Melissa Howatson is CFO at Vena Solutions, a global cloud-based CPM software company headquartered in Canada. She has experience helping to lead organizations that are scaling up in high-growth mode, and previously served as CFO at D2L, where she oversaw the company’s IPO on the Toronto Stock Exchange.
What’s in your tech stack?
- ERP – NetSuite
- CRM – Salesforce
- HRIS/payroll – ADP HCM
- Procure to Pay – ZIP
- Employee Equity – Shareworks
- FP&A – Vena (of course!)
IT goals are to optimize existing systems, drive efficiency through smarter integrations and eliminate redundant data entry. The focus should be on enhancing controls and ensuring higher-quality outcomes across the organization.
What’s your joy and what’s your headache?
Joy: The excitement of exploring new technologies and continuously improving how we work.
Headache: When there’s no clear plan or structure in place to ensure a successful deployment.
If you could wave a magic wand, what would you make software companies do for you?
Be crystal clear from the start about what “best in class” implementation looks like. Use that clarity as a chance to innovate, not just repeat what’s always been done. Software companies have deep experience in what works, what doesn’t and why others made the choices they did. Leverage that insight to accelerate how your organization operates.
What’s your best piece of tech advice for others in your job?
Be clear about which systems will serve as your single source of truth (for example, employee data in HRIS). Build these systems with rigor and discipline so they can integrate seamlessly and enhance the performance of your other systems. Capture the data correctly once and let it feed all other systems, avoiding duplicate entry and conflicting information.
