FinOps in Action

How do you make cloud data costs transparent and actionable when thousands of users share the same platform?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, I sit down with Oliver Milke from TD, who shares how he built a Data FinOps practice from the ground up inside a large financial institution, starting as a team of one and scaling into a dedicated function.

Coming from a background in economics and finance, Oliver offers a ...

Are “idle resources” really the problem, or just the easiest one to fix?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, I sit down with cloud architect and engineer Shailaja Beeram to explore a fundamentally different perspective: cost inefficiencies don’t start in the billing file, but in architectural decisions made long before deployment.

Drawing on over 15 years of experience across AWS, Azure, and GCP, Shailaja explains h...

Are you actually measuring the value of your cloud spend or just tracking the cost?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, I sit down with Kevin Mueller, Principal Architect of Cloud FinOps at Presidio, to unpack one of the most talked-about and most misunderstood concepts in FinOps: unit economics.

With over 20 years of experience spanning software engineering, AWS SaaS architecture, and cloud financial management, Ke...

Why do cloud costs stay high even after you build all the right dashboards?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, I sit down with Cristian Magherusan-Stanciu, Founder and Cloud Optimization Specialist at Leaner Cloud. With over 20 years in systems engineering and a background at Nokia, HERE Technologies, and AWS, Cristian built AutoSpotting, an open source tool that has helped more than 10,000 customers save money on EC2...

Why do so many FinOps practitioners miss the biggest savings opportunities, and what does getting technical have to do with it?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, I sit down with Nick Sudarikov, Finance Director of Technology Operations at InvestCloud, to break down how a background in finance and capital markets can actually make you a sharper, more effective FinOps practitioner.

Nick shares how he went from investmen...

Why are your cloud costs so high and what actually fixes them?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, I sit down with Jason Ward, Lead FinOps Practitioner at C.H. Robinson, to break down how to take control of cloud spend without slowing down engineering.

Jason shares how he went from mechanic to FinOps leader, built a FinOps function from scratch, and uncovered massive savings, including a 90% cost reduction from a single...

What does it really take to turn cloud cost chaos into a sustainable FinOps practice, and why do most organizations get it wrong from the start?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, I sit down with Loic Fournier, Senior Technical Account Manager at AWS and 2025 AWS Technical Field Community Legend. With over 25 years in technology, from mainframes to modern cloud, Loic has become one of the most recognized voices in AWS...

Why does cloud cost optimization only start after it’s already too late?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, I sit down with Jai Padmanabhan, who shares why cloud cost is no longer just a finance concern; it’s a core responsibility for engineering teams. Drawing on decades of experience leading platforms in complex and regulated environments, Jai explains how the shift to the cloud fundamentally changed how organizatio...

If you can’t see where your cloud spend is going, how can you possibly control it?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, I sit down with Stijn Depril, FinOps Architect at Euroclear and Co-Founder of Costra. He shares why cloud visibility is the starting point for any successful FinOps practice. Drawing on decades of experience in infrastructure and cloud architecture, he explains how many organizations rushed into the cl...

How do you move from chasing $15 cloud savings to building a scalable FinOps program that actually drives impact?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, I sit down with Chandan Bukkapatnam, Senior Cloud FinOps Analyst at Procore Technologies, to unpack what it really takes to mature a FinOps practice from tactical cost-cutting to strategic influence.

Chandan shares how he intentionally built his career at the intersect...

What if the biggest mistake new FinOps teams make isn’t missing savings, but executing them too soon?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, I sit down with Henrique Amorim, Business Analyst and FinOps Specialist at Crayon. He shares an honest look at what it really takes to build a successful FinOps practice. From resisting the urge to immediately slash costs to navigating engineering relationships and preparing for the ...

What is FinOps really? Is it just about cutting cloud costs?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, Rense Siegmund, Founder of FinOps Academy and FinOps Lead at Gasunie, shares a practical perspective on what FinOps actually is and why it’s about far more than technical cloud optimization.

With a background in coaching and team development, he brings a unique lens to cloud cost management: collaboration, culture, and d...

Why do so many FinOps programs struggle to prove business value?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, I sit down with Tamara Lajara, FinOps Principal Consultant at SoftwareOne, to break down what real FinOps value looks like and why culture, governance, and visibility matter just as much as savings. 

Drawing from more than a decade of consulting experience across industries, cloud maturity levels, and organizational ...

Why does FinOps work better when teams own outcomes instead of being told what to do?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, I sit down with Trig Ghosh, FinOps SME at Accenture Federal Services, certified FinOps instructor, and founding contributor to the Cloud Efficiency Hub, to unpack what actually drives lasting FinOps success.

Trig shares hard-earned lessons from building a FinOps Center of Excellence, aligning fin...

Why can’t FinOps teams rely on cost savings alone?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, I sit down with Rohit Mishra, Head of Cloud FinOps at Avaloq, to challenge the idea that FinOps is only about cost optimization. Drawing from over a decade of experience in cloud infrastructure and capacity management, Rohit explains why cost savings are just the starting point, and how mature FinOps teams drive long-term value by sh...

How do FinOps leaders make better cloud decisions when every organization is different?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, I sit down with Marit Hughes, one of the most experienced FinOps practitioners in the industry, to explore what actually drives good (and bad) cloud cost decisions.

With over a decade of hands-on experience managing cloud spend, from early AWS billing days to today’s multi-cloud, AI-driven envi...

Can developing soft skills like communication and conflict resolution accelerate FinOps maturity faster than tooling?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, I sit down with Cloud FinOps Manager at IHG Hotels & Resorts, Rick Triana, to explore why cost savings are actually the smallest part of FinOps, and why focusing on “spend reduction” can stunt your FinOps maturity.

Rick shares how he evolved from treating FinOp...

What does FinOps look like at massive enterprise scale?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, I sit down with Jarred Clore, Cloud FinOps Delivery Leader at Cisco and the first AWS hire focused on cloud cost optimization. 

Jarred shares candid stories from his early days helping Fortune 500 companies navigate cloud cost shock (including getting yelled at by customers) and the hard lessons he learned about culture, exec...

Can FinOps really be automated? Or do humans still need to stay in the loop?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, I sit down with Zak Ali, Global Lead for Cloud FinOps and Cloud Modernization at Invesco.

Zak unpacked the real-world risks of over-automation, why “humans in the loop” still matter, and how to drive FinOps adoption without mandates or chargeback.

With over 20 years of experience in technology and clou...