How Can Curiosity, Automation, and Team Culture Shape the Future of FinOps?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, I’m joined by Mike Routier, Cloud FinOps Manager at Choice Hotels International, who brings over 20 years of experience and deep insights into building a sustainable and strategic FinOps practice within a large enterprise.

Mike shares the key priorities for modern FinOps leaders—from staying curious in a fast-evolving cloud environment to building strong relationships with engineering teams and leveraging automation for greater strategic impact. He also highlights how fostering a supportive work culture and using KPIs can transform how organizations manage cloud costs and operations.

During our conversation, we explore several essential topics, including:

• Why curiosity is a critical skill for FinOps practitioners in today’s dynamic cloud landscape
• The power of automation to reduce manual effort and focus on high-impact, strategic initiatives
• How cross-functional collaboration with engineers strengthens cloud cost optimization
• Creating a culture of support, accountability, and continuous learning within FinOps teams
• Key performance indicators (KPIs) that drive visibility and better cloud financial outcomes
• Mike’s perspective on the future role of AI in FinOps and cloud operations

Mike also opens up about his professional journey at Choice Hotels, the evolution of his FinOps team, and the real-world challenges and successes of managing cloud financials at scale. Whether you're a FinOps pro, cloud engineer, or tech leader, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you drive value, efficiency, and innovation in your cloud strategy.

Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more expert discussions on cloud financial operations, FinOps best practices, and strategies for scaling in large organizations!

Quote of the Show:

“I'm not stopping behavior. I'm gonna make sure we're always modernizing and scaling in the cloud and having a good time at the same time.” - Mike Routier

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-routier/
• Website: http://www.choicehotels.com

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