“Today’s CFO is busier than a bartender at a New Year’s Eve party.” That is the opening quote in a handy little blue book titled Breathing Lessons by Deloitte, inserted in the most recent issue of CFO magazine. I have been an avid reader of CFO since my early days as a CPA in industry, and this little book does a great job of highlighting the new role of the CFO in this post-SOX era of corporate finance.
The new roles are called the Four Faces of the CFO:
- Steward
- Operator
- Strategist
- Catalyst
I like to think about this as accountability and performance. The CFO has to make sure the numbers are right and help business management and executives use those numbers to help the business manage its performance and execute its strategy. The CFO finally has a seat at the strategy table and is more valued than ever due to the new importance of getting the financials right. This directly supports the trend of businesses making sure their CFO is a CPA. Read the AICPA whitepaper on why CFOs should be in the C-suite by clicking here.
You can download this book here.