Being a Strategic CFO (and Why the Term Is So Often Misused)

I think the term I hear most often when a recruiter calls me about a CFO opportunity is that their client is looking for a “strategic CFO.” I also see no shortage of articles in the finance trade press on the importance of being strategic, or on how the modern CFO must go beyond the traditional role.

I’ll start by saying that many of these articles rely on a very narrow—and frankly inaccurate—definition of what a “traditional CFO” is. In many cases, what they describe sounds more like a Controller or Head of Accounting than an actual CFO. I can forgive this to some extent; claiming to offer a bold new insight makes for a more clickable article. Still, many of these pieces feel shallow and suggest a limited understanding of what CFOs have always done.

One of the most common claims is that a strategic CFO must be “forward looking.” This one puzzles me the most. Even basic accounting is inherently forward looking. The going-concern assumption alone requires analysis of the future. Budgeting, forecasting, cash flow modeling—these are core finance skills, not optional add-ons. Some finance leaders are better than others at building relationships outside the department and therefore get better insight, but that too is a foundational finance skill. Finance typically sits at the center of the company’s information flow, particularly because it monitors cash. That position actually makes relationship-building easier, not harder. Being forward looking, by itself, does not make a CFO strategic.

Other articles encourage CFOs to “go beyond finance” and take on broader operational roles. That advice is also somewhat puzzling. A CFO is already part of the senior leadership team and is often one of the primary internal and external faces of management. Most CFOs have worked across multiple functions earlier in their careers, and some of us even came to finance from other disciplines.

That experience is valuable—but trying to run other functions can be disruptive. Everyone already has one clear boss: the CEO. They do not need a second one. A good CFO keeps the organization accountable to its goals, especially financial ones, while enabling success rather than trying to personally run everything. The CFO is often the bearer of bad news by default, acting as the reality check when plans miss their targets. That role already requires enough political and interpersonal skill without creating unnecessary confusion about authority.

This advice also varies by company size and stage. In smaller or earlier-stage companies, the CFO (if that is even the title) often has all administrative functions reporting to them. IT reporting to the CFO is not uncommon. As companies mature, however, functional leadership becomes more defined. At the same time, the CFO role becomes more complex—venture funding, capital markets, investor relations, treasury, and fundraising all consume significant time and energy. There is limited usefulness in trying to run every function once the organization reaches that level of complexity.

That does not mean the CFO should stay locked inside the finance department.

A CFO can help Sales close deals by structuring contracts properly, reducing currency risk through hedging, and ensuring revenue is recognized correctly from day one. That only happens with strong working relationships. CFOs can help Purchasing negotiate better supplier contracts, often playing an effective “bad cop” role, and sometimes bringing financing relationships to the table to ease pressure on terms. Legal and IT are often natural allies. COOs usually appreciate help driving down costs or evaluating locations for new facilities. CFOs are also frequently asked to lead large, cross-functional initiatives.

All of this makes you a better CFO. You make better decisions. Your team does too. Communication improves. You build credibility, which makes difficult conversations easier. When you later complete a major M&A transaction, integration and synergy realization are far more achievable because you already understand how the business actually works.

But none of this, by itself, necessarily makes you the “strategic CFO” that your CEO or board says they want.

At this point, you may be a very good CFO—just without the label.

To understand what “strategic” really means, I think we need to go back to the root of the word itself. I will explore that in my next post.