Michael Lai
About Michael Lai
Michael Lai serves as the Sr. Financial Planning & Analysis Manager at Blaize, where he leads strategic financial analysis and reporting. He holds an MBA from Keller Graduate School of Management and has extensive experience in financial management across various organizations.
Work at Blaize
Michael Lai has been serving as the Sr. Financial Planning & Analysis Manager at Blaize since 2021. In this role, he leads strategic and financial analysis to support high-impact decisions, including product expansion and headcount planning. He is responsible for managing monthly, quarterly, and annual management reporting, variance analysis, and scenario planning. Additionally, he prepares and delivers dashboard reporting for company executives, the board of directors, and investors.
Education and Expertise
Michael Lai holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University, where he studied Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration from 2013 to 2015. He also earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Communication from the University of California, Davis. His educational background supports his expertise in financial planning, analysis, and strategic decision-making.
Background in Financial Management
Prior to joining Blaize, Michael Lai accumulated extensive experience in financial management roles. He worked as a Senior Finance Manager at SBM Management Services, LP from 2019 to 2021 and as Finance Manager from 2015 to 2019. His earlier positions include roles at Tony's Fine Foods and Ace Parking, where he gained experience in operations management and financial analysis.
Key Responsibilities and Projects
In his current role, Michael Lai assesses ongoing financial planning and analysis processes for continuous improvement and automation opportunities. He has implemented Oracle NetSuite and Microsoft Power BI applications to enhance strategic planning and KPI reporting. His work also includes managing ad hoc projects, such as automating recruiting summaries and consolidating worldwide financial summaries.
Previous Work Experience
Michael Lai's career includes various positions that contributed to his financial expertise. He served as a General Expense Accounts Payable Specialist at Tony's Fine Foods in 2010 and held multiple roles at Ace Parking, including Senior Operations Manager and Hotel Site Manager. His experience at WinPark as Sr. Operations Manager further solidified his operational and analytical skills.