Meet the superhero of finance, SuperCFO

Posted on January 27, 2017

Fintech is a booming industry especially after Modi government’s demonetization step. This week we interviewed Bhairav Kothari, Managing Director of SuperCFO. Mumbai based SuperCFO specializes in Freelance, Virtual, Outsourced, Interim, Special Purposes and Full Time CFO Solutions. SuperCFO closely works with several Private Equity funds in assisting their portfolio companies with smart CFO solutions. Established in 2008, SuperCFO is the pioneer of this concept of CFO Solutions in India.

About Bhairav Kothari, Managing Director, SuperCFO

Bhairav Kothari, recipient of Special Recognition & Appreciation Award from ICAI (2015) and the Best Young Entrepreneur Award in Financial Service Sector (2010), has rich experience of over 18 years as a finance professional which includes public company listings, (IPO), debt syndication, private equity financing, mergers & acquisitions, cross border accounting (including IFRS & US GAAP), implementation of cost controls and setting up of robust MIS systems. Prior to forming SuperCFO, Bhairav served for over 8 years with CBay Systems (now known as M*Modal), in different capacities, from being its first employee in India to its Global Group CFO. The Company is a leading provider of Clinical Documentation Solutions (one of the world’s largest). Prior to joining CBay, he worked with GRUH Finance Ltd. (a leading housing finance company).

1) In finance industry experience matters, how is your SuperCFO better in terms of a real person?

Entire team at SuperCFO comprises of professionals with several years of hands-on industry experience. All our CFO’s have atleast 15 to 20 years of work experience, and with atleast few years of senior leadership experience (as a Senior Controller or CFO).

Further, at SuperCFO, thanks to our diverse clientele, that spans across industries and business sizes, it further adds to the wealth of experience of the team members.

2) Your startup has technology intervention, while your background is finance. How did you combine the two to give rise to SuperCFO ?

Technology has been my passion. I used to bunk CA classes to attend advanced computing classes. But then I scored a rank with minimal studies in CA exams, so I felt this was the most easy thing to do; and hence pursued a career in finance. However, I have been operating very closely with IT, and in several situations IT teams have been reporting into me.

I strongly believe that there has to be a blend of both and which is what we have worked on @SuperCFO.

3) There are tons of finance solutions in the market, why should one pick SuperCFO?

There are perhaps tons of accounting, audit and advisory services. However, ours is an execution led model wherein we perform the role of a CFO for our client Companies (or help them bring one on board) and thereby provide complete end-to-end solution (not just advisory) with respect to strengthening their finance function. SuperCFO pioneered this concept in India, and has been the leader in this space. Moreover, I personally interact and meet all clients. We have always ensured that we provide customized solution to each and every client, with a view to constantly checking & ensuring that we are delivering significant value add.

4) Domain experience vs technology background, what is important to become successful ?

Everything, in right proportion. To the above two, I would also add Talent Management, Finance, Sales & Marketing, Business Administration and sound Execution.

5) Why did you choose to startup ?

I wanted to do something unconventional, while operating in my area of domain expertise; and this could have happened only if I started something new.

6) Where do you see SuperCFO in 10 years, and how will you bring it to that point?

I have one dream: Brand SuperCFO (through whatever we execute), should become so strong that a Company’s valuation should go up few notches because they have SuperCFO running their finance function.

To achieve this, all we need to do is stay focused on providing real good quality solution on a consistent basis.

7) Who is your role model, are you following him/her or try to become better?

I admire lot of people for what they have done; but don’t really have a role model per se.

8) Advice to startups in financial industry?

Become an entrepreneur and start something new, because your passion lies there. And then have a business plan that depends only on internal accruals for growth. And while you are on that journey, if you come across a good investor, then by all means you can evaluate and take those funds. But don’t start your venture with the intention to raise funds and then exiting in few years. Read more Startup News.

Meet the superhero of finance, SuperCFO