How often are you approached about new CFO opportunities?
CFO insights by industry
CFOs who reported being approached for new roles more often are being sought after every few months (47%), monthly (28%), and even weekly (8%). Financial Services was the only industry where CFOs report being approached less often than every few months for new CFO opportunities.
What factors are most important in deciding whether to pursue a new CFO opportunity? Please select up to three.
Looking at gender, women report being approached a lot more often (17%) when compared to men (12%), suggesting that companies have been taking steps to attract gender-diverse CFOs.
With growing competition for CFO talent, what sets a company apart, according to 60% of respondents, is a high-quality executive team as well as growth prospects (for 45% of respondents). The focus on who they’ll work with over company size and revenue signals that companies that are more intentional about executive development are better positioned to attract top talent than those that aren’t. “How important it is that the CFO is VERY close to all other C-suite positions given the increased role’s complexity. The CFO is the best person to have the overview of the full value chain,” noted the CFO of a listed transportation company.
I would never take a CFO opportunity unless I felt the CEO and I had alignment on culture, management philosophy, and the company vision. Comfort that chemistry will be there is also critical. Given my senior experienced nature, I would only accept positions where the CEO views me as the most senior advisor and would solicit my input before making major decisions.
Public Company CFO
