The CFO’s Playbook: How to Use AI to Master Market Volatility | CFO of Axi, Himanshu Kher

In this episode of AI with Arun Show, Global CFO of Axi, Himanshu Kher, breaks down how a modern finance leader thinks about cash, risk, AI, and growth in a hyper-volatile trading world. From market shocks to funding choices and building a world-class finance team, this conversation turns complex CFO thinking into clear, practical insights for founders, operators, and ambitious finance professionals.​ If you want to learn how to use data and AI in finance, avoid the most common startup money mistakes, and understand what top CFOs really look at when making big calls, this episode is for you.​ What we cover in this interview What a CFO actually does in a global trading/forex firm and how it differs from traditional companies The key numbers and dashboards a CFO uses to judge business health How a CFO responds in the first 24–48 hours of a market shock or crisis Biggest risks in trading/fintech and how to stay ahead of them Where AI and data really work in finance (and where it’s just hype) How to build a high-performing, data-driven finance team How finance should work with product, tech, and sales (not just as a “reporting” function) The finance foundations every startup must build from day one How founders should think about cash, debt, and runway in today’s tougher funding environment Rapid-fire insights: metrics, habits, and resources every non-finance leader should know Timestamps [00:04] Introduction to the AI with Arun Show and guest Himanshu Kher. [01:02] Overview of Axi and the simplified role of a CFO. [02:14] Top three metrics for a healthy trading business: Liquidity, Client P&L, and LTV/CAC. [04:12] Why the CFO role in a 24/7 trading business differs from traditional SAS companies. [06:01] Managing the biggest risks: Liquidity shocks and regulatory failures. [07:38] Navigating tough financial decisions and prioritizing long-term resilience. [09:47] Defining market volatility and its impact on trading platforms. [12:47] How Axi leverages data and AI beyond the industry buzzwords. [15:37] Real-world AI experiments: Customer service automation and AI research agents. [17:50] Using AI for operational finance tasks like accounts payable and reconciliations. [19:20] Strategies for CFOs to become truly data-driven. [21:20] Common mistakes when adopting "fancy tools" without strong underlying assumptions. [23:44] Building high-performance finance teams: Moving from reporting to "illuminating." [25:40] How finance can partner effectively with product, sales, and tech teams. [28:23] Three things to fix in the first 90 days of taking over a weak finance team. [30:26] Financial advice for early-stage founders: Revenue vs. Cash and unit economics. [32:25] Non-negotiable finance processes for startups with limited resources. [33:50] Rapid Fire Round: Best habits, overrated metrics, and book recommendations. #AIwithArunShow #HimanshuKher #CFO #Fintech #Axi #FinanceLeadership #StartupFinance #Treasury #RiskManagement #AIFinance #FinancialStrategy #BusinessGrowth #FounderLessons #TradingBusiness #FinanceForFounders Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnOpIzLQgKq0yQGThlNCsqA/join