Financial Officers

As the role of the CFO has grown exponentially more complex, so has the challenge of developing a steady supply of talent and an eventual successor. To find out how outstanding CFOs meet those challenges, we interviewed almost 20 exceptional CFOs on four continents and reviewed the CVs of another 20 in order to determine what contributed to their ability to get to the top. What we found and what they told us provides a clear guide for preparing CFOs for the increasing complexities of the role.

With CEOs increasingly expecting CFOs to act as strategic business partners, top finance executives need to master some demanding professional and personal skills to manage this critical new relationship. Based on interviews with more than 25 leading CFOs on four continents, Egon Zehnder International's Financial Officer Practice explores those new skills, how finance executives can acquire them, and why CEOs should seek them in their CFOs.