Often the title given is one of Director, other times it is Controller, many times it’s confusing to understand the difference. Depending on the size of the organization, they may also be involved with the preparation and filing of tax returns. They may also be responsible for overseeing the external audit and filing a variety of reports with regulatory agencies. Patrick J. Moore became Chairman and CEO of Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation in 2002. According to the latest McKinsey global survey on the role of the CFO, 41 per cent of CFOs’ time in the past 12 months was spent not on traditional or even specialty finance, but on other roles, including strategic leadership, performance management, big data and analytics. Today’s CFO is no longer just the numbers person. The CFO job description should also extend to obtaining and maintaining investor relations and partnership compliance. The mindset shift is incredibly important as the controller must not just focus on debits and credits, but must understand and drive margin by product or service and customer. The difference between CEO and CFO. Friendly headhunters continuously told me that you had to be an accountant to be a finance director, and I therefore thought that I was the victim of a cruel joke when Sir James’s successor summoned me and asked whether I wanted to drink from what was clearly a … Some are certified management or public accountants and have experience in partnering with executive teams. Chief of the engine room (VP Finance) vs the navigator (CFO).I remember reading scattered parts of this post before (here), but appreciate the added details. the title is Finance Director, or Chief Financial Officer, or sometimes Director of Corporate Finance. As a trusted strategic advisor to the CEO, department directors, and the finance committee, the Cultural Trendsetter CFO … An enjoyable partnership between the executive director, board of directors, and CFO is one of trust, where the CFO, given their seat at the leadership table, offers the solutions and drive necessary to achieve collaborative, mutually understood mission goals. Usually there is a partnership between those performing financial analysis and the sales and operations arms of the business. 2 Answers; Answer added by Yassir Derbas, Chief Accountant , Keepers Advisory 6 years ago . Before arriving at the C-suite, CFOs have typically served in various accounting and finance roles throughout their careers, including finance director and controller. The difference between a controller vs CFO is primarily one of perspective. Most companies have an individual in a senior Finance role. Has there ever been a time when boards of directors were more in need of the sharp, fact-based counsel of a value-savvy CFO? Be the lead individual t… The role of the CFO (Chief Financial Officer) has been changing over the past twenty years. More than 70 leading private equity houses from across Europe retain Directorbank’s services to gain access to their … She holds a BA in Marketing and International Business and a BA in Psychology. To better understand these key business figures -- and the financial side of business in general -- … Watch out – The potential stumbling block for the finance director moving to CFO is not fully appreciating the technical side of the house. In owner-managed companies, the person responsible for overseeing the finance function is invariably the CFO. This month we will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of reporting to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO). 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