Interview | 5 Questions for Sunny Gutta, the New treasuryXL Expert

INTERVIEW

What inspired you to pursue a career in treasury and finance, and how has your journey shaped your approach to the field?

I developed an interest in finance during high school, which inspired me to pursue an education focused on this field. The more I learned, the more my curiosity grew, and I became eager to understand how the theories and concepts I studied were applied in the corporate world. I began my career in investment banking, explored investment management, and ultimately found my way into Treasury. 

Even within Treasury, I have consistently sought opportunities to expand my perspective by taking on assignments in other areas, such as serving as a pricing analyst for the automotive aftermarket team and contributing to the Technology Financial Planning & Analysis group. I’ve been fortunate to work with leaders who encouraged this broad approach. 

These diverse experiences have been instrumental in shaping my approach to Corporate Treasury. I’ve developed a strategic, cross-functional perspective that I integrate with the operational aspects of Treasury. As a leader, this holistic approach allows me to expand my influence and transform Treasury into a “value-generating” center within the organization.

Can you share insights into your role at Reddit, particularly your involvement in the company’s IPO and treasury transformation initiatives?

I think not many fully appreciate the critical role Treasury plays in a company’s journey to go public! It is not just an integral part of the process but is actually uniquely positioned to lead workstreams that do not fall under any one specific team. I can categorize my work related to the IPO into two key areas. 

First, I focused on ensuring Treasury had the necessary structure to support our public company readiness. This involved several initiatives, including: 

(a) establishing robust policies and procedures to support SOX compliance, (b) selecting the right fintech partners who not only supported our IPO eorts but also aligned with our long-term objectives, and 

(c) improving visibility into cash flow, both in real-time and through accurate forecasting. 

The second area involved the various workstreams directly related to the IPO itself. This ranged from assembling the bank syndicate leading the deal to working on the structure of the oering—determining the size, the balance of primary versus secondary shares, post-IPO lockup terms, and much more. I either led or played an integral role in managing these workstreams. After the IPO, I oversaw the strategic deployment of the proceeds in alignment with our corporate objectives. 

Being part of Reddit’s IPO journey was one of the most enriching experiences of my professional life. It oered invaluable insights into the complexities of taking a company public and the pivotal role Treasury plays in the process.

How do you approach cash forecasting and liquidity management in dynamic and high-growth environments like Reddit?

In high-growth environments, liquidity is a key lever for growth. It’s not just about understanding the sources and uses of cash, but more importantly, using that information to optimize liquidity. This involves several key strategies I have used and continue to focus on: 

• Real-time visibility of cash: Establishing transparent, real-time visibility into cash flow across fintech partners, entities, and currencies. It all begins with having access to the right data at the right time.
• Optimizing working capital: Collaborating closely with the Order-to-Cash (O2C) team on collections and the Pay-to-Procure (P2P) team on payments. I regularly monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) with these teams and work in tandem to ensure we are utilizing cash as eectively as possible.
• Maximizing cash eciency: Making cash work for the business by managing investment durations that align with the company’s strategic goals.
• Establishing credit facilities: Ensuring we have the appropriate credit facilities in place to support any short-term liquidity needs or act as backup options.
• Agile forecasting and technology: Remaining agile in our forecasting and continually exploring how technology can streamline the process, making it more ecient and transparent. I am currently exploring opportunities to leverage AI in cash forecasting (and other areas of Treasury). 

The common thread across all these strategies is continuous collaboration and communication across functions. By staying informed about evolving cash needs and commitments, we can ensure that liquidity is always aligned with the company’s growth objectives.