In this episode of The Diary of a CFO: Live in Atlanta, I sat down in person with James White, CFO of ScanTech AI Systems, a Nasdaq-listed company using AI to secure the world's infrastructure. James spent over 20 years at Ernst & Young, including a secondment to Berlin, Germany. He then took over his father's CPA firm as managing partner before making the leap to corporate finance.
We talked about why being the smartest or hardest working person in the room is not what gets you promoted. How he learned to make himself likable and findable in rooms where he was often the only one who looked like him. What it was like drinking from a fire hose in his first month as a CFO after two decades as an auditor. The leadership books he read in his 20s that changed how he thinks about motivating people. Why he told a room full of AICPA board members that he feels like an imposter. What his father taught him about sacrifice by serving under George Wallace. And why his daughter is the only accolade that matters to him now.
This is part of The Diary of a CFO: Live in Atlanta, a limited in-person series where I sit down with CFOs and senior finance leaders right here in Atlanta.
Connect with James White: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-white-7606ab5/
---------------
👉 If becoming a CFO is in your 5-year plan, get your free CFO Readiness Scorecard here: http://thecfo.scoreapp.com
---------------
🎧 Listen to The Diary of a CFO Podcast on your favorite platform:
Apple Podcasts ▶️ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-diary-of-a-cfo/id1768818749
Spotify ▶️ https://open.spotify.com/show/2w2bL55ST959GgeAR6r7So?si=1c710288beb84b3c
---------------
📲 *Connect with Host Wassia Kamon*
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wassiakamon/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wassiakamon/
📲 *Follow The Diary of a CFO Podcast on social media!*
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-diary-of-a-cfo-podcast/
X (Twitter): https://x.com/thediaryofacfo?
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@csuitestories?
📬 *Get Involved*
Have a question or topic suggestion?
Email: Ask@thediaryofacfo.com
---------------
🎬 Video chapters:
------------
#WassiaKamon #TheDiaryOfaCFO # # #