From Piano Lessons to CFO: Vineta's No-BS Route to the Top Job - Lessons from Vineta Bajaj

04/29/25 • 75 min

Vineta Bajaj didn’t follow a traditional path to the top – and she’s not shy about saying so.
Now Group CFO at Rohlik Group, Vineta shares the unfiltered story behind her rise, from teaching piano and side-trading during uni, to leading billion-euro businesses and rewriting what it means to lead in finance.
This episode is packed with bold moves, real career talk, and the kind of lessons you don’t get in textbooks.
We cover:
🎹 How Vineta turned “random” side skills into career-defining moments
📣 What happens when you challenge your FD and go straight to the CFO
🤖 Why AI is changing the size and shape of finance teams
🍕💻🚋 And how obsessing over pizzas, laptops and trams is actually leadership
For anyone aiming higher, moving faster, or building something big – this is the conversation you’ve been waiting for.
#CFOJourney #FutureOfFinance #LeadershipMindset #AIandFinance #STOIX
Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction
03:03 - Career Path: From Aspirations to Realities
05:51 - Education and Early Experiences
09:00 - Navigating the Corporate Landscape
15:09 - Strategic Career Moves
18:01 - The Transition to CFO
20:56 - Leadership and Decision Making
23:47 - Reflections on Achievements
38:43 - Exploring Capacity and Personal Growth
41:16 - The Importance of Mentorship and Support
45:06 - Leveraging AI in Finance
56:25 - The Evolving Role of CFOs in a Tech-Driven World
01:00:18 - Navigating Challenges and Building Relationships

Previous Episode

Leadership, exit strategy & building high-impact teams - Lessons from Stephan Burow

What does it really take to lead a private equity-backed business through growth, exit, and transformation while staying true to your leadership style?
In this episode, Stephan Burow, CFO at Lintbells, shares his journey from Unilever to high-growth scaleups like Gousto, and now to leading finance, tech, and people at a purpose-driven pet wellness company.
We dive into:
🧠 The mindset shift required to thrive as a PE-backed CFO
⏱ Why pace, 80/20 thinking, and intentional time management are make-or-break
🤝 How Stephan builds high-performance, people-first cultures
🧩 Secrets to handling exits and investor pressure
🐾 Why purpose matters
Whether you’re an aspiring CFO, in the middle of a scaleup journey, or leading through a private equity transaction, this episode is packed with insights and best of all - refreshing honesty.
🎧 Listen now and tell us: What’s the hardest part of leading in a PE-backed environment?

Chapters

00:00 – Intro & Background

02:00 – From Unilever to Scaleups

06:00 – Why Pace & Impact Matter

10:00 – Gusto, Growth & the 80/20 Rule

14:00 – Transitioning to CFO in PE

20:00 – Managing Investors & Exit Process

26:00 – AI, Finance & the Future

30:00 – Leadership, Mentorship & Culture

38:00 – Broadening the CFO Role

45:00 – Risks, Cybersecurity & What Keeps Him Up

48:30 – Legacy, Purpose & Final Advice