Michael Isteed

Commander
DISC Type : D

Finance Director at SurrealDB

London, England, United Kingdom

Overview

Michael is a senior finance leader with over 10 years of experience scaling SaaS and fintech startups. Currently the Finance Director at SurrealDB, he specializes in fundraising, exits, and transforming finance functions with technology. He holds a bachelors degree from Bayes Business School and is a CIMA-qualified accountant.

Colleagues describe him as exceedingly competent, forward-thinking, and an empathetic leader who excels as a "people person. " His interests include gaming and entertainment, underscored by his past role as Head of Finance for the global esports organization, Fnatic, and his interest in companies like PlayStation.

He recently used Claude AI to build a complex financial forecast from scratch for his early-stage startup, highlighting his passion for applying new technology to finance.

Personality Overview

Very Quick

Decisive

Candid & Clear

They are not always relationship oriented.  They like to move fast and expect the same from others. They respond well to strong and respectful communication.

Topics They Care About

AI in Finance
Passionate about leveraging AI-driven workflows and has recently used AI to build sophisticated financial models for SurrealDB, where he is the sole senior finance hire.
Startup Fundraising
Specializes in fundraising for high-growth startups, including VC rounds and venture debt. He recently shared news of his current company SurrealDB's $38M Series A round.
Scaling Finance Functions
Has extensive experience building and scaling finance teams from the ground up, implementing robust processes and integrated software stacks in fast-paced startup environments.

Media Appearances

Michael has no verified media appearances

Work History

1-2026
Finance Director at SurrealDB
8-2024 - 12-2025
Finance Director (FTC) at Trint
10-2022 - 4-2024
VP Finance at Easol
5-2022 - 10-2022
Finance Business Partner at Easol
6-2021 - 5-2022
Head of Finance at Fnatic

Education

9-2004 - 7-2008
Bachelor's degree from Bayes Business School
2011 - 2015
CIMA from London School of Business and Finance

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 17 Location : London, England, United Kingdom Job Level : Mid-senior Designation : Finance Director at SurrealDB
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Insights For Selling To Michael

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • Objectively showcase the impact that your product creates
  • When negotiating terms, help them build an impression that they are the ones calling the shots
  • Use phrases like ‘it’s your decision’, ‘strategic impact’ etc.

DONT's

  • Don’t take too much time in sending them information if they ask for any
  • Don’t focus on process and rules, give the impression of being a ‘gets it done’ person
  • Do not hesitate from asking counter questions, just avoid challenging their authority

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Michael is

  • Confidence in impact is paramount to them, followed by a sense of achievement and ROI.
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Michael

  • If they are not convinced, they will have no hesitation in telling you the same.

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Michael move?

  • They can reach decisions fairly quickly if they are convinced.
  • Can Michael take some risk or not?

  • They don’t mind risks but can be quite binary about them.

You And Michael

Personality Compatibility


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