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CFO Melissa Howatson of Vena Solutions Says Finance Must Cut Through Data Noise to Drive Decisions
On September 11 2026, Toronto‑based Vena Solutions CFO Melissa Howatson cautioned that the flood of data generated by artificial‑intelligence tools is turning CFOs into gatekeepers, tasked with sifting signal from noise.
"The growing volume of data created by AI tools forces CFOs to act as gatekeepers who sift signal from noise," Howatson told reporters. She noted that while more information can accelerate decision‑making, it can also lead to a paralysis of analysis when analysts are overwhelmed. The CFO added, “With experience, you can look through and figure out which are those signals that really do matter, and how are we going to not get stuck in perpetual analysis reconciliation and still drive decisions?”
Howatson’s method for filtering data involves collaboration with experts inside and outside the finance function, from marketing and research‑and‑development teams to vendors and third‑party partners. She stresses that knowing when additional information will not change a decision is as important as gathering data. "Let’s just make sure we get that data and get to the other side of a decision, because it’s just too easy to have too many meetings, too many pieces of analysis, and yet having 100 % of the data isn’t likely going to drive much different of a decision than being 80 % there," she said.
She has served as Vena’s CFO since December 2022. Prior to that, she held CFO roles at e‑learning platform D2L, enterprise‑AI company Primal, and human‑resources provider Qwalify. In 2023 she launched the company’s monthly CFO podcast, The CFO Show.
The CFO role has expanded beyond stewardship of accurate financial records to include a strategic‑catalyst function. Howatson explained, “Finance chiefs today still need to wear the stewardship hat, ensuring the business’ numbers are accurate, but they also get to wear the strategic‑catalyst hat.” She added that her responsibilities now include operations and finance, and she is spending more time on the “decisioning side.” The shift means other finance team members must be empowered to handle tasks that previously required her direct oversight.
Payroll is one such task. Howatson said she spends less time reviewing payroll once the right systems are in place, allowing finance staff to manage it independently.
Planning cycles have accelerated as well. She recalled that early in her career, companies completed a detailed planning cycle once a year and “set it and forget it.” Today, plans are revisited more frequently. Technologies like AI help her keep up with the faster pace and “level up” the story she tells.
"How do I simplify this story for the audience that I’m going to tell it to? Whether that is my executive team, whether I’m trying to influence a certain part of the business, or I’m trying to deliver this story to my board, AI is a very good thought partner to help you synthesize some of this thinking," Howatson said.
She cautions that finance professionals must learn to work with new technologies and reframe their roles. "I think that’s really scary for finance people who have made their identity based on being the one who has the right answer, or doing that analysis. But I think it’s really exciting for those who want to lean into telling the story behind the numbers…helping to be part of the decisioning of the business and pushing things forward," she added.
In sum, Howatson’s message is clear: CFOs must balance data abundance with decisive action, use AI as a synthesis tool, and delegate routine tasks to empower broader finance teams. Her approach mirrors a broader industry trend in which finance leaders are expected to be both guardians of accurate reporting and catalysts for business strategy.
"The growing volume of data created by AI tools forces CFOs to act as gatekeepers who sift signal from noise," Howatson told reporters. She noted that while more information can accelerate decision‑making, it can also lead to a paralysis of analysis when analysts are overwhelmed. The CFO added, “With experience, you can look through and figure out which are those signals that really do matter, and how are we going to not get stuck in perpetual analysis reconciliation and still drive decisions?”
Howatson’s method for filtering data involves collaboration with experts inside and outside the finance function, from marketing and research‑and‑development teams to vendors and third‑party partners. She stresses that knowing when additional information will not change a decision is as important as gathering data. "Let’s just make sure we get that data and get to the other side of a decision, because it’s just too easy to have too many meetings, too many pieces of analysis, and yet having 100 % of the data isn’t likely going to drive much different of a decision than being 80 % there," she said.
She has served as Vena’s CFO since December 2022. Prior to that, she held CFO roles at e‑learning platform D2L, enterprise‑AI company Primal, and human‑resources provider Qwalify. In 2023 she launched the company’s monthly CFO podcast, The CFO Show.
The CFO role has expanded beyond stewardship of accurate financial records to include a strategic‑catalyst function. Howatson explained, “Finance chiefs today still need to wear the stewardship hat, ensuring the business’ numbers are accurate, but they also get to wear the strategic‑catalyst hat.” She added that her responsibilities now include operations and finance, and she is spending more time on the “decisioning side.” The shift means other finance team members must be empowered to handle tasks that previously required her direct oversight.
Payroll is one such task. Howatson said she spends less time reviewing payroll once the right systems are in place, allowing finance staff to manage it independently.
Planning cycles have accelerated as well. She recalled that early in her career, companies completed a detailed planning cycle once a year and “set it and forget it.” Today, plans are revisited more frequently. Technologies like AI help her keep up with the faster pace and “level up” the story she tells.
"How do I simplify this story for the audience that I’m going to tell it to? Whether that is my executive team, whether I’m trying to influence a certain part of the business, or I’m trying to deliver this story to my board, AI is a very good thought partner to help you synthesize some of this thinking," Howatson said.
She cautions that finance professionals must learn to work with new technologies and reframe their roles. "I think that’s really scary for finance people who have made their identity based on being the one who has the right answer, or doing that analysis. But I think it’s really exciting for those who want to lean into telling the story behind the numbers…helping to be part of the decisioning of the business and pushing things forward," she added.
In sum, Howatson’s message is clear: CFOs must balance data abundance with decisive action, use AI as a synthesis tool, and delegate routine tasks to empower broader finance teams. Her approach mirrors a broader industry trend in which finance leaders are expected to be both guardians of accurate reporting and catalysts for business strategy.
