News
19/05/2025
Pillars (& pitfalls) of FinOps success
The pillars (& pitfalls) of FinOps success
by Christine Horton in Raconteur Insights Report for The Times.
Contributor Stephen Old,Head of FinOps at Synyega.
Published: May 2025 in Raconteur
What separates FinOps leaders from those still struggling to scale? Typically, successful FinOps teams distinguish themselves by excelling in several key areas that go beyond basic cost management. However, it’s easy for even well-resourced teams to fall short when communication, alignment or tooling breaks down.
Our very own Stephen Old Head of FinOps and GreenOps at Synyega contibutes to this article that appears in this months The Times supplement on FinOps. The article looks at the three pillars of successful FinOps practices, along with three of the most common missteps.
“The right FinOps strategy is about tech value, not cost savings,” says Stephen Old, Head of FinOps at independent FinOps consultancy Synyega, and a certified FinOps training instructor, professional, engineer and practitioner. “Spending more may be the right approach if it results in higher margins or profits, so it’s important to remain focused on the value and not the reductions.”
Closing the gap between intent & impact
Christine Horton's article concludes that the gap between FinOps aspiration and execution often comes down to communication, context and clarity. Leaders who succeed are those who go beyond the basics: translating data into decisions, aligning across disciplines, and adapting fast to change – especially in an AI-fuelled, multi-cloud world.
By anchoring FinOps strategy in value, not just vigilance, and actively avoiding common pitfalls, organisations can turn cloud cost management from a reactive necessity into a competitive advantage.
