Our Hunter Campbell Interim CFOs are appointed to businesses for various reasons, we chatted to some of the CEOs who had the benefit of working with them recently. Hear what they have to say about the Interim CFO solution below.

What were the key benefits of employing an Interim CFO? 

The ability to match the skillset of the Interim CFO to the current challenges the organisation is facing is gold. This means that for a set period of time we can access the exact skill set we require to meet our business needs. The flexibility of this solution allows us to bridge the gap with an Interim CFO and hire a different skillset for our long term business needs.  

What are the core attributes of a successful Interim CFO? 

Interim CFOs need to be adaptable, able to absorb new information quickly and immediately build rapport, enabling them to work effectively with the established teams in the business. Good energy levels and output levels are crucial to make an immediate impact.  

What advice would you give an Interim CFO looking to build a strong relationship with senior stakeholders quickly? 

Have immediate clarity from stakeholders around the objectives and the obstacles they have to overcome. As a temporary employee, they have to be focused on delivering projects in a shorter timeframe so they must be able to understand these challenges and put plans in place to resolve these quickly. 

How is the role of a CFO evolving and what are your predictions for the role in the coming years? 

 Technology and data and analytics are becoming crucial to the success of a CFO. Covid has really progressed remote working in New Zealand, for a CFO in any organisation the ability to work remotely whilst still having a high level of interaction within the business is key.  

What insights do you have for any businesses considering employing an Interim CFO? 

Ensure a match between the previous experience and projects the Interim CFO has had exposure to and the issues the business is looking to address.  

Fit with team is important in a short team role, as with any role where someone is employed to transform and make change people can be wary so ensuring a human connection will lessen any team unease.  

Embrace having a fresh perspective on issues as this will help the business move forward.