# The Modern CFO: At the forefront of business transformation
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2022-05-10
Category: BANKING
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/banking
Meta Title: The Modern CFO: Redefining Leadership with Technology
Meta Description: Discover how modern CFOs are leveraging technology to drive business transformation with insights from Sage research.
URL: https://financedigest.com/the-modern-cfo-at-the-forefront-of-business-transformationhtml

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_By_ **_Chris Ewen,_** _VP Finance UKI,_ [_Sage_](https://www.sage.com/en-gb/accountants/)

In recent years, Chief Financial Officers have seen their role evolve like never before. From their beginnings as historians of financial data and past performance, they evolved to real-time analysts, and onto visionaries with predictive technologies at their fingertips.

Having looked at the past, [present and future](https://www.financedigest.com/young-leaders-forum-jamal-edwards-on-the-past-present-and-future.html "Young Leaders Forum: Jamal Edwards on the past, present and future"), where is the next focus for CFOs?

New Sage research finds that, today, the [CFO has been redefined](https://www.sage.com/en-gb/cfo/), adding ‘mastery of technology’ to their tool kit, redefining their understanding of the trends, challenges, and opportunities behind the numbers they’ve always counted on.

On a par with CEOs, they are now some of the most influential leaders and figureheads, armed with technology-enabled insights to tell the story of their company’s [financial health](https://www.financedigest.com/how-can-fintechs-better-engage-zillennials-with-their-financial-health-the-answer-lies-in-speaking-to-them-in-their-own-language.html "How can fintechs better engage Zillennials with their financial health? The answer lies in speaking to them in their own language"). They are firmly in the driving seat of [business transformation](https://www.financedigest.com/3-reasons-why-businesses-get-stuck-at-the-starting-gate-of-digital-transformation.html "3 Reasons Why Businesses Get Stuck At The Starting Gate Of Digital Transformation").

To bring this new identity to life, let’s paint a picture of how the [modern CFO](https://www.financedigest.com/who-is-the-modern-day-cfo.html "WHO IS THE MODERN DAY CFO?") works, day to day.

**At the heart of the company**

Today’s CFO isn’t hard to find. They are highly visible on the company floor, talking to people of all levels, listening, and [responding to requests from across the business](https://www.financedigest.com/pitiless-machines-will-kill-your-business-if-you-dont-respond-now-warns-servion.html "‘Pitiless machines’ will kill your business if you don’t respond now, warns Servion"). They lead from the front.

As the CEOs indispensable confidant, the CFO can often be found by their side, influencing strategic decision making with the company’s overall [financial data](https://www.financedigest.com/how-data-governance-as-a-service-can-transform-the-financial-sector.html "How Data Governance-as-a-Service can transform the financial sector") front of mind. With digital technologies at their fingertips, the CFOs ability to present accurate, concise, and relevant financial [data supports the CEO to make big](https://www.financedigest.com/the-benefits-of-big-data-how-to-convince-your-cfo.html "THE BENEFITS OF BIG DATA – HOW TO CONVINCE YOUR CFO") decisions in a timely manner.

Yet, the modern CFO is far from an exclusive figure. They also interact continuously with teams across the organisation, from sales and customer services to marketing and HR, gaining an understanding of how [future investments](https://www.financedigest.com/investing-in-the-city-thats-investing-in-itself-welcome-to-the-liverpool-of-the-future.html "INVESTING IN THE CITY THAT’S INVESTING IN ITSELF – WELCOME TO THE LIVERPOOL OF THE FUTURE!  ") in technology and talent could elevate teams to reach new levels. Interconnected cloud platforms and applications enable the [CFO to immerse themselves in any business](https://www.financedigest.com/cfos-its-time-to-own-the-business-model.html "CFOs: It’s time to own the business model") function to truly understand their financial performance, challenges, and opportunities.

CFOs have found their place at the heart of the company – both literally and metaphorically. This central position is their route to leading better-informed [decisions on whole-company strategies and policies](https://www.financedigest.com/asian-shares-rise-dollar-dips-ahead-of-fed-policy-decision.html "Asian shares rise, dollar dips ahead of Fed policy decision").

**Confident decision maker**

[Bringing human skills together](https://www.financedigest.com/how-to-bring-business-and-charities-together-through-events.html "How To Bring Business And Charities Together Through Events") with emerging technology – AI and machine learning are helping to predict and project, with its human colleagues planning for the future. The CFO is surrounded by an environment that can enable fast, efficient, large-scale [data processing](https://www.financedigest.com/reckon-introduces-link-to-bank-data-to-help-small-businesses-streamline-the-reconciliation-process.html "Reckon introduces link to bank data to help small businesses streamline the reconciliation process ") to produce accurate insights. Not only that, but these [technologies get to know the business](https://www.financedigest.com/schneider-and-greenyellow-target-smaller-businesses-with-energy-saving-technology.html "Schneider and GreenYellow target smaller businesses with energy saving technology") as they go, becoming more refined and delivering better insights over time as the AI learns.

Critically, CFOs are bastions of long-term strategy and vision. You won’t find them sweating the small stuff. Reading every [line in the ledger is out because AI technologies have the power](https://www.financedigest.com/shelling-damages-zaporizhzhia-nuclear-plants-backup-power-line-iaea.html "Shelling damages Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant’s backup power line -IAEA") to do that more quickly and more accurately, before flagging any anomalies. When an anomaly is found, only then will a [CFO need](https://www.financedigest.com/cfos-need-a-focus-on-forex-in-financial-planning-tools-accountagility-reveals.html "CFOs need a focus on forex in financial planning tools, Accountagility reveals") to step in and fix the problem quickly.

Being well-informed is a surefire way to make good decisions. And, with the time CFOs save on digitalizing the proofing of ledger lines and other repetitive manual tasks, they can [invest into their people](https://www.financedigest.com/how-a-british-tech-brand-can-maintain-category-leading-position-and-continued-growth-by-investing-in-the-uk-people-and-infrastructure.html "How a British tech brand can maintain category leading position and continued growth by investing in the UK people and infrastructure"). 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](https://www.financedigest.com/new-research-from-impact-com-shows-shifting-power-dynamic-that-puts-influencers-at-the-centre-of-the-brand-consumer-relationship.html "New Research from impact.com Shows Shifting Power Dynamic that Puts Influencers at the Centre of the Brand-Consumer Relationship").

**A trusted force in an era of disruption and change**

The modern [CFO has a knack of always making the right decision](https://www.financedigest.com/why-pharma-cfos-are-embracing-a-new-era-of-agile-decision-making.html "Why pharma CFOs are embracing a new era of agile decision making"). 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](https://www.financedigest.com/5-simple-ways-to-prevent-a-data-breach-from-putting-your-accountancy-practice-out-of-business.html "5 Simple ways to prevent a data breach from putting your accountancy practice out of 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](https://www.financedigest.com/how-businesses-can-effectively-pivot-marketing-game-plans-for-christmas-2020.html "How businesses can effectively pivot marketing game plans for Christmas 2020") units. 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](https://www.financedigest.com/7-ways-cloud-technology-can-transform-business-finances.html "7 ways cloud technology can transform business finances") – together. No team is left in the dark – today’s [CFO ensures everyone understands the drivers for change](https://www.financedigest.com/10-ways-automation-has-changed-the-role-of-the-cfo.html "10 ways automation has changed the role of the CFO") 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](https://www.financedigest.com/bayer-hits-8-month-high-as-investors-welcome-ceo-change.html "Bayer hits 8-month high as investors welcome CEO change"), the CFO reacts with lightning speed because they’re already working with a future-focused approach. This is thanks to predictive capabilities, planned contingencies, [financial projections and strategies](https://www.financedigest.com/the-value-of-customer-centricity-to-c-suite-financial-strategy.html "The value of customer-centricity to C-Suite financial strategy") they can see before them, in the form of AI-driven insights.

Indeed, when [disruption strikes](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-airports-face-christmas-disruption-as-border-staff-to-strike.html "UK airports face Christmas disruption as border staff to strike") 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](https://www.financedigest.com/setting-the-pace-cognitive-financial-planning-and-analysis-for-business-agility.html "Setting the pace – Cognitive financial planning and analysis for business agility") from such situations from happening again.

**CFOs have the opportunity to see the bigger picture**

The modern CFO is more visible, more confident, and more trusted than those which came before. They have what it takes to lead their [business through transformation](https://www.financedigest.com/exact-launches-practice-management-solution-to-help-transform-accountants-into-trusted-business-advisors.html "Exact launches Practice Management solution to help transform accountants into trusted business advisors") by relying on quality insights which empower them to be ever more strategic.

From the past, to the present, to the future and now stepping back to see the bigger picture, the [redefined CFO](https://www.sage.com/en-gb/cfo/) is always looking forward, driving the company to achieve bolder goals than ever before.


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