Smart CFOs don’t “cut spend.” They stop spend from becoming invisible.
They assign ownership
Every meaningful spend line has an owner who can approve, renegotiate, or kill it. If ownership is fuzzy, spend grows in the dark.
They run renewal clocks
Negotiation starts before the deadline. The best CFOs treat renewals as projects, not surprises.
They keep approvals fast
Control doesn’t have to feel slow. Clear thresholds + a single decider beats committees every time.