Sara Baxter
A board-tested CFO and operational leader, my superpower is connecting people and initiatives that can improve business and societal outcomes at the intersection of technology and business transformation.
I’m a champion of data and technology, from the earliest days of wireless fraud protection to data accountability and the emergence of 5G. As the SVP of Strategic Growth & Global Advisory Practice Lead at Anaplan, I drive programs that guide the expanding role of the transformational business leader. I believe that our innovative technology, collaborative value proposition, agile leadership team, and culture of belonging truly help make companies BETTER.
Previously, as the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at the $30 billion Verizon Business Group, I built and lead world-class finance teams that drove transformative thinking and measurable business impact. I have deep experience in finance, operations, risk governance, information security and high-stakes business transactions. I’ve managed integrations, launched revolutionary process improvements, and championed data and technology innovations that have opened markets and expanded profitability. I played a key role in Verizon’s first destination stores, the launch of the industry’s first device-based Asset-Backed Securities and hundreds of communications deals.
I have been honored to speak at the New York Stock Exchange, Harvard’s CFO of the Future Summit, and other notable venues. As an advocate for diversity and inclusion, I participate in several organizations and activities to advance social equity. I am also a frequent speaker on women’s advancement into technology and business leadership roles, and changing culture through planning.