The Playbook: Conversations With Craig Budner: Interview With Alok Sama, Best-Selling Author and Former Senior Finance Executive

Alok Sama is an accomplished investor, advisor, and best-selling author with more than 40 years of global experience in the financial industry. Known for his work as the president and chief financial officer at SoftBank Group International, Alok has shaped some of the most significant corporate transactions in recent history—including leading the US$59 billion merger of Sprint and T-Mobile in 2020. Alongside his endless corporate accomplishments, Alok is the author of the best-selling literary memoir The Money Trap: Lost Illusions Inside the Tech Bubble, which gives readers unique insight into the world of finance and venture capitalists. In this episode of The Playbook: Conversations With Craig Budner, Alok dives into his upbringing in India, the powerful impact of having a mentor, and what led him to the world of finance—forever changing the trajectory of his life. Craig and Alok discuss Alok’s interesting career path, including his time with Masayoshi Son, the Japanese founder of SoftBank and notorious startup investor, as well as what financial freedom looks like to him.