Editors’ Note

Gina Mastantuono is ServiceNow’s Chief Financial Officer, a position she has served for nearly five years. In addition, she spearheads ServiceNow’s global impact strategy in support of environmental, social, and governance initiatives across the enterprise. Mastantuono is a member of ServiceNow’s Executive Leadership Team and is committed to helping ServiceNow continue to deliver exceptional value to customers, employees, and shareholders. From December 2016 to January 2020, Mastantuono served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Ingram Micro Inc., a provider of global technology and supply chain services with revenues north of $50 billion, and as its Executive Vice President, Finance, from April 2013 to December 2016. From June 2007 to April 2013, she served as Senior Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer, Controller, and International Chief Financial Officer of Revlon, Inc. Prior to Revlon, Mastantuono held various executive finance roles at InterActiveCorp., a media and internet company. She began her career at Ernst & Young in the entrepreneurial services group. She serves on the boards of directors of Gong and Roblox. In September 2023, Mastantuono was named CFO of the Year, Public Company, Large, by the San Francisco Business Times. She has also been honored as one of CRN’s “Power 100” and twice listed on the National Diversity Council’s Top 50 Most Powerful Women in Technology. Mastantuono holds a BS degree in accounting and business administration from the State University of New York at Albany.

Company Brief

ServiceNow (servicenow.com) is putting AI to work for people. The company moves with the pace of innovation to help customers transform organizations across every industry while upholding a trustworthy, human-centered approach to deploying its products and services at scale. As the AI platform for business transformation, ServiceNow connects people, processes, data, and devices to increase productivity and maximize business outcomes.

What excited you about the opportunity to join ServiceNow and made you feel it was the right fit?

Purpose, purpose, purpose. Our founder Fred Luddy’s belief that technology should be in service of people created a company where the culture is all in on customer success.

That was abundantly clear in January 2020 when I joined the company. I could see how ServiceNow’s purpose – to make the world work better for everyone – came to life everywhere, from our Chairman & CEO, Bill McDermott, to all levels of the company. That, plus the company’s pristine technology platform and robust financial profile, was the complete package.

In my career, I’ve always been drawn to places where I can grow and develop. I thrive on pushing boundaries and embracing challenges outside my comfort zone, as that’s where the most learning and growth occur. ServiceNow has been tremendous in that regard. Whenever I’ve taken a leap, I’ve always found support – often from multiple people – helping me land on my feet and keep moving forward.

How do you describe ServiceNow’s culture and values?

It’s simple: We don’t succeed without our people. Our commitment to our employees is a core tenet of ServiceNow’s culture. We stay true to our People Pact – do our best work, live our best lives, and fulfill our purpose together. We need every single member of the ServiceNow team to win. This allows us to operate from a position of strength. To scale, we need to build, invest in, and innovate around a talent engine that helps us attract, grow, and retain the best people who will drive our business forward.

Our recognition as a great place to work is growing. Close to my heart, ServiceNow was recently ranked as one of Fortune’s Best Workplaces for Women. That positivity extends to our full workforce. The American Opportunity Index assesses how well employers develop their talent. For the second year in a row, ServiceNow is the highest-ranking technology company – and fifth overall, among 400 of the best brands. Even more importantly, when it comes to internal advancement as measured by the Index – how well we promote and build the careers of our people – ServiceNow is the top company overall with the best score among all firms, across all sectors.

What have been the keys to ServiceNow’s industry leadership and how do you define the ServiceNow difference?

ServiceNow is on the path to becoming the defining enterprise software company of the 21st century. A combination of relentless innovation and smart investments in both technology and talent over the years has put us right on track – we have first-mover advantage to execute on the most ambitious GenAI roadmap in enterprise software. The customers I talk to are all eager to move from experimenting with AI to driving real, tangible results. Leaders know they need to start now if they want to pivot to broad-based adoption of AI in the next two years. The critical ServiceNow difference is that we’ve seen this coming: we’ve pursued a series of tuck-in acquisitions to accelerate innovation, and for over seven years, we’ve been building LLMs into our platform. That commitment is really evident in the results – both for us and for our customers.

How do you view the role of a CFO today, and what are the keys to being effective in the role?

We are at the center of the biggest enterprise software market opportunity in a generation. ServiceNow is reinventing every workflow, in every company, in every industry with GenAI. So, it’s critical that CFOs today are business strategists – not just numbers specialists. We have a unique, enterprise-wide vantage point. Few people on the executive team have this lens. Historically, CFOs used to be viewed by the business as adversaries guarding purse strings – now, we need to play a much bigger, broader role. It’s imperative that as CFO, I am hyperfocused on growth; but the other piece of success is being able to see around corners. We need to perform and transform at the same time. I believe I have one of the most impactful roles in enabling innovation – understanding growth levers, making the right investments to keep growth going, and balancing expense discipline and profit. I’m relentlessly focused on staying close to our customers, understanding their needs, and delivering the value they need to come out stronger.

Innovation is the backbone of our success, so it’s essential to allocate capital in ways that support sustainable growth. ServiceNow is a unicorn for a reason: we deliver best-in-class topline growth, mostly organic, with industry-leading margins. This disciplined approach enables us to optimize our core while investing boldly in innovation.

How important is it for ServiceNow to build a diverse and inclusive workforce?

Consumers, especially younger generations, increasingly support and want to work for brands that reflect their values. They emphasize the importance of diversity in shaping communities and addressing the challenges we face together – especially around technology. In fact, we just recently published a study that showed that over 80 percent of workers think that gender representation is critically important to AI innovation. As a leading AI company, it’s critical for us as well.

At ServiceNow, we believe that fostering diversity is not just about meeting expectations – it’s about unlocking the potential of our people. The most effective leaders invest in their team’s growth and success, creating an environment where everyone can thrive. For example, I am proud to be the co-executive sponsor of our Women@ServiceNow belonging group. I aim to be the role model I didn’t have when I started my career in a predominantly male finance industry, showing others that there is a place for them at the table.

Do you feel there are strong opportunities for women in leadership roles in the industry?

Absolutely. Women are an important part of the best leadership teams. In my case, it’s not an accident that I work for a leader like Bill McDermott, who sets that tone, and a board that is looking for the best leaders. Bill demonstrates our company values with every interaction and through every conversation. He’s one of the fiercest champions of the idea that a diverse workforce makes us better as a company and ensures that women have a seat at the table. As a CFO, I am proud to represent the approximately 19 percent of female CFOs at Fortune 500 and S&P 500 companies and to occupy one of those seats. I’m equally motivated to make sure we see that percentage increase.

I’m also really inspired by the opportunities ahead, fueled by AI. There is no question that women are more present in the C-suite during this AI-driven wave of innovation than in past revolutions. There are more women with MBAs, more women in finance and tech roles, and more women at the executive level. It’s not just about numbers. Skills like empathy, critical thinking, and collaborative decision-making are becoming essential for navigating the complexity of AI innovation. These traits are proving to be key drivers of success in this generational transformation, and I want to inspire the next generation of female leaders.

Will you discuss ServiceNow’s global impact strategy in support of environmental, social, and governance initiatives across the enterprise?

It all comes back to our purpose. What does success mean? For us at ServiceNow, it means having a positive impact, not just on our customers and our employees, but on society at large. We’re walking the talk – our ESG strategy has positioned us to grow and align with our customers, investors, and employees, and meet mandatory reporting requirements in our key markets. Our progress is supporting our revenue growth, reducing regulatory and legal risks, and helping us retain our world class talent. Bottom line: we measure what matters, and that makes us a better business.

Leadership – individually and as an organization – is about creating the conditions for people to thrive; the tone must start at the top. It’s about understanding the world is interconnected and our responsibility is to leave it better than we found it.

What do you feel are the keys to effective leadership and how do you approach your management style?

I’ve grown tremendously as a leader during my time at ServiceNow. Authenticity and empathy are foundational leadership traits. My early tenure at ServiceNow coincided with the pandemic – for everyone, it presented a slew of unforeseen challenges. But, as a newly hired CFO, the problem I faced was: How do you build credibility with shareholders and investors during a time of uncertainty? How do you build relationships with your employee base and leadership team virtually? I realized that communication and transparency are the keys to building trust even if you don’t have all the answers – and listening is similarly crucial. I quickly learned that I couldn’t be afraid to ask questions and lean on my network. We’re not supposed to know everything. We’re supposed to know when to ask for help. Lastly, empathy and seeking to understand an employee’s situation first is the best and only way to manage people.

What advice do you offer to young people beginning their careers?

Well, it’s not “advice,” but this question makes me think of my favorite quote – “Growth and comfort do not coexist.” That’s from Ginni Rometty, the former CEO of IBM – I wish I had come up with it. That, to me, is how I approach my career and life in general. Moments when you take risks and push yourself outside of your comfort zone are really when people can learn and be their best selves.

One of the things that I can’t stress enough is to raise your hand for opportunities and take on stretch assignments. It doesn’t mean you’ll get every opportunity you raise your hand for, but it shows that hunger to stretch to your manager. Get your head out of the books and learn every facet of your role that you possibly can. And, maybe most importantly, never shy away from a challenge.