Agnieszka Kulikowska’s Post

Re-branding the CFO.♻Management and other stakeholders are increasingly turning to CFOs to be value-adding business partners. Interesting article talking about how the role of a CFO is evolving. 👨💻

We're excited to share Sharon Barber-Lui's recent article on The CFO on the evolving role of Chief Financial Officers. Sharon highlights three critical dimensions that redefine the modern CFO: 1. CFOs are more than an operational entity. They are integrated to the broader business, actively contribute to strategic decision-making, long-term planning – connecting the numbers to the strategy. 2. CFO always asks questions. Intellectual curiosity and a growth mindset are essential traits. 3. Today's CFOs understand the importance of balancing their time between analytical tasks and the broader strategic aspects of the role. Click below to read the full article.

🎙️ What’s Up at the U Here's a sneak peek at what's been happening and what’s in store at the CFO.University as we head into February. 📈 Key Trends on CFO.University's development platform: - Lynn Guinn’s CFO Talk: Pricing Excellence and the CFO  was one of the most studied pieces on CFO.University in January.  Lynn. the Head of Pricing in Cargill's Center of Excellence, speaks directly to CFOs on how they can improve 💰 pricing at their businesses. https://lnkd.in/gmrGCkK9 - An 📰 article that highlights what Boards expect from CFOs was the next most popular article. Four public company directors share their expectations of the CFO in,  What the Board Expects From the Chief Financial Officer | https://lnkd.in/g5sDv7h - News on 📈 KPIs never seems to lose interest.   Ehab Sobhy’s, 5 Essential Financial KPIs Every Finance Leaders Should Track |  https://lnkd.in/gqDsmVZx, was  the third most read article in January. 🔍 Notable Topics: - 🎧 Audio versions of all our CFO Talks are now available on our CFO Talks tab, https://lnkd.in/gMMb8SP - Next week we’ll releasing our latest CFO Talk,  CFO Secrets for Managing the Board with CPA CA Anand Soni. -  On February 22nd Steve will be moderating a discussion with the experts, Prashanth H Southekal, PhD, MBA, ICD.D, Arun Marar, Ph.D., Tobias Zwingmann, Sanjeev Chib, CPA, CA,  who compile the annual report,  Data, Analytics and AI 🔮 Prediction and Prescription. They will be discussing their 2024 predictions and prescriptions as they relate to the CFO. Grab a seat here, https://lnkd.in/gtTATNES     -  Andy Burrows, Founder of Supercharged,  is running a special on the Coaching program he is running in partnership with CFO.University.  💥 The special ends at the end of the month. If you are considering a coach, you will want to speak with Andy.  Here is the link for more details and book a chat with Andy, https://lnkd.in/gdHGrx2W Join us on CFO University's platform and LinkedIn (follow CFO.University) for more enriching content that will keep you at the front of the pack in the dynamic world of finance. Let's continue to learn, grow, and make an impact together! #CFOInsider #FinanceLeaders #CFOCommunity #CFOUniversity

Very interesting CFO article with quotes from Richard Rubino "Today’s CFOs don’t just balance and close the books; they’re the architects of financial innovation. That’s because, no longer confined to number-crunching and financial operations, finance chiefs are increasingly expected to be — and turned to as — strategic visionaries, inspirational leaders, and objective decision-makers, drawing real-time insights from today’s most cutting-edge digital solutions." “To be a successful finance leader in the future, you have to look out three or five years. If you don’t have a strategic plan for your business, priority one is to make one. It is not a spreadsheet, it’s not a PowerPoint deck, it is a story that anticipates where the puck is going — because you want to be the first one there. You don’t want to be two or three years behind,”

CFO challenges. Eight shifts for CFOs to make to do planning in a volatile world... Planning and forecasting is the eye of the storm for the CFO in a volatile world. Providing visibility into the future has never been more challenging. Meanwhile, most companies still run antiquated processes that take months to complete and are outdated when the last number has been confirmed. Alternatives to budgeting have yet to be proposed. Real change is yet to occur. Perhaps we should try a different approach 🤷♂️ McKinsey has proposed eight shifts to introduce in the planning process, and we want to claim them on behalf of Finance. Let's look closer at them: 1️⃣ STRATEGY AS A JOURNEY Reality doesn’t change in a set rhythm; be prepared to discuss strategy whenever relevant. 2️⃣ REAL ALTERNATIVES A plan without alternatives is not good; include a discussion of tangible alternatives. 3️⃣ ONE-IN-TEN WINS Corporate resources are often spread too thinly across initiatives. Identify breakout opportunities and bet big. 4️⃣ BIG MOVES Value is only created when you outmove the competition. It takes two or three big moves to move up the power curve. 5️⃣ LIQUID RESOURCES You need an available budget to maneuver against change and seize the moment. Ensure you have 20%+ liquid resources. 6️⃣ OPEN RISK PORTFOLIOS Executives should be ambitious and put their best plans forward. Openly discuss risks in the portfolio. 7️⃣ HOLISTIC VIEW Create an unbalanced scorecard that includes hardcore financials and big strategic moves with probabilities of success. 8️⃣ FORCING THE FIRST STEP Break moves into tangible 6–12-month increments. Define the success criteria. Test the strategy in the initial six months. We have shared more guidance on how to make it happen in "Step 3" 👇 How are you doing on making these shifts already? Here are some questions to reflect on: ✅ How often are you reviewing strategic progress? ✅ How easy is it for you to change course? ✅ How often are alternatives considered when suggesting strategic and tactical actions? ✅ Have you made tough prioritizations when allocating resources or killed any initiatives? ✅ Are you already making Big Moves or starting from scratch? ✅ How many resources do you have in your war chest? Consider untapped bank facilities, etc. ✅ Do you know the risk profile of your current strategy and other tactical initiatives? ✅ How are you rewarding business leaders for performance? What is your approach to planning in a volatile world? ---------- 🧑💼 I'm a partner at Business Partnering Institute 🆘 Need immediate help with your finance team? Call us! 🤝 We help increase the influence of your finance team 🔔 To see more of my content, hit the bell on my profile 🧑🎓 Enroll in our LinkedIn course: https://bit.ly/4a5fB9l 📻 #FinanceMaster podcast: https://bit.ly/3NLSt73 📄 Check out all our templates and cheat sheets here: https://lnkd.in/eC_zuCU4

Becoming a successful Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in today’s competitive market requires a strategic approach and a blend of skills beyond traditional finance expertise. Here are some key priorities for aspiring CFOs: - Formulate a Unique Vision - Bolster Essential Skills - Take Professional Risks - Engage with the Board Passion for the role and continuous learning are essential. With the right mindset and proactive steps, one can navigate the path to becoming a successful CFO

Why CFOs need Finance teams of the future The most important outcome we deliver for our CFOs is powerful executive presence. One of the ways we do that is to install in them a sense of unwavering confidence - that is, they have the self-certainty to inspire confidence in others. To help them achieve this out, we focus on a few things: - the CFO's unique value proposition: what can they do that no one else can? - we get clarity on how the CFO want to be perceived by key stakeholders, and - we obsess about the world class habits that ensure the CFO shows up at their best. What happens when your Finance team doesn't have the presence to back you up? This week I've been head down writing my next book, 'Finance team of the Future', where I've shared the top 3 levers that CFOs need to ensure are present and embedded in their teams to ensure they're future fit, future focused and future ready. One of the key accelerators for CFOs is the presence of their team - how they show up. CFOs need each individual in their team to also show up with the self-certainty to inspire confidence in others. If they don't, I think they undermine your work and slow things down. However, I'm conscious that if CFOs struggle themselves with executive presence then we can assume our teams do, too. I'm curious - how do you ensure your team members ensure they show up with the right level of presence? Love to hear your thoughts...

Mastering the Role of CFO: The Essential Skills for Success - https://lnkd.in/d5PDGccb The question "What does it take to become a great CFO?" is a common one posed to Larry Chester, President of CFO Simplified. Whether you are an aspiring CFO or a business owner looking to hire one, understanding the key qualities that ensure success in this crucial role is paramount.

To extract full value from CFO services, all departments need to be co-working, understanding the challenges faced by each one and contributing into overcoming them. Yes, the CFO may lead this process by being the first one who will co-work with other executives by asking them: "how can we help you"? From that point onwards a circle of trust and collaboration starts, where the client is at the center, increasing the value of the company's offerings to the marketplace.