Meet Derek Bluestone: On platform vision, scalable innovation, and building for what’s next

Just a few weeks into the role as Chief Platform Officer, Derek Bluestone sums up why he joined Prophix: “Primarily it was the people,” he says. “I was impressed with the caliber of talent and the culture. The fact that this is a business that has grown so rapidly with many long-tenured people, tells you a lot about the company and the opportunity.” For someone who measures progress by outcomes and trust, it was the right place to plant a flag and push Prophix One forward.

Derek has spent the last decade leading product and platform teams through high-growth phases, including an IPO and mergers. What guides him as a leader is practical: “Bring the customer into the room and good things will happen,” he says. “Focus on the problem they’re trying to solve. Solve it really well and you end up with good outcomes for the customer, for the business, and for the team.” 

On a platform as the backbone of finance processes

For Derek, ‘platform’ is defined by the actual jobs that finance teams do. In the context of the Prophix One platform, “Our customers are closing the books, planning and budgeting, forecasting cash availability,” he says. “The platform is the fabric that ties that together and makes it easier, more efficient, and more accurate.”

“Customers do not wake up in the morning thinking they need more software.” For Derek, if the platform doesn’t reduce steps, add clarity, or help teams move faster with confidence, it is just another tool on the stack. “We should be focused intensely on the problems we’re solving, the value we create by solving them, and making it super easy,” he says. “Otherwise, they’ll go somewhere else.”  

How AI changes day to day work for finance teams

AI is already woven into the Prophix One platform through Prophix One Intelligence but as we continue to grow and expand our AI capabilities, Derek stays anchored to results. “We’re at an extraordinary inflection point,” he says. “Autonomous capabilities, woven into the fabric of the platform, can be a force multiplier. Now the CFO, VP of Finance, controller, or accounting manager can focus on being a transformational leader within the business.”

He’s also realistic about the pace of change: “Everyone would like to know where this goes next, but nobody does. The enabling tech evolves every few months. What matters is the outcome. We’re in a ‘prove it’ phase: show results, show the guardrails, and keep humans in the loop where it counts.”

Guardrails are not an afterthought. “In finance, we’re going to have checks and balances,” he says. “Things are verifiable. We have audit histories, and we show our work.” He points to Prophix's TRUSTe Responsible AI Certifications as part of that foundation: “These design principles set the framework for what’s next and for maintaining trust.” 

The customer voice is the one that matters most

If there is a constant in Derek’s approach as Chief Platform Officer, it is proximity to customers. “I have never had a bad outcome from bringing the customer into the process,” he says. “Sometimes they tell you they didn’t like what you did. That’s valuable. Often, they tell you what worked. Also, valuable. And there’s almost always a ‘have you thought about X?’ that makes the product better.”

Early signals suggest his approach works. One finance team recently described how Prophix One Intelligence has changed the way they operate: it’s become their go-to for quick answers, shifting them from reactive reporting to more proactive planning and giving the team added confidence and speed. Derek’s takeaway is direct: “When I hear that kind of feedback, I know we’re on the right track. And it’s only the beginning.” 

A look at the future of finance under Derek’s leadership

Derek’s plan is more habit than headline: define the platform by the real work of finance, measure value like a return, earn trust every release, and keep customers in the room. “If we stay focused on the problems our customers want us to solve and deliver value at a one-to-ten ratio and beyond, we’ll be successful,” he says. Commit to the value, show the value. Rinse and repeat!”