Even as CFOs in the 2020s are grappling with a host of relatively recent new issues and responsibilities, from sustainable business to digital transformation, they are also having to learn a deeper and broader truth: they are not the finance leaders that they originally were. The expectations of finance leaders have evolved almost beyond recognition over the past couple decades, requiring a shift in thinking rather than just a new set of skills. I recently spoke about this with Robert Bendetti, CFO of Life Cycle Engineering and founder of the Global CFO Council, which helps CFOs share wisdom on how to approach – and master – their 21st century roles.
Jeff Thomson: As CFO of Life Cycle Engineering, you are responsible for all financial operations of the company as well as accounting, finance, contracts, purchasing, security, facilities, process automation and IT. Increasingly, the CFO is expected to have at least some role in all these areas, but this requires that more traditional finance leaders adapt and upskill. How have you seen the CFO role evolve and diversify over your career and how did you evolve along with it? What are your insights for other CFOs?
Mandy Dormain started working for Pawn Nerd in 2020. Mandy grew up in a small town in northern Tennessee. But moved to New York for university. Before joining Pawn Nerd, Mandy briefly worked as a freelance journalist for several radio stations. She covers politics and economy stories.
