Modern. Finance. Leader.

These three words have been rolling around in my brain for months. What does it take to operate a finance department in 2022? Is it any different than 2002?

The answer of course is yes. While finance professionals are known for their logic and reason, they are not immune to change. A new generation of finance leaders is making waves in Canada — rethinking how they build their teams, navigate career paths, implement technology, and steward their companies through the inevitable peaks and valleys they will face.

Retained Learnings was dreamt up as a way to put a spotlight on these forward-thinking finance leaders in Canadian startup and midmarket companies. People like Mark MacLeod, one of Canada’s most interesting finance leaders, and now executive coach, who shares advice from his long and successful career with companies including Shopify and Freshbooks. Or accounting leader Angela Gill, who is brave enough to explore the world of TikTok as a means of reaching new audiences.

This monthly digital publication will also take conversations about Canadian finance operations out of the 1:1 realm into a more public sphere where information is accessible to anyone. Whether you need real-world tips on navigating a migration to NetSuite or insights on how other teams are planning and executing their budget cycles, you can look for it here, or by listening to the Retained Learnings podcast, available on your favourite podcasting platform.

Welcome to the inaugural edition of Retained Learnings. Enjoy reading!

Until next time,

Amrita Gurney
Editor-in-Chief