Suzy Taherian
Lecturer
Master of Business Administration (MBA), Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management
Suzy Taherian has over 20 years of experience as a senior executive for international industrial companies. She started her career with Exxon and Chevron and transitioned to CFO of a mid-size company.
On June 1, 2021, Taherian became CFO at Xpansiv, a global online exchange for ESG-inclusive commodities. She previously served as CFO of Wrightspeed, a World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer company, and continues to serve on their board of directors. She also serves on the board of directors of NewHold Investment Corp, guiding it to an IPO on July 31, 2020 (NASDAQ: NHIC). In July 2024, she was named to the board of directors of Heffernan Insurance Brokers, one of the largest independent insurance brokerage firms in the U.S.
As CFO and acting-CEO, she has shaped the strategic vision of companies and developed detailed plans to achieve turnaround and profitable growth. Her successes include over $4 billion in financing and $2 billion in M&A transactions and successful exits for venture-backed or private-equity-backed companies. As CFO of a publicly-traded company, she engineered a shareholder return of 30% in one year.
She has taught at the UC Davis Graduate School of Management for the last eight years, including courses on International Finance and International Business. She recently co-authored the book 80/20 CFO: The Guide to Making Strategic Transformations in Your Company.
Taherian holds a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Mechanical Engineering from UC Davis; a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University. She serves on several boards. She enjoys living in the Bay Area with her husband and their two teenagers.