From Go to CFO

A Podcast for aspiring finance leaders looking to take that next step in their careers. Hosted by [axr] Recruitment & Search Dave Goldbach & Kunal Gupta, this podcast will give you a unique insight into what it takes to become a successful CFO. Tune in as we speak to inspiring and successful CFOs from the [axr] network as they share their career journeys, how they got to be a CFO and what they learn along the way. It’s the closest thing you’re going to get to delving into the mind of a CFO!

From Go to CFO is a business podcast hosted by [axr] Recruitment & Search, with 20 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

[axr] Recruitment & Search hosts From Go to CFO, a business show with 20 episodes published.

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  Episode #5

  S4, EP5: From Chasing Titles to Redefining Success: Nick Barnes' Journey to CFO

  Aug 18, 202657 minS4

  Nick Barnes set himself a goal early in his career: become a CFO by 40. In this episode of From Go to CFO, he talks to [axr]'s Dave Goldbach about the winding path that got him there, from audit at EY in the UK, through PepsiCo, Suntory and SunRice, and into Australia's startup and scale-up world with Koala, MILKRUN and Vow, before landing as CFO of Karma Drinks. It's a career built on deliberate moves, but Nick is just as candid about what didn't go to plan. He talks through a gruelling SAP rollout he felt completely unprepared for, the culture shock of moving from a highly structured multinational into unstructured startup life, and the goal he eventually hit, though not in the way he expected. The most revealing part of the conversation is what happened next: how ten minutes a day of journaling and meditation changed his relationship with ambition, self-criticism and what actually drives performance. Along the way, Nick and Dave cover the real differences between big business and startup finance, why breadth of experience matters more than a straight line up the ladder, and how to keep pushing for more without letting it define your sense of self-worth. This one's for anyone building a career in finance, and for anyone quietly wondering whether the goals they set years ago are still serving them.

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  Episode #3

  S4, E3: From Backpacking to the Boardroom: Michelle Reynolds' Path to CFO

  Jul 21, 20261 hourS4

  Michelle Reynolds backpacked solo through Europe while her friends signed up for two-year stints working in London. It's the kind of call that sums up her whole career: take the path most people skip, and see where it leads. That path has since taken her through insurance, construction, rail and a hydrogen startup to the CFO chair at CIP Construction. In this episode, she joins Dave Goldbach, Director of [axr]'s Accounting & Finance practice, to talk about: How she picked up technical finance skills without a big-four background or a formal mentoring system to rely on Why she deliberately tries to make her own role redundant, and what she does with the time that frees up The board-paper lesson from her time under private equity ownership that still shapes how she reports to leadership today What it actually takes to run a startup's entire finance function alone, from payroll to capital raises There's no single route to the top of finance, just the one you're willing to take.

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  Episode #1

  S4, EP1: From Go to CFO is back: What our [axr] 2026 Salary Guide Actually Tells You

  Jul 7, 202617 minS4

  Season 4 of From Go to CFO is here. Dave Goldbach and Kunal Gupta are kicking things off with [axr]'s 2026 Finance and Accounting Salary Guide, including why it was built differently and how to get the most out of it. This episode covers: Why [axr] structured the guide around role scope and skills, not just job titles and salary bands How compensation varies significantly across large, mid-tier and small businesses, and why segment matters Why STI and LTI data becomes increasingly important from manager level upwards How roles have evolved, and why the title tells you less than it used to The mid-tier accounting market and common pathways from practice into commercial finance Where transformation is heading in 2026, from ERP and process improvement through to AI capability in finance Download our [axr] 2026 Finance and Accounting Salary Guide here: [axr] Salary Guide; Sales, Marketing, Category, Finance, Accounting

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  Episode #2

  S4, EP2: [axr] Market Trends & What's Next for Finance Leaders

  Jul 7, 202632 minS4

  Dave Goldbach and Kunal Gupta continue [axr]'s relaunch of From Go to CFO with a look at how the finance leadership market is shifting, and what it means for anyone building toward a CFO seat. They cover three areas: what's changing in the roles [axr] recruits for, the bigger market trends behind those changes, and what candidates should be doing about it. In this episode, listeners will: Get a clear read on why technical finance skills are now the baseline, not the differentiator, for senior roles. Understand how AI is reshaping day-to-day finance work, and where it's freeing up time for higher-value strategic input instead of replacing people. Hear why businesses are increasingly rewarding adaptability and range across a career, rather than long, unbroken tenure in a single role. Learn what kind of experience (transformation, M&A integration, ERP projects) is becoming genuinely valuable on a CV, and why. Come away with practical steps for building commercial and influencing skills, whatever finance role they're in today.

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  Episode #5

  S3, EP5: From Career Building to Legacy Leadership: James Mitchell’s Journey to CEO

  Feb 25, 202638 minS3

  <p>In this episode of From Go to CFO, we sit down with James Mitchell - an experienced CEO and CFO whose career spans professional services, financial services, hospitality, and property.</p><p>James shares his journey from his early days at Deloitte, where he built the technical and professional foundations of his career, through international experience in London and senior finance leadership roles including at Westpac. He reflects on his progression into CFO roles, and ultimately his transition to CEO at Baycorp in 2018, a pivotal shift that required him to let go of functional finance responsibilities and step into...

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