A Modern Finance Leader Balancing Data, Strategy And Influence
CFO
Wursta Inc
In today’s unpredictable economy, where uncertainty has become the norm and expectations have been transformed, the role of the CFO has never been more critical or more complex. Gone are the days when finance leaders were solely guarding the bottom line. Now, they are expected to be futurists, problem-solvers and architects of strategy. This expanded role calls for leaders who can see the full picture, connect dots across functions, and lead with numbers and through nuance. Few understand this shift better than those who have lived it from the inside, across international borders, diverse markets, and industries. Among them is Alexander J. Freeman, who currently serves as Chief Financial Officer at Wursta Inc., a growing digital consultancy based in the U.S.. He is a seasoned finance professional who has spent the last two decades quietly building a career that mirrors the evolution of the CFO role itself. With experience spanning global giants and high-growth environments, he brings with him a blend of rigor, foresight, and heart that is increasingly rare in the world of corporate finance. His journey—from managing a $200M portfolio in Russia & CIS for Dell, to optimizing over $1.6B in strategic investments at American Express, and leading finance functions across Visa, HID Global, and Diebold Nixdorf—reflects not just career progression, but a continuous commitment to solving complex problems, building high-performing teams, and driving transformation where it matters most. Beyond his technical expertise, he is known for his results-oriented leadership style and global mindset,having worked extensively across the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East. He firmly believes in empowering people, aligning purpose with performance, and using finance as a force for clarity and confidence. In an exclusive conversation with TradeFlock, Alexander shares insights from his journey, reflections on leadership, and his view on what it truly means to be a CFO today.
If you told my younger self—hustling through a small business and dreaming bigger at business school—that I’d one day be navigating billion-dollar budgets and global finance ops, I probably would’ve laughed and asked for another cup of coffee. But looking back, one principle has quietly guided me through every role, every company, every twist: keep moving forward, but do it in a smart way. From managing credit risk at Citi to diving into P&Ls at Dell, building out complex integrations, and later tackling a $1.5B zero-based budget at Amex (a job no one wanted, by the way), I’ve learned that careers evolve like portfolio investments. In your 20s, take risks. In your 50s, protect the foundation. It’s less about always having the perfect plan and more about adjusting your course with purpose—and attitude.
Mentorship helped too, though not always in the traditional sense. Some of my best mentors came from unexpected places—Cicero, Dostoevsky, even the Count of Monte Cristo. I’ve learned that
I’ve always believed that numbers don’t speak for themselves—you have to give them a voice. Early in my career, I realized that sharing financial data without context is like handing someone a novel in a language they don’t understand. If you want non-finance leaders to care, you have to tell the story behind the spreadsheet. For me, it starts with relevance. I don’t walk into a meeting talking about WACC or capital efficiency ratios unless that’s what we’re there to unpack. But revenue growth? Cash flow trends? Those speak to everyone. Not every metric belongs in every conversation—and recognizing that is where communication begins. One moment that stuck with me was having to explain why, despite being profitable, we needed to temporarily scale back bonuses. Naturally, there was confusion. That’s when I said, “Profit and cash flow may travel in the same direction, but they don’t always arrive at the same time.” Those are the moments I live for —where understanding unlocks alignment. I also believe in choosing a small set of KPIs that are directly tied to business outcomes and easily understood across the board. Then, it’s about weaving those into a broader narrative—building a financial story that’s shared in chapters, not spreadsheets.
That’s the goal. And to get there, I see myself less as a numbers person and more as an interpreter—bridging the analytical with the actionable, and making sure strategy is something we all build together.
On our journey to the singularity—yes, I like to think about the long term—the environment is always dynamic. The pace at which things accelerate may be out of our hands, but how do we react and adapt? That’s entirely up to us. For me, financial resilience is about smart balance. The company has to be lean enough to generate strong profits and cash flow, but not so lean that we miss out on real-time opportunities. It’s a tightrope walk. I often say, “Resilience lies in knowing when to optimize and when to invest—when to hold back and when to lean in.” Now, as someone who is involved in running a Google licenses and cloud services partnership business, internationally —right in the thick of AI, Gemini, and all things cutting-edge—you’d think I’d always be chasing the next big thing. But actually, I caution against that. The fundamentals matter. We constantly look for efficiencies across the board— software, real estate, travel, and yes, headcount. That said, I don’t believe in “optimizing” so deep that you lose your ability to act. I prefer to keep a smart level of capacity—experienced people who can take on new initiatives or react quickly to the unexpected. That kind of built-in agility is often underrated.And in an era where “free money” is on pause, I’m a big advocate of building a war chest. Liquidity gives you power—it gives you options. It means you’re not just surviving the storm, you’re ready to scale when the sun shines again. Lastly, communication is everything. Finance doesn’t work in isolation. I believe other units should understand our financial priorities and vice versa. I keep our approval processes simple and transparent —once people understand the ‘why,’ they start speaking the same language.
Even in the age of AI and automation, I’ve found that numbers alone don’t drive alignment—people do. Tools can crunch data, but they can’t connect dots across departments or bring clarity to tough decisions. Despite AI advancements – communication, creativity and relationship building will remain a human endeavor for some years to come. That’s where the human side of finance shows up. Whether it’s shaping sales comp plans, weighing in on hiring, or supporting customer negotiations, I make it a point to be in rooms where finance isn’t always expected—but always adds value. “True financial leadership means stepping in early, asking the right questions, and helping others see the bigger picture.” At the end of the day, strategy is about choices—and people still want a trusted voice to help make them. That’s one thing automation can’t replace.
Professionally, I’m exactly where I want to be—and that’s a gift. I’m grateful every day for the trust Matt Wursta, our Founder and CEO, has placed in me. My role challenges me, fulfills me, and allows me to contribute meaningfully. But we’re not just maintaining—we’re scaling. We’ve got exciting plans for growth, both stateside and internationally, and 2025 is already opening doors we’re eager to walk through.
If the opportunity comes, I’d love to help reconnect Western business with Russia and contribute to Ukraine’s reconstruction. These won’t be corporate milestones— they’ll be passion projects. And for me, that’s the most meaningful kind of ambition.
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