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Reimagining Finance: Derek Kudsee on Coda’s AI-Powered Future

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Reimagining Finance: Derek Kudsee on Coda’s AI-Powered Future

Derek Kudsee is a veteran of the enterprise software industry, with senior leadership roles at industry giants such as SAP, Salesforce, and Microsoft under his belt. So, when he took the helm as the new Managing Director for Unit4 Financials by Coda, ERP Today sat down with Kudsee to discuss his vision for Coda, the promise of agentic AI to make work feel lighter for finance teams, and his mission to transform the classic system of record into a dynamic system of intelligence for the Office of the CFO.

What was it about the opportunity at Unit4, and specifically the challenge of modernizing Coda, that convinced you to take this role? 

A rare combination of having a deeply trusted platform and a clear opportunity to reimagine the finance function drew me to Unit4, and specifically the Coda business. Some of the largest enterprise customers have been running on this platform for decades. I’ve been brought in to help these finance teams run more efficiently and provide greater insight through agent-driven automation. We live in a world where technology has converged in our consumer and professional lives. Therefore, modernization is not only about addressing complex systems, but also about enhancing the user experience. This combination of running a deeply trusted platform, reimagining its capabilities in an AI-driven world, and modernizing the user experience was attractive. 

Unit4 Financials by Coda’s goal is to deliver an “AI-fueled office for the CFO” using agentic AI. How will a finance team using Coda experience this in their day-to-day work? 

When one thinks of an AI-fueled Office of the CFO, it’s about having agents deep inside those finance processes that will suggest, explain, and act within guardrails that finance teams can set. The work should feel like the machine is performing tasks that were previously done manually or laboriously. 

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A simple example is in an accounts payable department. An agent can automate everything from invoice capture using AI-driven OCR, verify that the invoices are within policy, queue them for approval, send them to the respective individuals, and flag exceptions along the way. Users can see how the work feels lighter because the machine handles everything from capture to the final stage, including payment release. 

How do the AI functionalities offered by Coda differ from what competitors are offering right now? 

Many vendors today have a finance module. However, we aim to be the best standalone financial management system, not a generic suite. We’re not trying to be finance because we want to sell an HR or CRM system. That means we need to embed intelligence deeply within the finance processes so that the software acts, takes action, and performs activities for the finance function. For that, the agentic AI needs to operate with autonomy, understand financial context, and learn from user behavior. 

Moreover, fundamentally, Coda has always been built on a unified financial model. We’ve never had Accounts Payable separate from Accounts Receivable that needed to be consolidated. Our AI works on clean, structured data from day one, and that’s the foundation for accuracy. We don’t need to chase hype to incorporate AI. We’re going to redefine the finance function with AI at its core. 

How do you plan to balance the introduction of these cutting-edge innovations without disrupting the core stability that Coda is known for? 

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The safest way to modernize finance is to add certainty around the core, rather than disrupting it. Our core is why customers have been running Coda for 20-30 years. Thus, stability is not a nice-to-have; it’s non-negotiable. Our customers run mission-critical processes, and that trust is sacred to us. Therefore, every innovation we deliver, whether it’s UX modernization or AI, will be built on one simple principle: if it compromises stability, we don’t build it. We don’t ship it. 

With that rock-solid foundation in place, we can layer intelligence and usability on top. While some software providers are still determining the stability of their platform, we can offer customers the best of both worlds. They’ll have the reliability they’ve counted on for decades, and now we bring them the innovation they need to stay ahead. 

What This Means for ERP Insiders 

Your biggest enemy is decision latency. According to Kudsee, the primary challenge for modern finance is the gap between a business event occurring and the ability to respond intelligently. This decision latency, caused by fragmented data, batch processes, and manual workarounds that are standard in traditional ERP environments, prevents finance from being a proactive and strategic partner. Coda’s goal is to shrink that gap from weeks or days to near-real-time. 

Shift the ERP mindset from system of record to system of intelligence. For decades, the primary function of ERP finance modules has been to record transactions accurately. This is no longer sufficient, as Kudsee notes. A modern financial platform must function as a system of intelligence that not only records data but also analyzes, predicts, and automates actions within core financial processes, effectively acting as the intelligent brain of the CFO’s office. 

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Prioritize financial depth over suite breadth. Kudsee suggests that the single ERP for everything strategy can result in a finance module that is a jack-of-all-trades but master of none. The alternative approach is to prioritize depth and best-in-class functionality for the critical finance function. Instead of settling for the generic finance module within a larger suite, consider how a dedicated platform like Unit4 Financials for Coda, focused on deep financial control, insight, and automation, can deliver more agility and tackle core challenges, such as decision latency, more effectively. 

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Finance

One.funding and MV Commercial launch MV Asset Finance

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One.funding and MV Commercial launch MV Asset Finance

One.funding has partnered with UK-based MV Commercial to introduce MV Asset Finance, which offers an alternative method for MV Commercial’s customers to secure finance, according to a LinkedIn post.

In developing MV Asset Finance, representatives from One.funding worked closely with MV Commercial’s team to better understand business priorities and the requirements of their customer base.

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According to the post, the service aims to remove friction, ensure complete transparency, and enable a seamless process from initial engagement to completion by integrating support within MV Commercial’s operations and presenting it under their brand.

MV Commercial supplies fleet solutions for vehicles within the UK.

The company’s offerings include trucks, trailers, and light commercial vehicles that are available for sale, rental, or contract hire.

Its current rental and Ready to Go fleets consist of 2,000 specialist trucks, vans, and trailers across various depots in Airdrie, Grantham, Livingston, Oxford, Haydock, and London Luton.

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One.funding CEO Lee Schofield said: “At One.funding, we’ve 20 years of experience in building point-of-sale finance that fits naturally into how businesses sell. MV Asset Finance shows what’s possible when that experience is embedded into the MV Commercial journey, making it easier for their customers to keep moving and keep growing.”

A recent example involved AMK Plant & Tipper Hire, which added a DAF FAD XD450 Construction eight-by-four tipper truck to its fleet, the company’s first DAF tipper purchase.

The transaction was finalised in three weeks; MV Commercial supplied the vehicle while financing was arranged through the newly launched MV Asset Finance framework.

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RFSD board approves financial assurances, reviews annual audit

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RFSD board approves financial assurances, reviews annual audit

The Roaring Fork School District Board of Education approved its annual financial accreditation assurances and reviewed the district’s 2024-25 audited financial statements during its meeting on Wednesday, according to a district news release.

The audit, presented by McMahan and Associates, found the district’s overall financial position to be stable and identified areas for continued improvement in internal controls and financial processes. The district’s General Fund balance remains above minimum levels required by board policy.

Chief Financial Officer Christy Chicoine said the audit reflects progress following prior concerns identified in earlier reviews.



“We have made significant improvements compared to the prior year’s audit as a Finance Department, and I am grateful for the finance team’s commitment towards those improvements as demonstrated in this audit,” Chicoine said. “While we still have work to do to continue to sustain and enhance the district’s fiscal management, the audit report indicates we are clearly headed in the right direction.”

Superintendent Anna Cole said the findings validate work undertaken over the past two years to rebuild internal systems and improve transparency.

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“Over the past two years, our teams have worked diligently and transparently to rebuild internal financial systems that left the district at risk,” Cole said. “The outcomes of this audit are evidence that we are on track.”

Cole said the timing of the audit is significant as the district begins developing its budget for the 2026-27 school year and faces mounting external pressures.

“We couldn’t have stabilized internal systems at a better time,” she said. “As we begin the budgeting process for the 26/27 school year, we face external challenges like declining enrollment, instability of state and federal funding, and a rising cost of living that is outpacing staff and teacher salaries. This audit is an important confirmation that our finances are in order as we prepare to navigate oncoming challenges.”

Board President Lindsay DeFrates said the board is better positioned to plan ahead following the audit’s conclusions.

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“We are grateful for the leadership of Chief Chicoine and the hard work of the district finance and human resources teams,” DeFrates said. “We are now in a much better place financially and will move forward with clarity, transparency and accountability, able to better navigate the challenges to come.”

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Finance

UK’s Former Finance Minister George Osborne Joins Coinbase – Coinspeaker

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UK’s Former Finance Minister George Osborne Joins Coinbase – Coinspeaker

Key Notes

  • Former UK finance minister George Osborne is joining Coinbase’s Global Advisory Council.
  • Osborne will focus on crypto regulation, stablecoins, and tokenized assets across the UK and EU.
  • The exchange is also expanding beyond crypto trading as it steps into 2026.

Coinbase has appointed former UK finance minister George Osborne as chair of its Global Advisory Council. It is clear that the American crypto exchange wants to deepen its influence with governments outside the United States.

Earlier this week, Coinbase tested the waters in India as its deal to acquire a minority stake in local crypto trading platform CoinDCX was approved by the Competition Commission of India.


https://twitter.com/CCI_India/status/2000905244080034292

Coinbase Expands Policy Reach Beyond the US

Coinbase confirmed that Osborne will take a more active role in advising on government engagement worldwide, with a focus on Britain and the European Union.

Osborne, who first joined Coinbase as an adviser in January 2024, will be based in London. He will work closely with policymakers on issues related to crypto regulation, stablecoins, and tokenized assets.

Coinbase’s chief policy officer Faryar Shirzad said the crypto exchange has already become a powerful lobbying force outside the US. In the UK, the company is pushing for clearer rules on tax treatment, stablecoin payments, and the use of tokenized assets in capital markets.

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Osborne’s Background

Osborne served as the UK’s finance minister from 2010 until 2016, stepping down after the Brexit referendum. Since leaving politics, he has built a broad private-sector portfolio.

He currently chairs the British Museum, is a partner at investment bank Robey Warshaw, and leads Lingotto Investment Management.

Just days before the Coinbase announcement, OpenAI named Osborne to support its overseas data centre expansion under its global infrastructure program. His appointment to Coinbase adds crypto and blockchain policy to an already wide-ranging list of responsibilities.

Expansion Across Crypto

According to an earlier report, at its recent System Update event, Coinbase revealed plans to expand into stock trading, prediction markets, custom stablecoins, tokenization platforms, and AI-powered investment advisers.

Coinbase has already launched stock trading and prediction markets on its platform and now rivals firms such as Robinhood and eToro. The exchange has also partnered with Kalshi to offer markets tied to real-world events such as sports, elections, and economic data.

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The exchange’s long-term goal is to become an all-in-one financial platform that operates around the clock.

Meanwhile, Deutsche Bank recently initiated coverage with a buy rating, according to CNBC. Analysts expect the company’s broader new everything-in-one strategy to reduce its dependence on crypto trading volumes as it scales into 2026.

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Disclaimer: Coinspeaker is committed to providing unbiased and transparent reporting. This article aims to deliver accurate and timely information but should not be taken as financial or investment advice. Since market conditions can change rapidly, we encourage you to verify information on your own and consult with a professional before making any decisions based on this content.

Coinbase News, Cryptocurrency News, News

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A crypto journalist with over 5 years of experience in the industry, Parth has worked with major media outlets in the crypto and finance world, gathering experience and expertise in the space after surviving bear and bull markets over the years. Parth is also an author of 4 self-published books.

Parth Dubey on LinkedIn


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