The role of Chief Finance Officer has shifted. Once focused on a companys high-level accounting and finance, more and more CFOs find themselves involved in business strategy thanks to a combination of global financial crises and the rise of emerging markets. We spoke with Marina Wyatt, CFO of TomTom, and Iain Mackay, HSBC’s group finance director, to get their perspectives on this shift in focus. Some key takeaways include: “There’s a natural dissonance between incredibly high expectations about what management information can deliver and how it should be delivered. I’ve learned from experience that the CFO has to steer through such differences.” Marina Wyatt “As CFO, you’re also a barometer of company performance for everybody who’s around you, colleagues and investors alike. The more exposed you are to them, the more they will try to read something about the company through your mood. There is so much change, driven both by the industry and by regulation—and that creates stress and anxiety for people. I find it actually helps my own frame of mind as well if I can remain reasonably positive and balanced.” Iain Mackay Find out more from Wyatt and Mackay in our interview, “Bringing a healthy dose of pragmatism to strategy.” bit.ly/McKPragStrat
Posted on: Thu, 13 Nov 2014 00:22:01 +0000
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