Suzy Hart

From the world of music to leading finance at the UK’s top immersive entertainment company, Suzy Hart's path to CFO wasn’t linear, but it’s been deeply intentional. Her career is built on creative thinking, people-first leadership, and a drive to make finance an engine for innovation.

From Music to Management

Suzy didn’t always envision a career in finance. After graduating with a music degree, she chose to pursue accounting on instinct rather than certainty. The early days weren’t smooth, navigating ACCA concepts like “brought forward” left her completely lost.

But that challenge unlocked a deeper resilience. It laid the foundation for a career defined by learning, curiosity, and constant reinvention.

Growth at Disney

It was at Disney where Suzy’s potential truly flourished. Over a decade, she moved across four different roles, gaining a wide lens on the business and developing her commercial acumen.

A turning point came when she moved into the Disney Theatrical Group, working on productions like The Lion King, Frozen, and Disney on Ice. 

“That was the moment I knew I wanted to stay in live entertainment. I could see the direct impact of finance on the audience experience.”

That connection between data and emotion became her guiding principle.

Reimagining Finance at Layered Reality

When Suzy joined immersive entertainment firm Layered Reality, she saw a chance to apply everything she’d learned, and build something from the ground up. Within a year, she was promoted to CFO.

Her approach has been bold. From redesigning budget processes to exploring automation, she’s brought a creative mindset to the finance function. Her philosophy: don’t inherit systems—design them. “What would this look like if we built it today?” is the question that shapes her strategy.

Suzy also sees AI as an opportunity, not a threat. “Everything I used to do at the start of my career—AP, reconciliations—that’ll all be automated. And that’s a good thing. It frees us to focus on skills that actually add value.”

She’s now focused on helping her team develop those next-gen skills: communication, clarity, and business insight.

Leading Through Change

Like many CFOs navigating rapid transformation, Suzy is increasingly aware of the toll it can take.

“Even if you love change, you need time to settle. To ask: what did we learn? Where are we going next?”

That reflection has shaped her leadership. She’s moved from a mindset of constant acceleration to one of thoughtful evolution, ensuring her team has space to grow, not just react.

Her leadership style is built around co-creation, not command. 

“People thrive when they understand the why behind what they’re doing—and how they fit into the bigger picture.”

Purpose and Legacy

Suzy’s motivation is both ambitious and human: to lead with empathy, build high-performing teams, and keep the work meaningful, even on the hard days.

She’s particularly proud of creating a finance team that feels connected to the wider business, rather than separate from it. “We’re a creative company. Our finance team has to think creatively too.”

Her legacy? “A leader who helped people grow. Who made work fun. Who supported others to do their best.”