What is the role of CFO today?

The role of Chief Financial Officer (CFO) has evolved significantly in recent years, driven by changing business needs and technological advancements. While traditional CFO responsibilities such as financial management and reporting remain important, modern CFOs are increasingly being called upon to play a more strategic role in the organization, driving business performance optimization and growth as a “Value Creator”.

CFO driving productivity, controls and cost efficiency

One of the key ways that CFOs can achieve these goals is through the use of intelligent automation technologies such as Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and Intelligent Document Processing (IDP). These technologies can help CFOs streamline financial processes, improve efficiency, and reduce costs, freeing up time and resources for more strategic tasks.

RPA is a software technology that automates repetitive, rules-based tasks, such as data entry, data validation, and data processing. By using RPA, CFOs can automate many of the routine tasks that consume significant time and resources, such as invoice processing, payment processing, and account reconciliations. This can help CFOs save time and reduce costs while improving accuracy and compliance.

IDP is a technology that uses artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning algorithms to automatically extract, validate, and verify data from unstructured documents such as invoices, contracts, and receipts. By using IDP, CFOs can automate the process of data extraction and validation, reducing the need for manual data entry and improving accuracy. This can be particularly useful in situations where large volumes of data need to be processed quickly and accurately, such as during financial close processes.

CFO as a Business Partner

As businesses continue to navigate an increasingly complex and rapidly changing landscape, the role of the CFO has evolved to become that of a business partner, rather than simply a financial steward.

Today's CFOs must work closely with other business leaders to drive growth, manage risks, and optimize performance. In this context, advanced analytics tools such as graph analytics are becoming key to data-driven decision-making. By leveraging the power of graph analytics, CFOs can gain a deeper understanding of complex financial relationships and dependencies, identify trends and patterns, and uncover hidden insights. This enables them to make more informed decisions about resource allocation, risk management, and investment opportunities, driving better business outcomes and delivering greater value to stakeholders.

For example, graph analytics can be used to identify trends and patterns in customer behavior, enabling CFOs to make data-driven decisions about pricing, product development, and marketing strategies. It can also be used to identify potential risks and opportunities in supply chain management, allowing CFOs to optimize procurement and logistics strategies.

In conclusion, the role of the CFO today requires a combination of financial expertise, strategic thinking, and technological savvy. By leveraging intelligent automation technologies such as RPA and IDP, as well as advanced data analytics tools like graph analytics, CFOs can drive innovation, optimize financial performance, and provide valuable insights that contribute to the success of their organizations. By embracing these technologies and tools, CFOs can play an increasingly strategic role in their organizations, helping to drive growth and profitability in the digital age.