DNA OF A FINANCE DIRECTOR

We surveyed over 800 finance professionals, holding the position of Deputy Finance Director or above, during the summer of 2013. They were asked about their educational background, qualifications, international experience, responsibilities, challenges and personal aspirations.

This report offers:

• Key findings of what matters most in the financial world, including interests and inspirations.
• Background and qualifications of successful Finance Directors.
• How to develop and gain experience to move up on the career ladder though business partnering and working abroad.

While the skills and backgrounds of Finance Directors will vary, they tend to share some common characteristics in terms of their training, outlook and responsibilities.

The key findings of our survey help to explain just what makes up a Finance Director’s DNA:

• ACA is the most popular qualification for finance directors (39%), followed by CIMA (29%) and ACCA (20%).
• Over a third of FDs have worked outside the UK at some point during their career; mostly in Europe (56%), followed by North America (28%) and Africa (20%),
• More than a third of respondents rated commercial understanding as the most important skill for an FD to possess.
• The main tip for the next generation was to get involved with their organisation’s operational activities and not just focus on the numbers.

Download the full report for more insight.