VP Finance × Tech / SaaS: How the Conversation Is Moving

BullishGuests express strong optimism about their SAF projects reaching FID and scaling by 2035, e.g. Jet Zero's Mac expects '3 projects producing, 2 in construction' and Airbus's Celine says Australia can become a 'self-superpower' in SAF.

Energy Insiders - a RenewEconomy Podcast — Special Episode: The missing molecules - SAF, energy security and Australia’s next industrial opportunity · Aug 2026

MixedShe frames the next 12 months as balancing AI costs/ROI, industry disruption, and 'we don't really know what's going to happen with customers or competitors,' signaling cautious, mixed confidence rather than clear optimism.

Cfo Thought Leader — 1190: Fixing What Growth Tries to Hide | Jaylene Kunze, LegitScript · Jun 2026

BullishShe notes 'a lot of capital... sitting on the sidelines,' strong buyback/M&A activity, and a receptive IPO market, framing broader capital conditions as favorable though not the main focus.

All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg — OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar: IPO, AI Rivalries, New Device, and Spending $100B+ on Compute · Jun 2026

MixedHe recalls a 'really bad market' in 2022-23 and a 'really tough' NYC commercial real estate market, but frames it as something they successfully navigated—mixed/hedged view of external conditions.

Cfo Thought Leader — 1204: When Capital Conviction Matters More Than Market Timing | Andrew Korn, CFO, EliseAI · Aug 2026

SkepticalDiscussion centers on Australia's vulnerability from importing ~90% of liquid fuels and geopolitical disruption risk (e.g. 'the Iran war' exposing supply chain vulnerabilities), framed as a concerning structural weakness rather than a…

Energy Insiders - a RenewEconomy Podcast — Special Episode: The missing molecules - SAF, energy security and Australia’s next industrial opportunity · Aug 2026

BullishStrong optimism for the SAF/biofuels sector's trajectory—Australia seen as a potential 'feedstock superpower' with multiple projects progressing toward FID and industry 'thriving' by 2035, tempered by acknowledgment of cost premiums and…

Energy Insiders - a RenewEconomy Podcast — Special Episode: The missing molecules - SAF, energy security and Australia’s next industrial opportunity · Aug 2026

MixedDiscussion of the CFO profession's evolution (broadcaster vs. team captain, long-term vs. quarterly investor mismatch) is balanced/analytical rather than clearly optimistic or pessimistic about where the finance/CFO field is heading.

Run the Numbers (CJ Gustafson) — The CFO Who Was “Ill Equipped” to Save Lehman Brothers · Jul 2026

SkepticalShe calls it 'a weird time to be in software' with AI-driven disruption making customer/competitor dynamics unpredictable, shifting planning horizons from 3 years to 3 months—concerned more than hopeful.

Cfo Thought Leader — 1190: Fixing What Growth Tries to Hide | Jaylene Kunze, LegitScript · Jun 2026

BullishVery positive on AI's practical utility for SMBs and internal finance workflows ('genitive AI... is incredible,' 97% accuracy in bank reconciliation, Claude as a 'game changer'), tempered slightly by emphasis on trust/accuracy concerns.

Run the Numbers (CJ Gustafson) — Xero’s CFO: Why Finance Is Taking On More of the Business · Aug 2026

MixedAI is framed as transformative and mission-critical for growth, but also flagged with real caution ("only 3% of developers highly trust the accuracy of AI code," token cost overruns, need to "invite then verify"), making it a balanced…

Cfo Thought Leader — 1195: When Finance is at the Center of the AI Code Revolution | Jean Compeau, CFO, Sonar · Jun 2026

SkepticalDan Bats argues LLMs make people 'sound convincing' but 'hand-wavy,' warning that reliance on AI risks a generation not truly understanding the underlying work — a skeptical take on AI's downside.

Run the Numbers (CJ Gustafson) — The CFO Who Was “Ill Equipped” to Save Lehman Brothers · Jul 2026

BullishEnthusiastic discussion of new fuel pathways (ATJ, HEFA), novel feedstock innovations like the Pongamia 'supercrop' silvopasture system, and drop-in fuel technology enabling decarbonization without aircraft redesign, all framed positively.

Energy Insiders - a RenewEconomy Podcast — Special Episode: The missing molecules - SAF, energy security and Australia’s next industrial opportunity · Aug 2026

MixedBalanced view via the procurement anecdote: build and understand process manually before buying new software, cautioning against over-indexing on tech without process clarity.

Run the Numbers (CJ Gustafson) — How to Hire for Finance: Athletes First, Experts When Obvious · Apr 2026