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PODCAST

The Pre-Read

Just like the slides you get before a big meeting, The Pre-Read prepares CFOs and senior leaders for the decisions ahead. This is the global podcast for the modern office of the CFO, focused on how finance leaders drive performance, resilience, and long-term value in a constantly shifting environment. Designed for executives operating at scale, the show features candid conversations with CFOs, board advisors, regulators, and business leaders shaping how companies compete, comply, and grow. Hosts

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All Episodes

21:20

Stability, Agility, and Clarity: What 2026 Will...

The Pre-Read ·

2026/01/12

https://www.workiva.com/What does leadership look like when volatility becomes the norm? Workiva CEO Julie Iskow joins Steve Soder and Alyssa Zucker to unpack what 2025 taught executives and how to prepare for 2026. This conversation goes beyond headlines to explore how leaders can stay grounded while moving faster, make data a strategic asset, and meet rising board expectations with confidence. In this episode: Redefining resilience: Why stability and agility must coexist Data integrity as

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01:30

The Pre-Read Takes a Break: See You in 2026

The Pre-Read ·

2025/12/22

Steve and Alyssa are taking a well-earned break, but the challenges facing the office of the CFO are not slowing down. In this short episode, producer Mike Gravagno looks back on a year where AI moved from pilot programs to expectation and sustainability became more than a side conversation. Looking ahead to 2026, The Pre-Read will return with sharper conversations on data trust, AI governance, reporting rigor, and how leading teams turn systems into true productivity multipliers. Subscribe now and

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18:36

Efficiency vs. Risk: The Semiannual Reporting Debate...

The Pre-Read ·

2025/12/15

Semiannual Reporting: Will doing "less" actually create more work? Finance and accounting leaders are split on whether moving from quarterly to semiannual SEC reporting will simplify processes or compound risk. In this episode, industry expert Tom Schneiders joins to unpack what a reduced cadence would really mean for teams, investors, and market stability. We cover: The hidden risk of doubling the data window—from three months to six Why most finance teams aren't asking to report less frequently

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20:06

Total Organizational Intelligence: Why AI and...

The Pre-Read ·

2025/12/08

Jacob Andra, CEO of Talbot West, joins to discuss the urgent imperative for companies to move beyond siloed, ad hoc growth and embrace an integrated, tech-forward future. What you will learn in this episode: Why "total organizational intelligence" is a survival imperative for the modern enterprise How orchestrating your data across the organization is a huge unlock for immediate revenue opportunities The most common and foundational AI use case: standardized knowledge management powered by large

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20:29

What Leaders Really Think About Quarterly vs....

The Pre-Read ·

2025/12/01

Could U.S. public companies shift from quarterly to semiannual reporting? Jonathan Johnson, former chairman and CEO of Overstock and current member of various boards, joins the show to unpack one of the most debated proposals to SEC reporting. They explore whether fewer formal filings would help management teams stay focused on long-term enterprise value instead of reacting to quarterly earnings swings. In this episode: • How a semiannual cadence could affect a company's time horizon • Whether

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25:05

How the Texas Stock Exchange is Changing Capital Markets

The Pre-Read ·

2025/11/24

The Texas Stock Exchange (TXSE) is challenging long-held assumptions about what it means to go public in the U.S. Jeff Karcher joins The Pre-Read to share how the TXSE is rethinking the public company experience—reducing friction, lowering reporting and legal costs, and creating an environment where management can focus on running the business, not navigating lawsuits. In this episode, we explore: • How Texas' corporate growth sparked the idea for a new national exchange • Why the TXSE focuses on

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27:34

How CFOs Are Shaping the Sustainability Agenda

The Pre-Read ·

2025/11/17

Financial data has its challenges—but non-financial data is a different scale of complexity. It cuts vertically up and down the value chain, and now requires the same level of confidence as financials, with board sign-off and external assurance becoming the norm. In this episode of The Pre-Read, we break down how finance and sustainability leaders are aligning around programs like sustainability-linked bonds, why a long-term mindset matters, and how AI is helping organizations make sense of

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31:29

The CSO Role Is Evolving: A Strategic Partner to the CFO

The Pre-Read ·

2025/11/10

The chief sustainability officer (CSO) is moving from a siloed function to a strategic, finance-aligned partner. In this episode of The Pre-Read, Workiva Chief Sustainability Officer Mandi McReynolds sits down with Serena Oppenheim, co-founder of Fin-Erth, to discuss the need for a tighter integration between the CFO and the CSO, framing sustainability as enterprise risk management. Serena Oppenheim explains why genuine community, not transactional networking, is the key to tackling big business

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14:33

Evolving the Go-to-Market: An Executive's Guide to...

The Pre-Read ·

2025/11/03

AI has completely changed the rules of marketing, and finance can't afford to play catch-up. Workiva's VP of Revenue Marketing, Joel Capperella, joins Steve Soter to unpack how AI is reshaping data, trust, and decision-making across the business. As progression analysis evolves and web traffic declines, traditional forecasting and investment models are losing their edge. This episode breaks down what modern finance and marketing leaders must do to keep pace. You'll learn: Why the old CFO-CMO

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33:15

Why AI Needs Humans

The Pre-Read ·

2025/10/27

AI is revolutionizing finance, but the hardest part isn't coding or controls—it's fear. In this episode of The Pre-Read, recorded live at Amplify 2025 in Washington, D.C., finance and accounting leaders share unfiltered takes on how AI is changing the way teams think, work, and lead. You'll learn: Why fear of losing data lineage and control slows AI adoption How AI is driving teams to strengthen data processes—even before they deploy it Why emotional resilience and communication are essential for

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27:19

Getting AI Right: Ensuring Success and Avoiding Brain...

The Pre-Read ·

2025/10/20

AI isn’t perfect and sometimes it makes us worse at our jobs. Jen Stave of the Digital, Data, and Design Institute at Harvard joins The Pre-Read to explore why even top experts can become less effective with AI, what “cognitive offloading” really means, and why the future of AI success depends on human culture, not just code. Watch to learn: How the “jagged frontier” changes AI’s reliability Why some workers thrive with AI while others falter The hidden risks of treating AI like a teammate What

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29:52

Auditing AI: The New Imperative for Internal Audit

The Pre-Read ·

2025/10/13

AI is transforming audit, risk, and corporate governance—but most companies are struggling to keep up. In this episode of The Pre-Read, Radical Compliance’s Matt Kelly and Shane Negangard, Senior Director of Internal Audit at Workiva, join hosts Steve Soter and Alyssa Zucker to discuss: ✅ Why “shadow AI” is a real compliance threat ✅ How governance and internal controls must evolve ✅ The risks of AI in employee training and internal audit ✅ How auditors can move from reactive to proactive in an AI

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17:53

How I Became a CFO

The Pre-Read ·

2025/10/06

Jill Klindt, Workiva CFO, sits down with Ayssa and Steve live at Amplify 2025 in D.C. Hear how she navigated early startup life, tackled the challenges of being the public face of a company, and what advice she has for aspiring professionals. 00:00 Introduction 02:20 Early Career and Transition to Workiva 03:58 Building Workiva from the Ground Up 05:09 Becoming the CFO: Challenges and Insights 10:06 Reflections and Career Advice 14:43 Conclusion and Farewell

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19:31

Your Guide to AI Governance in Corporate Reporting

The Pre-Read ·

2025/09/29

AI is no longer just hype; it’s a powerful tool in corporate reporting. But what does it take to truly trust the outputs it produces? On this episode of The Pre-Read, Workiva Chief Information Officer Kim Huffman talks with Deepa Rao, a leader in sustainability and AI governance. They break down the essential steps for executives to govern and validate AI, including the "AIRS" framework for accountability, integrity, reporting, and stewardship. You'll learn why data quality is paramount, why a

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32:39

Beyond Compliance: Building Businesses on Voluntary...

The Pre-Read ·

2025/09/22

Sustainability isn’t a silo anymore—it’s shaping strategy across the balance sheet. In this episode of The Pre-Read, two CEOs share how they’re modernizing corporate approaches to climate challenges. Natalia Dorfman, CEO of Kita, explains how carbon insurance de-risks voluntary markets and drives capital into climate projects. Then, Orianna Bretschger, CEO of Aquacycl, shows how innovations in industrial wastewater treatment can reduce costs, lower emissions, and strengthen resilience. 00:00

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33:15

The Great Resignation at the Top: What’s Behind...

The Pre-Read ·

2025/09/15

Record numbers of CEOs are leaving their posts. But why? This week on The Pre-Read, Tim Paradis of Business Insider weighs in on the forces at play, from burnout to impatient boards and activist investors. We also hear from Workiva Chief People Officer Emily Forrester on why CEO succession must be more than a talent pipeline exercise. One keystone is working closely with the office of the CFO to ensure resilience through leadership transitions that align with long-term value.

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23:49

How to Win at AI: A Blueprint of People, Process, and...

The Pre-Read ·

2025/09/08

88% of finance, accounting, audit, and sustainability professionals in a new survey say they've seen an increase in ROI from using AI in the last year. But there’s a disconnect: only about a third of companies surveyed have the necessary governance, high-quality data, and role-specific training to support it. In this episode of The Pre-Read, we sit down with Workiva Chief Accounting Officer Junko Swain and Chief Information Officer Kim Huffman to discuss the implications of the Workiva 2025 Global

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21:13

Integrating AI and Sustainability: A New Leadership...

The Pre-Read ·

2025/08/25

Leaders in charge of projects around artificial intelligence and sustainability don’t need to manage those two trends in parallel, says Professor Michael Wade of IMD. In fact, strategies for the two are bound to intersect. The Pre-Read hosts Steve Soter and Alyssa Zucker dig into AI, sustainability, and how leaders can harness the transformative power of one to unlock the game-changing impacts of the other. Keep listening because there is an obstacle to twin transformation that may surprise you

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22:31

The Scrutiny Spiral: PCAOB in the Crosshairs

The Pre-Read ·

2025/08/18

The PCAOB is under siege. Critics say it's overreached its mission while supporters argue we've forgotten why it was created: to prevent another Enron or WorldCom. On this episode of The Pre-Read, Workiva Industry Principals Chelsea Hall and Grant Ostler join for a roundtable to discuss what's broken and what's worth saving. We examine the push to dismantle the board and roll its responsibilities into the SEC. We also discuss what executives need to keep in mind, the importance of maintaining

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33:05

Surfing the Waves of Uncertainty: Summer 2025 Market...

The Pre-Read ·

2025/08/11

The market is changing, and it’s not just about inflation or interest rates. It’s rewriting valuations, reworking supply chains, and reshaping your disclosures. This episode of The Pre-Read, brought to you by Workiva, explores what happens when market volatility meets materiality, and why CFOs, GCs, and audit chairs are all paying attention. We feature insights from Nick Mazing of AlphaSense and Josh Gertsch, Workiva Industry Principal for Capital Markets, on the unpredictable forces at play. Nick

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165 results

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