to do that more quickly and more accurately, before flagging any anomalies. When an anomaly is found, only then will a CFO need to step in and fix the problem quickly. Being well-informed is a surefire way to make good decisions. Plus, with the time CFOs save on digitalizing the proofing of ledger lines and other repetitive manual tasks, they can invest in their people. This means they can be part of more customer conversations, more colleague brainstorms, and shareholder interactions, through which they can both develop key relationships and exert their data-inspired influence.
The reliable force in a period of turbulence The modern CFO has a knack of always making the right decision. Not only that, but people trust their judgement, and are happy when they lead.
Why? Because the influence of data driven insights upon CFOs is clear. They have taken into account not only financial data but aggregated data from across the entire business, earning the trust of each department as they go.
This birds’ eye view of the business means that, when they want change to happen, it happens fast and effectively across multiple business units. This is not only because they have the right technologies in place to get the job done, but also because the whole business is riding the wave of transformation, together. No team is left in the dark— today’ s CFO ensures everyone understands the drivers for change and is transparent about how they will reach success.
Not all change can be controlled, of course. And when a business is hit with unforeseen changes, the CFO reacts with lightning speed because they’ re already working with a futurefocused approach. This is thanks to predictive capabilities, planned contingencies, financial projections, and strategies they can see before them, in the form of AI-driven insights. Indeed, when disruption strikes unexpectedly, they have the freedom to consider a responsible approach that cares not only for finances, but for people, by carefully managing expectations to avoid panic. They have empathy and understanding, keeping all teams in the loop as to what the change means for them, while also planning ahead to best protect the business from such situations from happening again.
The redefined CFO for a changing world Today’ s CFO is more visible, more confident, and more trusted than those which came before. They have diversified their responsibilities, embraced non-traditional skills, and implemented emerging technologies to free up time to focus on what matters.
We’ ve seen time and again that it’ s the organisations with access to the right digital tools— and the skills to glean valuable insights from data— that are most successful. With a constant view of the bigger picture, the redefined CFO strives to achieve bolder goals and the human touch.
To learn more about the redefined CFO and three key CFO personas that have become apparent, you can download the full research report by visiting: sage. com / uk / redefinedcfo