Professional Role and Expertise
Cindy Finkelman is a Managing Director within the Corporate Performance Improvement division at Alvarez & Marsal (A&M), based in New York. She brings over 30 years of experience as a technology, business, and operations executive. Ms. Finkelman specializes in enterprise-wide transformation projects that focus on scaling businesses through innovative technology adoption, efficient operating models, and data-driven decision-making frameworks.
Her scope of work includes collaborating at all organizational levels, including Board engagement in material change agendas. She frequently architects and drives change management agendas, aligning business functions with strategic goals and modernizing technology infrastructures through transformational initiatives.
Previous Leadership Experience
Prior to joining A&M, Ms. Finkelman served as Chief Information Officer (CIO) at FactSet Research Systems, where she managed internal technology strategy and delivery, the project management office, cybersecurity, and enterprise risk management. At FactSet, she partnered closely with senior business leaders to establish technology visions that supported fact-based decision-making, scaled operations, and integrated numerous acquisitions into cohesive organizational workflows. She also led digital transformation strategies oriented toward commercial product development and matured FactSet’s cybersecurity posture.
Earlier in her career, Ms. Finkelman held pivotal CIO roles at New York Life, where she oversaw all IT functions and transformational business initiatives; she was Head of Global Operations & Systems at ALICO during their initial public offering preparation and served as CTO at Merrill Lynch, focusing on modernizing corporate infrastructure. Additional leadership tenures include positions at Marsh & McLennan, Prudential, Booz Allen & Hamilton, and MetLife.
Educational Background
Ms. Finkelman earned a Bachelor of Science degree from SUNY Albany and an MBA in Corporate Strategy and Entrepreneurship from NYU’s Stern School of Business.
Recognitions and Board Memberships
- CIO of the Year awarded by Markets Media Women in Finance (2017) for transformative impact at FactSet and mentoring of women technologists
- Orbie CIO of the Year Finalist (New York)
- Recipient of the Global Technology Executives Who Matter Award (HMG Strategy, 2020)
- Board member of the Society for Information Management (SIM) New York
- Active participant in SIM Women, the HMG Strategy Advisory Board, and the Evanta CIO Governing Body
- Serves on the Board of Success Academy
Thought Leadership and Industry Contributions
Ms. Finkelman is a prolific thought leader, co-authoring articles and insights on topics critical to enterprise technology and transformation, including:
- Strategic foundations for successful ERP transformations, emphasizing alignment of ERP with business objectives to avoid implementation failures.
- The buy versus build dilemma for SaaS companies, structuring strategic decisions for technology acquisition versus in-house innovation.
- Scaling and maturing SaaS businesses through operational effectiveness combined with sales and client engagement strategies.
- Public cloud migration frameworks tailored for legacy enterprise applications, assessing risks, scalability, and alignment with corporate strategy.
Her recent insights, often co-developed with fellow Managing Director Joe Melfi, highlight evolving trends in SaaS maturity, digital transformation best practices, and technology-enabled growth acceleration.
Professional Network and Presence
Cindy maintains an extensive professional network of 500+ LinkedIn connections and over 1,400 followers. She is vocal in professional circles regarding leadership challenges in AI adoption, cyber risk quantification, and digital transformation. Her activity includes participation in industry summits and executive forums, such as HMG Strategy’s CIO summits and New York CISO & Technology Leadership summits.
Contact Information
- Location: New York, New York, United States
- Email: cfinkelman@alvarezandmarsal.com
- LinkedIn: [linkedin.com/in/cindyfinkelman](https://www.linkedin.com/in/cindyfinkelman)
This profile establishes Cindy Finkelman as a strategic and operational leader with deep expertise in technology transformation at scale, particularly within corporate and financial services settings. Her background in CIO roles, award-winning leadership, and current role focusing on enterprise transformation at Alvarez & Marsal, combined with active board-level engagement and thought leadership, make her a pivotal figure for initiatives involving complex digital modernization, SaaS operational scaling, and enterprise-wide technology strategy.
