Meet Lior Gigi, CPA
Founder and principal of Blue Oak Advisory. Seventeen years in finance, including nine years helping scale a direct-to-consumer company from $165 million to more than $1.2 billion in annual revenue.
From the CFO seat at scale — to your side of the table.
Lior spent nine years at Golden Hippo, a direct-to-consumer company with more than 20 health, beauty and pet care brands, ultimately leading the entire finance organization as Senior Vice President, Head of Finance — the company’s CFO role, as a member of the executive team reporting to the CEO and Founder. Over that time annual revenue grew from $165 million to over $1.2 billion.
He built the accounting, FP&A, tax and treasury teams from the ground up, led a team of 35, and managed finance for more than 50 entities across retail, distribution, DTC, manufacturing, global operations and real estate. He served as a corporate officer and treasurer, chaired the company’s fiduciary committees, and presented regularly to the board of directors.
Along the way he led more than $500 million in capital raises and refinancings, renegotiated lender terms to add $7 million in annual cash flow, guided the company’s transition to employee ownership through an ESOP, and led spin-off and IPO-readiness work including public-company audits and SEC registration drafting.
In 2025 Lior founded Blue Oak Advisory to bring that experience to growing companies of every size — with the same rigor, and a far more personal approach.
Measurable impact
$7M
Annual cash flow added by renegotiating debt and lender terms.
$10M
Annual cost savings from operational initiatives and negotiations.
45 → 4 days
Financial reporting cycle, through workflow redesign, automation and NetSuite.
$1B+ ESOP
Transition of a $1B+ company to employee ownership, including multiple leveraged transactions.
$10M
Monthly unsecured line of credit negotiated with a top-tier institution.
50%
Reduction in days-sales-outstanding at a professional services firm, lifting cash flow 35%.
Experience
- 2025 – Present
Blue Oak Advisory, Inc. — Founder & Principal
Fractional CFO and business advisory, including M&A transactions and public-company audit readiness.
- 2016 – 2025
Golden Hippo — SVP, Head of Finance (CFO role)
Executive team member reporting to the CEO and Founder. Corporate officer and treasurer; chair of the ESOP and fiduciary committees; regular presenter to the board of directors. Led a 35-person finance organization across 50+ entities.
- 2013 – 2016
CNM LLP — Head of Accounting
Technical advisory firm specializing in accounting, IT, cyber, privacy and internal controls.
- 2008 – 2013
Earlier career — Beachbody and BDO
Finance and accounting at Beachbody, a private-equity-backed digital fitness and nutrition company; began in audit at BDO, a top-10 global accounting firm.
Education & affiliations
- Certified Public Accountant, California (individually licensed)
- B.A. Economics, Accounting minor — University of California, Los Angeles
- Member, American Institute of CPAs (AICPA)
- Member, California Society of CPAs (CalCPA)
- Former Chairman, ESOP Committee and fiduciary committees
- UCLA Alumni Mentor
Work directly with Lior.
Every Blue Oak engagement is led personally — the same experience that helped scale a billion-dollar company, focused on yours.