CFO of the Year Awards | PRIVATE COMPANY CFO OF THE YEAR (Emerging) HONOREE – Los Angeles Business Journal

ERIC ANDRES
Chief Financial Officer
WattEV INc.

Eric Andres has been instrumental in not only driving WattEV’s growth, but also building the financial infrastructure to sustain and scale it. Since joining as CFO in April 2024, he has brought structure to chaotic processes, turned underutilized tools into strategic systems, and made accountability a company-wide standard. What was once a fragmented back office is now a high-functioning, decision-driving finance engine – supporting a 285% increase in fleet assets (from 20 trucks to 77), slashing insurance costs by over 60%, and providing the financial clarity that will secure an anticipated $150 million capital raise in September and October of 2025.

Andres has shaped his leadership around an urgent and ambitious mandate: to implement full GAAP compliance, establish formal budgeting and forecasting, and build systems that can scale with business. He introduced rigorous internal controls, creating detailed P&Ls for each business line and dramatically accelerating month-end close cycles. Andres also elevated the company’s use of NetSuite, activating key financial modules including revenue recognition, fixed asset tracking, and budgeting. Under his direction, NetSuite was transformed from a passive ledger into an active, decision-support platform that powers both strategic planning and real-time financial reporting.

Andres’ leadership has been especially impactful in managing the company’s complex, high-stakes grant funding. Since 2022, WattEV has secured $253 million in state and federal grants – often with multiple grants layered per site, each with different timelines, terms and compliance requirements. Andres utilizes internal systems to track every detail, ensure timely invoicing, and maximize reimbursement speed – accelerating the company’s ability to reinvest in growth.

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