Muhammad Shahzad
Chief Financial Officer
Relativity Space
As chief financial officer and president of Relativity Space, Muhammad "Mo" Shahzad is responsible for corporate strategy and growth, leading all commercial, financial, people, legal and risk efforts at the company. His responsibilities include but are not limited to sales and business development, brand and communications, financial planning and strategy, fundraising, capital allocation, accounting, treasury and tax, human resources, talent acquisition, legal, government affairs, safety and security. Under Shahzad's leadership, Relativity Space has raised over $1.3 billion and grown more than 10 times in headcount.
He has over 20 years of finance and capital markets experience with an extensive background in financial planning, operations, management and strategy as well as deep technical knowledge. Before joining Relativity, Shahzad served as CFO of The Honest Company, where he led several financing rounds and scaled the business profitably. Previously, he was VP in technology, media & telecom investment banking at Goldman, Sachs & Co., where he advised on over $30 billion in financing and merger and acquisition transactions and served as West Coast business unit manager for the investment banking division.
Shahzad and his team have implemented innovative cash flow management strategies that balance scope, schedule and risk to drive Relativity Space's Terran R program, which is a multi-billion-dollar, multi-year program. He has also implemented a capital allocation program that allowed Relativity to hit technical milestones on time and on target while spending smartly.
Under Shahzad's stewardship, Relativity Space introduced financial modeling improvements that enhanced forecasting accuracy, leading to more effective budget allocation and reduced overall risk. He and his team also increased the company's contract value backlog to $1.8 billion while enhancing the company's enterprise risk management framework, safeguarding its people and physical assets, including a total overhaul of its insurance philosophy, approach and partnerships.
Other accomplishments include establishing a culture empowering informed decisions aligned with the company's risk appetite; streamlining financial processes through the adoption of intelligence and forecasting tools; dramatically improving efficiency and transparency in financial reporting; and instituting rigorous internal controls that ensure regulatory compliance and best practices that significantly reduced audit times and compliance costs.
Private Company–Large: Finalists
Eric Chin serves as the CFO for Akido, overseeing all finance and accounting operations, including fundraiser participation and investor relations. In addition to his role as CFO, he held a number of financial and operational leadership positions at ApolloMed and its subsidiaries, including interim co-chief operating officer and corporate secretary. Over the past year, Chin led the financial efforts to finalize the acquisition of Rhode Island Primary Care Physicians Corp (RIPCPC) into the Akido organization, expanding the medical network to the East Coast and doubling the patient base to nearly half a million. He now serves on the RIPCPC Board of Directors. Chin is a dedicated member of the Los Angeles community, serving as a member of the board of directors for the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Los Angeles, a council member of the EY Alumni Council and a supporter of Covenant House.
Razzak Jallow, CFO of FloQast, has a distinguished career in technology and finance. Early in his career, he implemented financial infrastructure at Synopsys, aiding its growth to a $500-million enterprise. At Adobe, Jallow managed the transition to a subscription model. His career includes key roles at Apple, LendingClub and Looker before joining FloQast. At FloQast, he has driven the company to $100 million in annual recurring revenue, enhancing transparency and cross-functional collaboration. As CFO, Jallow has a strong hand in internal operations and direction. He led initiatives such as cloud-first operations and scalable success strategies. In addition, he serves on the board of Zone 24x7 and the audit committee for Bellarmine College Preparatory School.
Thomas Dhondt is a seasoned financial executive renowned for his strategic acumen and commitment to driving growth and innovation. With over a decade of experience across international markets, he has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership and a dedication to excellence. As Chief Financial Officer at Telesign, Dhondt played a pivotal role in expanding the company's business by 7096 over three years through strategic investments and global market expansion, establishing it as a leading digital identity solution provider. He spearheaded a complex merger with competitor Route Mobile, solidifying Telesign's position as a top-three industry leader and projecting combined revenues to exceed $1 billion, with anticipated synergies surpassing $100 million annually. Dhondt is also actively involved in fostering international collaboration and investment on the West Coast through his membership in Belwest.
Mike Kovar, CFO and treasurer of Aera Lending, brings over 30 years of executive experience across finance, manufacturing, SaaS and real estate. As a change agent, he enhanced Aera's financial infrastructure post-acquisition, upgrading teams, automating processes and consolidating insurance. His strategic initiatives, including a new treasury cash management program, generated $3 million in revenue and de-risked $150 million in cash. Kovar also implemented a top-down, bottom-up budgeting process for 17 centers, increasing accountability and transparency. He introduced Loan Vision, an advanced loan-level accounting system, automating reports and enabling data-driven decisions. Previously, Kovar held key roles at Lender Processing Services, Lending Tree Loans and Pacific Life.
