Sheshadri Savalgi is a seasoned business leader (CA, CMA, CGMA) with nearly two decades of experience across global powerhouses like P&G, General Mills, J&J, Coty, and Kellanova. His expertise spans India, Southeast Asia, and Africa, where he has led high-impact roles in General Management, Business Strategy, Change Management, Finance Co-Piloting, Supply Chain Finance, M&A, and Growth Strategy. Recognized for his strategic vision and ability to navigate complex business landscapes, Sheshadri excels in driving sustainable growth, optimizing financial performance, and leading transformational initiatives that deliver tangible results. He currently serves as the CFO of Kellogg’s Joint Venture in West Africa, leading financial strategy and driving business growth across the region.
In an exclusive interaction with Finance Outlook India, Sheshadri Savalgi, CFO at Kellanova (West Africa) walks us through the crucial role of a CFO as a change agent:
How has the role of the CFO evolved from a traditional financial steward to a strategic change agent?
Over the last decade, I have seen the role of the CFO undergo a profound transformation. It is no longer confined to financial stewardship, wherein, the CFO’s responsibilities have expanded beyond domain expertise to encompass broader business and general management. In many ways, the CFO has evolved from a finance leader with business acumen to a business leader with financial expertise.
What makes the modern CFO indispensable is the ability to seamlessly zoom in on the most granular business details while also zooming out to shape strategic vision and drive critical decisions. Organizations have come to recognize that CFOs are uniquely positioned to navigate crises, manage change, and steer businesses through uncertainty.
Today, being a custodian of financial health is merely a baseline expectation. A CFO must take an active role in defining strategy, driving transformation, and shaping the future of the organization. In a rapidly evolving business landscape, a passive CFO - or finance function - is a quick recipe to stagnation or even bankruptcy.
How can CFOs guide organizations through economic uncertainties while staying focused on long-term goals?
Economic uncertainty is the new normal, and CFOs must lead from the front - not just as financial stewards, but as strategic navigators. Their role extends beyond managing numbers; they must anticipate shifts in business models, anchor decisions in data, and have the conviction to say a bold “yes” or a firm “no” when required.
Guiding an organization through volatility demands more than caution - it requires challenging the status quo, stress-testing existing ways of working, and relentlessly prioritizing resources. CFOs serve as the bridge between external stakeholders and internal teams, ensuring clarity, alignment, and direction in turbulent times. More importantly, they must hold up a mirror to inefficiencies - calling out what’s not working rather than attributing setbacks solely to external conditions.
At their core, CFOs are the conscience and vision-keepers of the organization. Their mandate is not just to safeguard financial health but to uphold strategy, drive accountability, and enable transformation. In times of uncertainty, the CFO’s role is not merely to protect the business—it is to position it for long-term resilience and growth.
A true change agent should be seen as a trusted advisor - more like a doctor offering guidance than a regulator imposing rules. Building trust and credibility ensures teams and organizations embrace transformation rather than resist it.
What role does the CFO play in prioritizing and funding digital transformation initiatives
A CFO’s deep understanding of the business model, its key levers, and cross-functional dynamics - spanning supply chain, sales, HR, and operations—positions them as a critical bridge between business and digital transformation.
More than just a financial steward, the CFO plays a strategic role in prioritizing and funding digital initiatives. They assess transformation projects by identifying core business challenges, quantifying the value of solutions, and ensuring IT and digital strategies translate into tangible business impact. Acting as a connector between business leaders and technology teams, the CFO ensures alignment, accountability, and measurable outcomes.
With digital transformation now a top priority, CFOs are increasingly stepping in as key sponsors of these initiatives. Digital investments can be categorized into three areas: growth (unlocking new revenue streams), efficiency (cost optimization and liquidity management), and simplification (enhancing agility and scalability). A CFO ensures each initiative is strategically relevant, financially viable, and aligned with the company’s stage of growth - what’s a game-changer for a startup might be incremental for an enterprise. Ultimately, the CFO is the gatekeeper of digital investments, ensuring that transformation efforts are not just ambitious but also practical, sustainable, and value driven.
What role should the CFO play in managing stakeholder expectations during periods of significant change?
Managing stakeholder expectations is one of the CFO’s most critical responsibilities, especially during times of significant change. With diverse stakeholders - investors, employees, regulators, and business partners - the CFO must act as the bridge between financial strategy and business transformation, ensuring transparency, alignment, and confidence.
During periods of change, stakeholders seek clarity on three key questions: How does this impact me? How does it affect my team and objectives? Do I have visibility and control? The CFO must proactively address these concerns with data-driven insights, delivering a clear, honest narrative that builds trust and prevents uncertainty.
Balancing realism with optimism, the CFO must anticipate risks, identify opportunities, and communicate financial decisions - whether cost optimizations, restructuring, or investment shifts - in a way that keeps stakeholders engaged. Setting realistic expectations, reinforcing financial discipline, and articulating a strategic roadmap are essential to maintaining confidence.
Ultimately, the CFO is the organization’s financial storyteller, translating complexity into actionable insights. By fostering transparency, accountability, and resilience, the CFO not only manages expectations but also shapes the organization’s trajectory, turning uncertainty into a strategic advantage.
What advice would you give aspiring CFOs who aim to be agents of change within their organizations?
For aspiring CFOs looking to be true change agents, my advice spans two key vectors: first, mastering operational excellence, and second, elevating leadership impact.
Champion Institutional Learning - Organizations often fail to retain and leverage past learnings, leading to repeated mistakes. The lifespan of institutional knowledge is shrinking due to team transitions and a lack of structured learning capture. A CFO must champion a culture of learning, ensuring insights from past transformations - whether internal, from competitors, or other markets - are actively utilized to avoid pitfalls. Preventing “collective amnesia” is crucial for sustainable progress. Lead with Authenticity and Trust - Change is only effective when people believe in it. From a leadership perspective, authenticity is paramount. People see through intent, and a CFO who is genuine, empathetic, and trusted can drive change effectively. A true change agent should be seen as a trusted advisor - more like a doctor offering guidance than a regulator imposing rules. Building trust and credibility ensures teams and organizations embrace transformation rather than resist it.
