Zuora Hosts Roundtable with Global COFO Todd McElhatton in Japan for Executive Customers
Zuora, a global leader in monetization platforms for the AI agent era, hosted a closed-door roundtable for executive customers during Global COFO Todd McElhatton's visit to Japan, discussing the evolving role of finance departments in the AI era and AI investment strategies.
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- 📰 Published: May 11, 2026 at 23:00
- 🔍 Collected: May 11, 2026 at 14:31
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Zuora (Headquarters: Foster City, California, USA; Japan subsidiary Zuora Japan Inc.: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and Head of Japan/RD & RVP, Japan: Shigeki Iwagami), a company that develops monetization platforms for the AI agent era, held a closed-door roundtable for executives of existing customer companies on Thursday, April 23, 2026, coinciding with the visit to Japan of Todd McElhatton, the company's Chief Operating and Financial Officer (COFO).
[Background]
With the acceleration of AI utilization, the importance of investment decisions, visualization of ROI, and accountability in companies is increasing. Particularly in finance departments, there is a growing demand for roles that contribute to corporate value creation, such as evaluating the value of AI investments and participating in management decisions, beyond traditional financial management and performance reporting.
Against this backdrop, Zuora's Chief Operating and Financial Officer (COFO), Mr. McElhatton, visited Japan and led discussions at this roundtable, drawing on global insights.
[Event Overview]
Executives and decision-makers from Zuora's existing client companies participated in the event, engaging in discussions on the changing role of finance departments amidst the progress of AI utilization, incorporating global insights and practical examples from each company. Opinions were exchanged on topics such as evaluating AI investments, transforming business processes, and the changing role of CFOs. Participants actively asked questions regarding specific examples of AI utilization within Zuora, the approach to return on investment (ROI), and the ideal human resources required in the AI era.
In response, Mr. McElhatton introduced global trends in AI utilization and the progress of AI adoption within Zuora, explaining that it "achieves operational efficiency and expedites decision-making." He specifically noted that in the implementation process, it has led to shorter implementation periods and reduced costs.
He also emphasized that "AI is not just technology; it only leads to significant results when combined with an understanding of business processes," adding that "human resources equipped with business understanding, not just AI knowledge, are crucial."
Furthermore, regarding the role of CFOs, he stated that "beyond traditional numerical management, there is a greater demand for a role as a management partner, including formulating business plans and participating in management decisions," offering a global perspective on the evolving role of the finance department.
[Key Discussion Points]
・Practical examples of business transformation through AI utilization
Mr. McElhatton introduced examples of AI utilization within Zuora, stating that AI is being introduced across a wide range of areas, including product development, service provision, sales activities, and technical support. He explained that automation of repetitive tasks and advanced data analysis lead to faster decision-making.
・Changes in ROI and performance indicators for AI investments
As AI adoption progresses, there was also discussion on how to measure return on investment. Mr. McElhatton introduced the global trend towards a shift from traditional license fees and per-seat charges to performance-based models, stating the belief that "in the AI era, the outcomes customers seek are the value itself."
・Transformation of the CFO's role in the AI era
Finally, the discussion focused on the role required of CFOs. Mr. McElhatton explained that the role has expanded from traditional financial management to that of a management partner, including formulating business plans and participating in management decisions.
[Event Outline]
Date: Thursday, April 23, 2026
Venue: Bekind Salon (FACET 71, 13-7 Hachiyama-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo)
Attendees: Executives and decision-makers from Zuora's existing client companies
Speaker: Todd McElhatton, Chief Operating and Financial Officer (COFO), Zuora
[Speaker Profile]
Todd McElhatton
Chief Operating and Financial Officer (COFO), Zuora
Oversees finance and operations globally at Zuora, a global leader in monetization solutions. After joining as CFO in 2020, he was appointed COFO in 2025, overseeing a broad range of management areas including Finance, M&A, IT, Legal, and HR.
Previously, he held financial leadership positions for cloud businesses at global IT companies such as Hewlett-Packard, Oracle, VMware, and SAP. For over 30 years, he has supported the growth of cloud and SaaS businesses from a financial perspective.
In 2025, he was involved in a total of $1.7 billion in investments by Silver Lake and GIC into Z...
[Background]
With the acceleration of AI utilization, the importance of investment decisions, visualization of ROI, and accountability in companies is increasing. Particularly in finance departments, there is a growing demand for roles that contribute to corporate value creation, such as evaluating the value of AI investments and participating in management decisions, beyond traditional financial management and performance reporting.
Against this backdrop, Zuora's Chief Operating and Financial Officer (COFO), Mr. McElhatton, visited Japan and led discussions at this roundtable, drawing on global insights.
[Event Overview]
Executives and decision-makers from Zuora's existing client companies participated in the event, engaging in discussions on the changing role of finance departments amidst the progress of AI utilization, incorporating global insights and practical examples from each company. Opinions were exchanged on topics such as evaluating AI investments, transforming business processes, and the changing role of CFOs. Participants actively asked questions regarding specific examples of AI utilization within Zuora, the approach to return on investment (ROI), and the ideal human resources required in the AI era.
In response, Mr. McElhatton introduced global trends in AI utilization and the progress of AI adoption within Zuora, explaining that it "achieves operational efficiency and expedites decision-making." He specifically noted that in the implementation process, it has led to shorter implementation periods and reduced costs.
He also emphasized that "AI is not just technology; it only leads to significant results when combined with an understanding of business processes," adding that "human resources equipped with business understanding, not just AI knowledge, are crucial."
Furthermore, regarding the role of CFOs, he stated that "beyond traditional numerical management, there is a greater demand for a role as a management partner, including formulating business plans and participating in management decisions," offering a global perspective on the evolving role of the finance department.
[Key Discussion Points]
・Practical examples of business transformation through AI utilization
Mr. McElhatton introduced examples of AI utilization within Zuora, stating that AI is being introduced across a wide range of areas, including product development, service provision, sales activities, and technical support. He explained that automation of repetitive tasks and advanced data analysis lead to faster decision-making.
・Changes in ROI and performance indicators for AI investments
As AI adoption progresses, there was also discussion on how to measure return on investment. Mr. McElhatton introduced the global trend towards a shift from traditional license fees and per-seat charges to performance-based models, stating the belief that "in the AI era, the outcomes customers seek are the value itself."
・Transformation of the CFO's role in the AI era
Finally, the discussion focused on the role required of CFOs. Mr. McElhatton explained that the role has expanded from traditional financial management to that of a management partner, including formulating business plans and participating in management decisions.
[Event Outline]
Date: Thursday, April 23, 2026
Venue: Bekind Salon (FACET 71, 13-7 Hachiyama-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo)
Attendees: Executives and decision-makers from Zuora's existing client companies
Speaker: Todd McElhatton, Chief Operating and Financial Officer (COFO), Zuora
[Speaker Profile]
Todd McElhatton
Chief Operating and Financial Officer (COFO), Zuora
Oversees finance and operations globally at Zuora, a global leader in monetization solutions. After joining as CFO in 2020, he was appointed COFO in 2025, overseeing a broad range of management areas including Finance, M&A, IT, Legal, and HR.
Previously, he held financial leadership positions for cloud businesses at global IT companies such as Hewlett-Packard, Oracle, VMware, and SAP. For over 30 years, he has supported the growth of cloud and SaaS businesses from a financial perspective.
In 2025, he was involved in a total of $1.7 billion in investments by Silver Lake and GIC into Z...