Afreen Ali

About Afreen Ali

Strategic and results-driven finance leader with 16+ years of experience driving transformation and growth at leading tech companies including Instacart, Uber, and Meta. I specialize in FP & A, R&D investment strategy, cross-functional budgeting, and IPO readiness, with a proven track record of building high-impact finance functions that deliver clarity, structure, and value.At Instacart, I lead corporate finance for the R&D organization—including Engineering, Product, Research & Design, and Data Science. I achieved a 70bps improvement in R&D operating expenses as a % of GTV—18 months ahead of target—by implementing a strategic investment framework and enhancing budget planning. I also played a pivotal role in preparing the company for its IPO.Previously at Uber, I managed a $1.2B budget across 13 product and tech sub-teams, working closely with the CTO and CPO to align finance with strategic and operational goals. At Meta, I built the finance foundation for the Connectivity R&D team, supporting long-term planning and program evaluation across global innovation initiatives.I earned my MBA from Wharton and the CFA Charter, equipping me with deep financial expertise and a strategic mindset. I’m passionate about helping technology organizations scale efficiently through data-driven decision-making, financial insight, and thoughtful leadership.

Experience

1. Board Member

   Peninsula Youth Theatre

   Feb 2021 — Present

Education

• The Wharton School

  MBA, Finance

• Mount Holyoke College

  AB, Economics and Computer Science

• CFA Institute

  Earned CFA Charter

• The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)

  Economics

Skills

• Investment Banking
• Financial Reporting
• Statistics
• Stata
• Economics
• Financial Analysis
• Statistical Data Analysis
• Strategic Financial Planning
• Equities
• Valuation
• Corporate Finance
• Mergers & Acquisitions
• Credit Risk
• Econometrics
• Financial Modeling
• Quantitative Analytics