The CFO'S Perspective

A changing of the guard in a company's top position is a dramatic change for any business, but getting a new CFO is a close second. As with any executive transition, there may be several reasons for the shift. You may be a small company that has just now decided it's time for a CFO, have an executive who is nearing retirement, or has a legitimate issue that prompts the need for a change.

No one likes uncertainty, so it's best to approach a CFO change with as much caution as possible. There are some telling signs that it's time to launch an executive CFO search, as well as advantages and disadvantages to conducting a confidential search for a CFO. Your company may want to consider an interim position, as well as enlisting the help of a financial consultant during this process.

Why do we need a CFO?

The right CFO in place will optimize the returns of your organization’s activities by carefully managing all aspects of your finances.

The CFO role is strategic by nature, creating budgets, analyzing financial statements, and strategically interpreting the data. They provide an active partner to the Executive Director (ED) and bring a forward-looking and proactive stance to managing the organization’s finances.

Whether an organization begins to spiral downward or have high-speed growth, a CFO might be needed to help you respond when decisions are required in a quickly changing financial landscape.

When an Executive Director becomes burdened with too many hats, it limits opportunities.  With a CFO in place, an Executive Director can feel empowered because they have a financial executive who knows how to solve problems and run the organization financially.

The right CFO will bring clarity when you lack detailed financial analysis that is critical to making sound business decisions.

Your CFO has been a part of your organization for many years and is now planning to retire. You have the great fortune to have CFO Selections help you find an outstanding replacement with CFO executive search services or CFO consulting services.

Some say that CFOs are now more important than CEOs and the financial crisis in 2008 made companies more dependent on CFOs in order to focus on accumulating cash as a brace against further turmoil similar to the credit implosion. A corporate CFO is a professional who must find ways to protect the bottom line while instilling confidence in their company's financial statements. Beyond their financial expertise, CEOs of leading companies are looking for a CFO who can help them manage the business, complement their skills, and offer leadership.