Op-ed: Everything that can be automated should be: Levi Strauss CFO

The role of the chief financial officer has expanded well beyond traditional finance. Companies’ critical need to build for a digital future — driven by consumers whose digital preferences continue to accelerate — is adding a new technological remit to CFOs of all industries. Today, CFOs are responsible for allocating resources to set up strong digital foundations; championing the right talent and organizational structure to implement digital objectives; testing before quickly scaling value-creating technologies like data visualization, robotics, artificial intelligence; and relentlessly measuring while communicating the shareholder value created.

Serving as more cross-functional C-suite executives, CFOs are working side-by-side with their C-suite colleagues to restructure and refocus businesses for sustainable profitability while defining and telling the story of how value is created by digital transformation.  

As the CFO of the 168-year-old company Levi Strauss & Co., I’m constantly working with my colleagues to identify ways in which we can do things better, faster and more efficiently through the use of emerging technologies and efficient business processes. Having the CIO and the ERP team report into me enables me to ensure that resources are allocated towards automating and digitizing the processes across the organization. Investing in this proactively as we test and scale digital tools, like robotics and AI capabilities, across the enterprise helps us unlock real growth opportunities and ultimately drive our business forward. 

As more companies embark on their own digital journeys, here’s my advice for other CFOs looking to understand their role in leading and pursuing a successful digital transformation.