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Naveen Kumar Amar joined SS Innovations International, a developer of surgical robotic technologies, in September as CFO. Amar has been a financial leader with companies in a range of industries and most recently provided virtual CFO services to clients in the US, Canada, and the UK.

Global Finance: What is going to be your first big challenge as CFO of SS Innovations?

Naveen Kumar Amar: The first is to align our financial strategy with the scale of our global mission. SS Innovations is not just building a product; we are trying to increase access to surgical care worldwide by making robotic surgery more affordable and available to hospitals of all sizes. That requires disciplined capital allocation, building sustainable revenue streams, and ensuring our growth is balanced across markets. Regulatory milestones, including in the US, are part of that journey, but the broader goal is to strengthen and expand our financial framework to fully support global adoption.

GF: How do your more than 25 years of experience help you in your new role?

Amar: I’ve had the opportunity to build, scale, and transform organizations across sectors, from biotechnology and infrastructure to aviation and SaaS. This journey has given me a holistic understanding of how finance drives business strategy and long-term value creation. My experience in global financial governance, investor relations, and public company compliance enables me to bring structure, agility, and clarity to my new role.

As group CFO, my focus is on strengthening financial stewardship, promoting data-driven decision-making, and supporting sustainable growth. In a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape, financial leadership must do more than manage performance; it must enable innovation, ensure transparency, and drive real impact for patients, shareholders, and society.

GF: Does this business pose specific challenges for a CFO?

Amar: Medical technology is a unique industry. The capital intensity, regulatory pathways, and long development timelines require a CFO to think not just in quarters but in multi-year horizons. You need a deep understanding of risk, compliance, and the ability to secure capital in ways that don’t slow innovation. For me, the role is about making sure SS Innovations can invest in innovation while maintaining financial resilience.

GF: What do you anticipate will take up most of your energy and time?

Amar: My energy will go into scaling the company in three ways. Global reach: supporting market expansion across regions, with models that fit the needs of hospitals in both advanced and emerging economies. Operational efficiency: ensuring our supply chain, manufacturing, and support systems can scale while keeping costs competitive. And investor and partner engagement: communicating our broader mission and the tangible progress we’re making so stakeholders see the impact beyond financial metrics. Ultimately, I want the finance function to be a strategic enabler of growth, helping the company live up to its promise of making advanced surgical care available to more people worldwide.

GF: SS Innovations has a headquarters in Florida and a strong presence in Gurugram, India. What are the challenges to keeping the company united?

Amar: Geography can create distance, but culture closes the gap. The challenge is making sure our teams—whether in Florida, Gurugram, or elsewhere—feel connected to the same mission. Communication is critical: not just top-down updates but fostering collaboration across functions and regions. I believe in a finance team that is embedded across operations, so people in different time zones and markets feel they are part of one company working toward one goal.

GF: What keeps you up at night?

Amar: It isn’t the spreadsheets or forecasts, it’s the responsibility I carry for our people, our culture, and the legacy we’re creating. That balance between ambition and responsibility can be challenging, but it’s also what makes this role so rewarding.