Developing future finance talent #CFOReimagined The CFO’s role has been evolving for decades and is now in the midst of an even more radical change. As finance’s responsibilities continue is limiting the pace and outcomes “It feels like there are two camps to stretch, so too must the skills and of transformation programs within for what people look for in a CFO,” knowledge of CFOs themselves and finance—it is the human talent challenge explains Christopher Weber of of prospective talent. In the past, young of finding people with all the right skills. Halliburton. “The control or accounting people who simply showed a reliable “As the DNA of finance talent pools background versus a more strategic and detail-oriented nature might have evolves at pace, many CFOs are finance role who partners with the sufficed, but now CFOs need employees establishing hubs of deep expertise, CEO. Over time, I think the shift has with a wide range of capabilities, from in markets where there is competency been towards this second role, even data visualization to flexible thinking. at scale,” says Ambrose Shannon, if that means the candidate isn’t Typically, the CFO and very senior Managing Director, Accenture CFO an accountant by training.” finance executives have advanced these & Enterprise Value, Financial Services. Organizations need to be able to pivot newly required skills at a much greater CFOs recognize the need for change between looking backward and looking rate than the department at large has, and accept that traditional roles may forward, and be strategic and focused on creating a gap in knowledge between soon become obsolete. More than getting the books closed while ensuring the top and bottom of the organization. three-quarters (78 percent) say the all the proper controls have rigor. It takes Whatever their attendant challenges change must be rapid and drastic. talented leaders to strike this balance. are, it is not technology or data that 37 The CFO Reimagined: from driving value to building the digital enterprise