From A Financial Gatekeeper To A Strategic Leader: The Long CFO Journey

Maximizing Long-Term Corporate Growth And Shareholder Value

Though traditionally, the CFO was seen more as a financial gatekeeper or a bean counter with capabilities in long standing core areas like cor porate finance, treasur y and audit. However,
given the complex, uncer tain, rapidly changing and challenging exter nal and inter nal  environment today, coupled with the increased expectations from stakeholders, the CFO is increasingly taking up the role of a st rategic par t ner who manage and materially support
all functions of an organisation, from sales to infor mation technology, from investor relations to real estate and also st rategic M&A. The CFO as a st rategic leader is required to ensure
transparency and credibilit y. He is required to take up a more pro-active role in ensuring sustainable profitable growth, besides taking on more of risk management f unctions.

The top challenges related to strategic decisions are providing desired tools to achieve targets, including deriving synergies through technology, influencing st rategy and priorities, and making sure that their efforts achieve the desired business outcome and results.

"The CFO as a strategic leader is required to ensure transparency and credibility"

Driving Better Business Results

A CFO works as a business partner in the decision-making process in order to maximise Revenue and Profit through a pro-active approach and by providing feasible analysis of business proposals with various financial tools. Given the current business environment that’s full of uncertaint y and volatalities, the top management is always faced with multiple options which can have far reaching implications and a CFO provides the rational insights to enable the leadership team and the organisation take balanced decisions that will help the company  minimize risks and maximise results.

CFOs are increasingly being seen as enablers who contribute to an organisation's strategy.

Financial Transformations

Transformation through leveraging technology is the key focus which provides desired cont rol and consistent streamline in processes, ensuring highest level of compliance and providing timely and accurate infor mation to suppor t the decision making that enables proactive actions to stay ahead of competition in the cur rent complex, challenging  and uncer tain environment. This also helps in becoming a strong business par t ner in ensuring Sustainable Profitable Growth.