LevelUp: Reimagining Finance Leadership in a Disrupted, Tech-Driven World With Sam Levy
Published on October 27, 2025
The finance world is undergoing a massive shift. Once defined by reporting and control, today’s finance leaders must steer organizations through constant disruption, volatile markets, and rapid technological change. The question is: how can modern CFOs evolve from financial stewards into true growth partners who drive strategy, innovation, and performance?
Sam Levy is Senior Vice President at Oracle NetSuite, the world’s leading provider of AI-powered cloud ERP solutions for growing and finance-led companies. Under his leadership, NetSuite has grown to serve thousands of organizations globally and is recognized as the #1 AI Cloud ERP, with a vibrant community including over 1,500 CFO Alliance member enterprises. With over 25 years of experience in enterprise software, he has also held leadership roles at Epicor, Infor, and other technology firms.
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:
• [00:00] Introduction
• [4:16] Sam Levy explains why connecting financial metrics to operations drives success
• [8:03] Why asking tough questions transforms CFO partnerships
• [12:28] Sam shares three high-impact uses of AI in finance today
• [15:59] Practical steps to clean and trust your data systems
• [19:42] Avoiding tech bloat by retiring old tools as you innovate
• [22:28] Why capital efficiency now outranks unlimited growth
In this episode…
The finance world is undergoing a massive shift. Once defined by reporting and control, today’s finance leaders must steer organizations through constant disruption, volatile markets, and rapid technological change. The question is: how can modern CFOs evolve from financial stewards into true growth partners who drive strategy, innovation, and performance?
According to Sam Levy, a veteran finance and technology leader, the key lies in operational fluency and connected decision-making. He explains that today’s most effective CFOs don’t just interpret the numbers; they shape what happens next by linking financial metrics to operational drivers and business outcomes. Sam highlights how leading finance teams are using real-time data and targeted AI tools to streamline forecasting, optimize cash flow, and strengthen cross-functional planning. The result is faster, smarter decisions and a new era of finance leadership grounded in clarity, confidence, and capital efficiency.
In this episode of the Level Up, Nick Araco speaks with Sam Levy, Senior Vice President at Oracle NetSuite, to discuss how CFOs can thrive in a disrupted, tech-driven world. Sam discusses the evolution of the CFO from reporter to strategist, practical applications of AI and automation that deliver measurable ROI, and how to balance growth with discipline in today’s capital-constrained environment. Sam also shares why mastering operational fluency is the defining skill for the next generation of finance leaders.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
• Nick Araco on LinkedIn - / nick-araco-jr-37b834
• Sam Levy on LinkedIn - / samjlevy
• Oracle NetSuite - https://www.netsuite.com
• “A Financially Driven Business Strategy with Jennifer Yousem, Founder of I Heart EBITDA” on the Level Up podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
• “The Pathway to Financial Leadership with Peter Nesbitt, Vice President of Finance at Teampay” on the Level Up podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
• “How People-First Leadership Defines Modern CFO Success With Ilana Esterrich” on the Level Up podcast - https://sites.libsyn.com/302459/how-p...
• “Scaling Mission-Driven Work Through Financial Discipline and Innovation With Aaron Wilkins” on the Level Up podcast - https://sites.libsyn.com/302459/scali...
Sponsor for this episode...
Level Up is proudly brought to you by Oracle NetSuite — the #1 cloud ERP trusted by thousands of high-growth, finance-led companies around the world.
NetSuite gives CFOs and finance leaders real-time visibility, automation, and control across their financials, operations, and planning—so they can lead with confidence and scale with speed.
Oracle NetSuite is also a proud and long-time global partner to The CFO Alliance, supporting our shared mission of empowering finance leaders to drive strategy, build resilient teams, and deliver next-level impact.
If you’re serious about building a modern finance function that keeps pace with your business, NetSuite is your platform.
Learn more at www.netsuite.com.