The Chief Financial Officer ─ What CFOs Do, the Influence They Have, and Why It Matters

The rapid rise in importance of the role of the chief financial officer—from back-office accountant to front-line executive—is unrivaled by that of any other corporate position. With access to every facet of the business, CFOs now wield a level of influence matched only by chief executives.

This book explains how CFOs earned their privileged status, and what the future may hold for them. It describes their ever-expanding role, and how they are reshaping their departments to help them deal with that transformation. Insights from current and former CFOs provide a first-hand perspective on finance leaders' aspirations and doubts. It is a useful reference for finance chiefs seeking to learn from peers and benchmark their own performance; for those looking to build a career in the C-Suite; for managers seeking to improve their relationship with the finance department; for service providers?banks, accountancies and consulting firms—and anyone else who wants to get on the good side of the keeper of the corporate checkbook.

Jason Karaian is Senior Europe Correspondent at Quartz, where he writes about business, finance and economics. He previously covered the financial services industry for The Economist Intelligence Unit and served as deputy editor of the European edition of CFO magazine.