Women in Finance Playbook
Insights from OneStream’s Women in Finance Advisory Board
About this playbook
This playbook is grounded in insights from The Glass Chair — OneStream’s latest study. As part of our Finance 2035 initiative, the study explores the skills and pathways essential to achieve a modern finance function, including the trajectories, priorities, and digital adoption attributes of women in senior finance roles and how this can benefit the evolving role
of the CFO.
The findings are clear: while it often takes women longer to reach the CFO seat, their impact once there is undeniable. Organizations led by women CFOs outperform industry benchmarks, delivering an average annualized shareholder return of 4.5%. The non-linear career paths taken by many women reflect how they bring strategic breadth, digital fluency, and leadership capabilities — qualities that are increasingly essential in today’s finance function.
4.5% average annualized total shareholder return for organizations currently led by women CFOs.
To enrich the data, we convened an advisory board of senior women in finance who shared their lived experiences, perspectives, and practical strategies. Four key themes emerged from these conversations, each representing a critical area for professional growth and organizational impact:
• The power of self-advocacy
• Finding your career champions
• The strategic advantage of digital literacy
• Embracing opportunities for growth
At OneStream, we’re passionate about supporting women in finance — not just through powerful technology, but through meaningful dialogue and collaboration. Our mission is to share insights, celebrate achievements, and cultivate a diverse community of future finance leaders.
Whether you're preparing for the next step in your leadership journey or already shaping strategy at the highest level, our goal is that these insights inspire you to make bold moves, build lasting relationships, and continue to lead with confidence.
Insights from OneStream's Women in Finance Advisory Board
The power of self-advocacy
In senior finance roles, technical excellence is a given. What differentiates leaders is their ability to advocate for themselves — not just within their teams, but across the enterprise. Visibility and positioning are critical to shaping the CFO agenda and driving business outcomes.
Yet, even at the executive level, imposter syndrome and societal pressures can make many women hesitant when it comes to promoting their impact. But self-advocacy isn’t about self-interest; it’s about strategic visibility. Leaders across the business need to recognize you as not just a financial controller, but a strategic partner, connector, and driver of transformation.
Voices from the women in finance advisory board
“It’s important to be intentional about your brand and getting that brand out there. You have to constantly be building relationships and taking advantage of opportunities.”
—Beth McKenney, Principal in Advisory, KPMG
“As CFO, you carry a lot of authority, a lot of say on where the company invests, etc. But the fun bit comes through influence, and this only comes from nurturing trusting relationships.”
—Devina Rankin, Executive Vice President Chief Financial Officer at WM
“At the start of my career, I thought being good at my job would be enough. But I quickly learnt you have to raise your hand and make it clear what you’re doing.”
—Hiba Yazbek, Head of Finance and Accounting, MAHLE
five practical ways to advocate for yourself at the top
01. Own the narrative
Don’t wait for recognition. Make sure your contributions are being discussed at the board level, whether it's leading transformation initiatives, driving cost efficiencies, or influencing investor confidence.
Finding your career champions
Despite progress, leadership pipelines in finance remain male-dominated, and the path to senior finance roles is often longer and more complex for women. While technical expertise and strategic acumen are essential, mentorships and sponsorship are often the missing links for advancement.
While mentorship offers guidance, sponsorship is the real game-changer — it’s about someone actively championing your career, opening doors to high-impact opportunities, and executive visibility. Some of the most critical career advocates for women have been male leaders. But women often hesitate to seek sponsorship, fearing it may be perceived as self-serving or overly assertive.
Sponsorship isn’t just a career accelerator — it’s a strategic lever for shaping the future of finance. Be bold in seeking support, and generous in offering it. The next generation of finance leaders is watching and learning from you.
Voices from the women in finance advisory board
“You have to find that person in the organization who can help you grow. It’s not often that opportunities are just there waiting for you — you have to create them.”
—Sarita Sewnarain, Finance Transformation Lead, VodafoneZiggo
“Especially in larger, publicly traded companies, you’re not just going to get where you want to go through hard work alone. You need to build your network. As you get to the top, the pool of people gets smaller and smaller, and you don’t want to feel like you’re on an island.”
—Cathy Kresnak, CFO,
Air Distribution Technologies
“Having someone you admire and can speak openly with is huge. Without that counterpoint, you can quickly get disenchanted by how few women there are at the top.”
—Elena Rochelli, CFO & Board Member, Wasserman
five practical ways to advocate for yourself at the top
01. Be strategic about sponsors
Identify leaders with influence over succession planning, board visibility, or enterprise-wide initiatives — and engage them directly. Clearly communicate your career goals and the strategic value you bring to the business.
The strategic advantage of digital literacy
For current or prospective finance leaders, digital literacy is no longer a “nice to have”. AI, automation, and advanced analytics are reshaping the finance function, enabling CFOs and their teams to shift from operational execution to enterprise-wide influence. Leaders who engage fluently with emerging technologies unlock time for innovation, elevate their strategic impact, and drive resilience and growth. Automation isn’t just about efficiency — it creates space for leadership and better work-life balance.
Yet misconceptions persist. Women in senior finance roles often see AI as a shortcut rather than a baseline capability, which can stall adoption and limit strategic potential. To lead effectively, finance executives must embrace evolving technologies, integrating them into core workflows. At OneStream, we’re committed to supporting that journey through intuitive, enterprise-grade tools that empower smarter, faster, and more strategic finance.
Voices from the women in finance advisory board
“When we embrace automation, we unlock the capacity for our teams to focus on what truly matters —strategic thinking and high-value work.”
—Alicia Allen, Leader in Accounting, Finance and Business Process Transformation
“We need to think about AI as the new calculator, or the internet — just like we adapted then, organizations must now bridge the old and the new to stay ahead.”
—Hiba Yazbek, Head of Finance and Accounting, MAHLE
“Women might see AI as ‘cheating’ or a ‘shortcut’.
We need to rebrand AI as the new de facto way of working — the new standard for strategic finance.”
—Hope King, Founder of Macro Talk, and Contributor to Axios and Yahoo Finance
five practical ways to advocate for yourself at the top
05. Multiply your leadership impact
Leverage AI to coach junior leaders, streamline decision-making, and free up bandwidth for strategic initiatives. Done right, AI isn’t just a tool — it’s a force multiplier that helps you lead smarter and faster.
Embracing opportunities for growth
In finance, precision and preparation are deeply valued — but waiting for perfect readiness can be a career-limiting mindset. Senior finance leaders know that strategic growth often comes from calculated risk, bold exploration, and stepping into roles that stretch capability. This is why non-linear career paths, especially those involving cross-functional or tech-driven roles, are becoming accelerators to the CFO seat.
Opportunity doesn’t always knock — sometimes you have to kick the door open. Senior finance leaders who embrace uncertainty, stretch their capabilities, and evolve with technology will shape the future of the CFO role.
Voices from the women in finance advisory board
“Throw yourself into everything when you’re young, and so many paths will open to you.”
—Kirsty Ward, Finance Director,
Group Strategic Projects, Howden
“We have to get comfortable with not having 100% of the information. It’s about presentation, hunger, and willingness to learn.”
—Vrinda Shah, VP of FP&A, Grammarly
“Comfort can be a warning sign. If the work feels effortless, you've probably outgrown the role. Trust yourself, invest in your growth, and move on to the next challenge.”
—Devina Rankin, Executive Vice President Chief Financial Officer at WM
five practical ways to advocate for yourself at the top
01. Say yes — even before you feel ready
Growth often comes from discomfort. Each quarter, identify one area where you can step into ambiguity — whether it’s leading a new team, driving a digital initiative, or stepping into investor relations. Don’t wait for full readiness; readiness grows with experience. Say yes to stretch roles, then rise to the challenge.
Powering the future of Finance
The insights shared by our Women in Finance Advisory Board are more than reflections — they’re a call to action. Whether it’s harnessing new technologies, advocating for your contributions, building relationships that open doors, or embracing new opportunities before you feel “ready”, the message is clear: your career is yours to shape.
At OneStream, we’re proud to support women in finance not only through community and conversation, but through technology that empowers strategic thinking. Our unified, intelligent finance platform helps leaders move beyond manual tasks and fragmented systems — freeing up time and headspace to focus on what matters most: building influence, driving innovation, and leading with confidence.
From streamlining reporting to enabling agile decision-making, OneStream gives finance professionals the tools to elevate their impact and seize new opportunities. Because when women are equipped with the right support, both human and technological, the possibilities are limitless.
So, take the leap towards modern Finance. Speak up. Reach out. And remember: the future of finance isn’t just about numbers — it’s about who’s leading the conversation. By building influence, driving strategy and taking bold moves, women in finance won’t just participate in the future; they’ll help define it.
Join us. Take Finance Further.™
Through Finance 2035 and The Glass Chair study, we’re celebrating women CFOs and shaping a more inclusive future — together. To find out more, visit our Women in Finance hub.
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