth.

CFO Brew recently spoke with a pair of freshly appointed finance executives who took on the role in part to help guide their respective organizations through the next stages of growth.

Tony Jarjoura’s promotion to CFO of cloud security company Gigamon came amid rising demand for its deep observability pipeline product, according to a company announcement. And Smarsh, a communications recording and archiving company, noted in a news release that its new CFO, David Brolsma, will “help guide the company through its next stage of growth.”

Eyes on the prize. Each company has a strategic vision for growth, and their CFOs have a role to play in achieving them. Both companies noted that their new CFOs’ experiences and skill sets would be instrumental in enabling growth.

Jarjoura joined Gigamon in 2020, and held VP roles in revenue operations and controllership, plus a stint as interim CFO before taking over full time. He “brings a unique combination of operational insight, financial acumen, and leadership to the CFO role, with a deep understanding of our business, technology, and channel strategy,” Gigamon CEO Shane Buckley said in a statement.

Click here for more on how these new CFOs are pursuing growth.—AZ

Smart water cooler company Bevi has grown to the point where it needs an in-house CFO. Wajeeha Ahmed, formerly CFO at Hungryroot and Barstool Sports, recently took on that role. She spoke with CFO Brew about what it’s like to be an emerging company’s first-ever CFO.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What’s it like being a company’s first-ever CFO?

As a CFO, I think about, okay, are the books getting closed on time? What are the processes there? How are we thinking about forecasting?...I would say those are just nuts and bolts. But other than that, what I think about is making sure that finance is positioned as a true partner to the business at all levels in the company….whether it’s an analyst or director on my team, that they are partnering with their stakeholders to make sure that we are there, helping people think through their decisions.

What are your goals for yourself and Bevi in your first year as CFO?

We’ve had such tremendous success, and the company is at this juncture where it’s onward and upward…There have been product enhancements. There are new flavors that are coming out. We’re entering new markets, entering new verticals. It’s a really exciting time. I want to make sure that I’m supporting and driving that strategic vision to take Bevi to the next level. But I also want to ensure that we have the right financial and operational foundation. Whether Bevi does 3x or 5x or 10x over the next few years, I want to make sure that the company has that infrastructure to do it seamlessly.

Click here to keep reading how this CFO is navigating new challenges.—CV

Consumer confidence took a sharp drop in February, and as uncertainty around consumer behavior—and what news regarding tariffs and other issues each day will bring—abounds, it’s tough to be confident in what that decline could indicate about future consumer spending.

As measured by the Conference Board, consumer confidence plummeted seven points in February to 98.3, the largest monthly decline since August 2021. It marked the third consecutive month of drops, as consumers became more pessimistic about the labor market, future business conditions, and income, citing inflated prices, trade and tariffs, and the Trump administration’s policies as concerns, Stephanie Guichard, senior economist of global indicators at The Conference Board, said in a statement.

Consumer sentiment, a similar metric measured by the University of Michigan, dropped 5% in February, and further plummeted 11% in March, the lowest since November 2022, with consumers citing the same concerns.

Historically, these consumer metrics, measured for over 50 years, have been recognized as a barometer for consumer spending, often dipping or rising in tandem. But this confidence drop is different from those in the past; it’s not corresponding with a worse economy as much as inflation and the broader political climate, Joe Schmitt, managing director and co-lead of the Retail Performance Improvement practice at BRG, told Retail Brew.

To read Retail Brew’s story on sagging consumer confidence and spending, click here.—EC