L90S

As a Fractional CFO, I specialize in gaming and mobile app financial strategy. I help founders build financial clarity, optimize cash flow, and prepare for fundraising without the stress of running out of money.

20+ years gaming finance experience from:
👉 Ubisoft
👉 Kixeye
👉 Smule

Specialized on seed to Series A gaming and mobile app companies.

Fractional CFO

Smule, Inc.

Smule is on a mission to connect people through music. Its flagship karaoke app is designed for mobile devices and available to all across the globe.

• Secured $13M financing round, fueling strategic initiatives and product development.
• 3x new user revenue via $20M credit facility, boosting marketing investment.
• Achieved <2% sales projection variance, enhancing accuracy and planning.
• Improved subscriber retention 80% through strategic pricing adjustments.
• Led finance, accounting, HR, corporate legal and investor relations.

Chief Financial Officer

• Built decision-making financial models for short/long-term projections to define/assess business opportunities.
• Reduced reporting efforts to reorient finance team efforts towards ROI decision-making mindset.
• Partnered with growth team to improve user LTV model and to better quantify ROAS.
• Enhanced and simplified annual budgets and monthly forecasts for more agile and precise financial planning.
• Led due diligence for strategic partnerships and M&A.

VP, FP&A

Senior Director, Financial Planning & Analysis

KIXEYE

KIXEYE (acquired by Stillfront Group) creates, develops and publishes massively multiplayer online real-time strategy games for PC and mobile devices.

Head of FP&A and trusted advisor to the CFO

• Strategic finance partner in the close of KIXEYE's $20m Series D of funding
• Transformed financial models and processes to better support strategic decision making
• Redefined core business metrics, redesigned LTV model, advised marketing yield maximization
• Lead in all quarterly financial updates to the Board

Mindjet

Mindjet's (acquired by Corel/KKR) software products, including its flagship product MindManager and SpigitEngage, are designed to visually and collaboratively manage information and tasks.

Head of the worldwide teams that manage the business planning of the SaaS, Perpetual Software, and Professional Services activities

• Trusted advisor to the CEO and CFO
• Spearheaded definition of new KPIs as we transitioned from a Perpetual Software model to a Subscription and SaaS based model (ARR, Renewal Rate/Churn Rate, LTV, CAC)
• In absence of a CFO, Finance lead in the merger with Spigit Inc, the leader in IaaS (Innovation-as-a-Service), while negotiating with Venture Debt providers to finance the project
• Promoted and trusted to take over Sales Operations responsibilities
• Lead in all quarterly financial updates to the Board

Director, Financial Planning and Analysis

Ubisoft

Ubisoft (UBI.PA) is one of the largest independent video game publishers headquartered in France with development studios across the globe.

Lead a team of Financial Analysts to manage budget planning for Mobile, Facebook, Online and B2B activities; The Americas

• Digital revenue stream projections and margin profitability for Business Plan presentations to the board of Directors
• Benchmarked ROI on brand new line of product launched on Facebook gaming platform
• Market comp analysis to forecast gross margin of digital games available on Mobile platforms (iOs, Android), XBOX Live, PlayStation Network, Nintendo and Steam networks
• Support Business Development team on ROI projections for strategic new game opportunities

Manager, Financial Planning and Analysis

Finance partner for Marketing & Sales as well as IT activities; The Americas

•	Budget optimization across Ubisoft brands, provide recommendations on areas of opportunities
•	Designed new Project ROI model to strategize prioritization process and influence go/no-go decisions on new Marketing and IT initiatives
•	Strategic finance partner in implementation of customized Hyperion Planning solution 
•	Managed all Marketing & Sales and IT budget planning and analysis

Manager, Financial Planning

Finance partner to the EMEA region headquarter
•	Strategic business partner to the UK, Germany, Italy and Switzerland distribution territories

Financial Analyst

Numericable

Numericable is the major French cable operator, internet access provider and telecommunications services company.

Finance support to the Director of Marketing and Sales

CANAL+ Group

Finance support to the TV Network sales division

STUDIOCANAL

Finance support to Marketing Brand Managers

Digiplug

Gaming CFO | 20+ years in finance at Ubisoft, Kixeye, Smule

Are you a gaming or mobile app founder struggling with financial planning?

These finance tasks are not founder worthy 👇

You shouldn't have to:

❌ Get rejected by VC and publishers without clear next steps
❌ Spend 15-20 hours per month wrestling with cash flow projections
❌ Feel embarrassed when investors ask detailed financial questions
❌ Worry about running out of money with no clear path to profit
❌ Navigate complex unit economics for freemium and subscription models alone
❌ Prepare for fundraising without industry-specific financial expertise
❌ Make critical financial decisions based on gut feeling rather than data
❌ Sacrifice product development time to figure out spreadsheets and burn rates

What does a fractional CFO do?

Within the first 30 days, you'll receive a complete financial audit and a clear strategic roadmap that identifies your biggest opportunities and blockers.

End-to-end financial strategy for gaming companies.

I was previously CFO at Smule (world leader in mobile karaoke) and spent 20+ years in gaming finance at companies like Ubisoft, Kixeye, and other major gaming studios. I understand exactly how gaming business models work and what investors expect.

So, how can I help you?

✅ Attract investors with confident financial modeling
✅ Make decisions that drive ROI in uncertainty
✅ Financial Planning & Analysis for rapid-growth companies
✅ Active fundraising to secure the capital you need to grow

This is all I do.

If you read this far you are likely ready to take action.
“Time is money” hits differently in the startup world. 

Let's start optimizing your finances before it’s too late.

a) Book a free Investor-Ready Assessment with me using my featured section.
b) DM me here on LinkedIn for more details

Tomorrow I'll be pitching on a large stage for the first time. You could say this is a new high for me! 😉

I've been preparing for a month. The deck is short. Every slide is intentional. Rehearsed every word until it comes out naturally.

When you represent a gaming studio in front of investors, confidence comes from preparation.

You can't wing it. 

You have to know exactly what you're saying and why you're saying it.

Tomorrow, I'll find out if this month of work and preparation translates to 10 minutes that matter most to investors.

Wish me luck!

Laurent Saurel

Heading home after an intense week in Dubai.

Can’t go into details yet, but the energy here was next level. Excited for what’s ahead for my client.

This trip reminded me how much happens when you show up in person and why I do this in the first place.

Big conversations. Real connections.

5 takeaways from GamesBeat Next in SF, yesterday: 

𝟭. 𝗔𝗜 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

Some love it. Some hate it. The room was genuinely 50/50. But everyone agrees it's happening. And that it will be a tool everyone uses. 

Especially in content generation, ops, and player personalization.

𝟮. 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗹𝗲

GTM is harder than ever. Discoverability is brutal.

What's working, according to the insiders I spoke with:

- Building early with influencers who actually get your game
- Investing in community before launch, not after

𝟯. 𝗔𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗮 𝗪𝗲𝗯𝟯 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿

Many took big swings in Web3. Some won. Most didn't. Now they're moving fast into AI.

Some with FOMO. 
Others with real caution.

𝟰. 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗩𝗖𝘀 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘄

Founders said they feel seen by publishers. There's more empathy. More alignment. This is a great direction to go in, in my opinion.

VCs want returns. Publishers often want the same thing devs do: a good game.

𝟱. 𝗔𝘀 𝗮 𝗖𝗙𝗢, 𝗜 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘀𝘁

I was reminded how fast the industry moves, and how slowly some founders adapt to it.

To help founders dream and build responsibly, I ask:

- What do you really want to build?
- What will it take to get there?
- How do we make the numbers align with your vision?

I have to understand what makes them move.

Because right now, the gap between what founders need and what the market offers has never been wider. 

The ones who bridge that gap win.

My kids have no idea what I do for a living.

The other day, my youngest one asked me: 

"Papa, what's your job? You just stare at your screen all day. Do you play Roblox all day?"

I tried explaining it his way.

I walked him through Robux. How they're hard to get. How he has to do chores to earn them. How that means when he spends them, he wants something special in return. That's investing. And when he asks Grandpa and Grandma for more money? That's fundraising. Same thing I do, just with CEOs running companies.

He thought about it.

"So you help people ask their grandparents for money?"

Close enough.

With you, founders, I also have to explain what I do each time. Finance is a broad topic. And what I do can be valued very differently depending on your goals. 

- Pre-seed founder with 6 months of cash flow? We're talking cash management and extending that runway.

- Series A founder with investor pressure? We're building the model that shows your path to profitability.

I need to understand where you are, what pressure you're under, what keeps you up at night.

Then I explain what I do in that context.

Like a doctor, I don't try to fix everything.

I diagnose a specific problem first, depending on where you are and what you want to achieve.

I'm going to GamesBeat tomorrow!

Looking to chat about:

- Building financial clarity for your studio
- Fundraise prep
- Runway extension and cashflow management
- And creative stuff of course!

For those unaware, I'm a fractional CFO with 20+ years in gaming (Ubisoft, Smule, Kixeye).

I help gaming founders from pre-seed to Series A navigate the financial side so they can focus on building great games.

Excited to meet founders and catch up with old friends.

DM me if we should meet!

Just touched down in Dubai 🇦🇪 First time in the city - I’ll be here all week pitching investors.

I can feel the energy already!

For those who know Dubai, where should I go? What's worth seeing when I'm not in conference rooms?

Please share some of your best recommendations.

I've gained 1,200+ followers in the past few months. Still, a lot of you don't know what I do. Let me reintroduce myself.

I've been 20+ years in the gaming industry, and I'm now a fractional CFO helping gaming founders build their business with financial clarity and confidence.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗜 𝗴𝗼𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲:

In 2005, I joined Ubisoft Paris. Soon after made the move to the San Francisco offices with basic English. Didn't know anybody.

Between 2012 and 2015, I started working with startups. Joined Kixeye during their Facebook-to-mobile transition. Helped close a $20M round.

In 2021, I became Smule's CFO. Got "battle promoted" during fundraising talks.

In 2024, I finally decided to start my fractional CFO practice. Currently working with four clients and growing.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝗜 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗮 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗙𝗢?

I spent 20 years learning how to help one company at a time. I wanted to see if I could do it with more. Turns out I can, and I love being part of multiple founders' journeys at once.

Just last week I was in Dubai pitching investors on behalf of a client. Every day is different.

𝗜'𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗻:

- When to make big bets vs. smart bets (and how to know the difference)
- Extending and managing cashflow 
- Why founders stress (and how to avoid it)
- Preparing for investor pitches 
- How to prep for fundraises

And few stories from back in the day and the lessons I've learned along the way.

That's my story. Welcome to the 1,200 new followers! 🎉

Gamesforum reminded me last week why retention is the metric that most founders under-invest in. Yet few build around it.

Everyone obsesses over user acquisition. 

Get users in the door. Scale the top of the funnel.

But retention is what determines whether you have a business or a leaky bucket.

Here are the key themes covered during the event:

𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲. It's active work. New features, new content, new reasons for players to come back. LiveOps is a key component in the retention process, and it needs to be aligned with the rest of the company.

𝗔𝗜 𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗿. Tasks that are well-documented, repetitive, and that can be delegated to an agent.

𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆. ChatGPT and Perplexity can be new sources for app discovery. Audit your online presence and adapt to ensure you are discovered with these tools.

𝗔𝗱𝘀. Reddit, Discord, and influencers are still good channels, but test them all. Word of mouth is still the best channel you can have.

Remember: Compounding user acquisition only makes if you can retain the majority of those users.

Day 1 as a fractional CFO: Didn't know where to start. Felt like I'd jumped into the deep end without knowing how to swim. 

Do you remember that feeling? 

The moment your feet leave the ground, and suddenly, the water is too deep, you are breathing too fast, and your instinct screams: get out!

I’d worked in finance for years. But this was different.
New world. New people. New expectations.

Still, I knew what I had to do.

I started talking to people.
Reconnected with old contacts.
Asked the founders what kept them up at night.

Listened, really listened, to how they made decisions, where they struggled, and what kind of help they’d actually pay for.

For two months, that was my job:
- Conversations over coffee
- Showing up at events
- Following up
- Repeat

My first two clients came from my own network. 

The third came from an event where I showed up, made introductions, and followed up.

Now, when founders come to me feeling their own version of that fear, unsure where to start or how to reach investors, I tell them this:

Start with warm intros.

Not just any intros, the right ones. 

Find founders who’ve already raised from the VCs you’re targeting.

They’re living the journey you want to be on. They’ll tell you if that investor’s actually a good fit. And more often than not, they’ll make the intro that changes everything.

People say, "Your network is your net worth." That's true. But only if you actually enjoy the people you're connecting with. I do. I love meeting passionate founders who are building the next generation of games. 

That's what kept me going when the fear was the loudest.

Are you confident the decisions you're making today will actually get you where you want to go?

Most founders, I ask them to pause for a second.

They’re often thinking if they need a CFO. They’re wondering what a CFO actually is for. And if they can afford on or if it’s too early.

But the real question isn't whether you need a CFO. It’s whether you feel like you are building your company with financial clarity and confidence.

Not certainty. Confidence.

You'll never have 100% of the information. You need to take risks. But are you measuring those risks? Do you have a process?

When founders come to me, I don't talk about fractional CFO services or finance. I ask:

- Where are you trying to go? 
- What milestones are you trying to reach? 
- What decisions are you trying to make?

Then we build a process to get there. The financials, the metrics, the tax strategy - those are just means to an end. They're not the end in themselves.

I'm not selling the pill. I’m just making sure that you'll feel better after you take it.

If you're a gaming founder making big bets without financial clarity, you're hoping for the best instead of planning for it.

3 departments. 5 versions of a pitch deck. 10 people whose opinion mattered. My client had too many cooks in the kitchen. 

Product had one vision. 
Marketing had another. 
Finance wanted something different. 

Everyone kept rewriting sections. Every meeting created more changes.

However, the real problem was that they started building the deck before they had clarity on two things: what type of company they are building and how they want to fund it.

The scope of the game kept changing. And they kept switching funding vehicles. Debt, then equity, then profit share. Every shift meant rebuilding the deck. 

You can't pitch what you haven't decided on yet.

What I should have told them months earlier:

1. Pin down the scope first. Be 100% clear on what you're building. Not 80%. Not "we'll figure it out as we go." Locked in.

2. Decide on your fundraising vehicle. Debt, equity, or profit share. Each comes with different obligations. Debt means hitting financial projections. Equity means giving up control. Profit share means sharing revenue but keeping ownership.

Spend real time on the pros and cons for your situation. 

Don't let opinions bounce you around. 

Own the decision and move forward.

The deck is the easy part. Alignment is the hard part.

Playing it safe is how you lose when you're running out of cash. I learned this watching two completely different studios make opposite bets.

Studio MDHR mortgaged their house to finish Cuphead. A hand-drawn game inspired by 1930s cartoons. Everyone told them it was too niche, too risky. But they believed in it. Not in a naive way - in the way gaming founders do. They were willing to bet everything because they knew the project was worth it.

Over a million copies sold in the first two weeks, and 6 million copies in the coming years. It became one of the most recognizable indie games ever made.

That's the reality for most founders.

Back at Ubisoft, we had the luxury of calculated risk with Assassin's Creed. New console, new IP, massive investment. But we had a portfolio of other games. We could absorb a failure.

Most startups don't have that luxury.

As a founder, when you're against the wall and short on cash, small, safe bets won't save you. You have to go all-in on the thing that makes you different.

You have to stand out or you're done.

If you have time and capital, you can afford patience and smaller experiments.

If you don't, "playing it safe" just means dying slowly.

The mistake isn't the bet itself. It's playing the wrong strategy for your situation.

- Know your runway. 
- Know your risk tolerance. 
- Know which game you're actually playing.

Then make the bet that only you can make.

I don't think I would have started my CFO practice if I'd stayed in France. Does the environment really determine success, or is that just an excuse?

Europe tends to be more conservative. Risk-averse. Things take more time, if they ever happen. 

This is not to knock on France (or the rest of Europe). 

It's just the reality of the environment.

Silicon Valley is the exact opposite. Open-minded. Risk-taking is rewarded. Things happen fast: fundraising, customer deals, strategy shifts, even failure.

It fits my personality better and shaped how I work today.

Does your environment really determine success? Or do you stay true to yourself no matter where you are?

I think both can be true.

People have built incredible companies everywhere in the world. But it does increase or decrease your probability of success. And it definitely impacts how enjoyable the journey is.

For gaming founders, location matters less than it used to.

Studios are distributed now. Talent is global. Investors will take calls from anywhere.

But ask yourself:

- Where can I find co-founders?
- Where can I hire the right people?
- Where is the network that accelerates what I'm building?

Sometimes the answer is "stay where you are."

Sometimes it's "move."

I moved. And this Thanksgiving, I'm grateful I made that choice.

Would I have taken the leap back in France? Maybe. Who knows.

Just arrived at GamesBeat even in SF. 

Say hi if you see me! Always happy to talk about new projects, fundraising, runway or just swap war stories!

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