Sireesha Venkata, CFO at Socialize | We Are Social, joined our CFO Summit and gave the following presentation.

More and more CFOs are becoming strategic thinkers, equipping them with the tools necessary to evolve into effective business partners.

But how can the modern CFO transition into a business partner to the CEO? 

In this article, I discuss the four pillars for a successful relationship between the CFO and CEO, what CEOs want from their finance leaders, and how you can become a successful business partner.

Topics covered:

Four pillars of the CFO and CEO relationship 

1. Open dialogue

The CEO and CFO should be able to communicate effectively without fear of judgment or criticism from either party. They should be able to give each other constructive feedback, and exchange ideas for better decision-making and to help form a healthy working relationship.

2. Mutual respect and trust

Both roles must have mutual respect and trust for each other. They need to rely on each other's expertise and knowledge to get decisions done speedily and have honest conversations free of any blame.