42. The essential mindsets you need to be successful in your new CFO role - with Ash Noah, AICPA & CIMA

42. The essential mindsets you need to be successful in your new CFO role - with Ash Noah, AICPA & CIMA

Hannah Munro: 0:47 

So, hello everybody and welcome to this episode of CFO 4.0. With me today, I'm very excited to announce we have Ash Noah. So, Ash is the VP and Managing Director of Learning, Education and Development at the combined forces of CIMA and AICPA. So, welcome Ash, it's fantastic to have you on the show. 

Ash Noah: 1:07 

Thanks very much. It's great to be here, Hannah, and these are indeed exciting times. 

Hannah Munro: 1:12 

They are indeed. So, tell us a little bit about yourself, Ash. How did you end up in your role that you're in at the moment? 

Ash Noah: 1:20 

So, what my role currently is about designing, developing and delivering the CIMA Professional Qualification, which is also called the Chartered Global Management Accounting Qualification, the CGMA. I am a former CFO. I was the CFO for a logistics express company. parcel delivery business, which has since been bought out by FedEx. And so, that gives you some context. I've lived and worked in 11 different countries across all the continents, except the Arctic and Antarctica. And so, that's given me a really great journey of kangaroo hopping from Australia all the way now in the U.S., via Singapore, London, Brazil, and a few other locations in the Middle East. So, it's been an interesting journey with TNT, as we were called, TNT Express. And I was in the US when AICPA and CIMA came together, actually. And the opportunity to go and meet other CFOs and fly the CIMA flag and make them aware of this fantastic designation was something that really was attractive to me because I wanted to pay back to the profession and pay back to the association, which really helped propel my own career. And so, I ended up starting off with the association. promoting the qualification with other CFOs. And now I've ended up in actually designing and delivering that qualification. So, the research examinations, the content development for the qualification is my domain. 

Hannah Munro: 3:24 

And it must be quite an exciting time, I guess, as the CFO role does become more global. The world, even though physically it's quite the same, seems to be getting a bit smaller. So, what are some of the– is the skill set the same when working globally or is there a different skill that's needed across the globe? 

Ash Noah: 3:43 

So, there are some things that are not changing and there are some things that are changing significantly. What really brings a CFO– fundamentally to the table are the technical skill sets around really understanding business accounting, really understanding business finance, and being able to make sure there's a process of governance and control over the entire end-to-end reporting, making sure the reports are accurate, etc. So, that's really what one could call table stakes. And that hasn't changed. What also hasn't changed from my time 10 years ago when I came out of the practice of being a CFO till now, at that point in time, we were still talking about business partnering, being able to collaborate, being able to communicate, really being able to join the dots across the business for decision-making, et cetera. Those things haven't changed. But what has really changed is the need for those type of skills today is extremely heightened. And there are a number of reasons which I guess we should go into as we go into this podcast and talk about what is really driving the changes in these mindsets and the acceleration for the need for these type of skills. 

Hannah Munro: 5:18 

Absolutely. And I think that is a great next question for me to ask, to be fair. So, over to you, Ash, then. So, what is it that you have seen and CFOs that you're speaking to are telling you about some of the shifts that we're seeing at the moment in terms of skills and mindset? 

Ash Noah: 5:34 

All right. So, let me just start off with some of the background kind of high-level landscape that's changed and what is driving the need for this new mindset and skill sets. So, firstly, we are living in a VUCA world, and that's volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous. And every one of those attributes, volatility, the uncertainty, the complexity, and the ambiguity has been accelerating tremendously. VUCA is a and you have to adapt really quickly to the unfolding events. And that's really accelerated, as you know, with COVID and even pre-COVID, the acceleration was significant. So, the levels of risk are really high. The demands of the stakeholders are multiple, complex, conflicting, and often need to be reconciled. And there's rapidly changing business models where businesses are going out, as in not being able to sustain themselves because other business models come in that have leveraged technology and the old way of doing business is outdated. And to be able to sustain and grow and continue to be in business, one has to continually change those business models. So, those are the four major problems factors that are really driving the need for this new skill set, the new mindset. Just to recap, VUCA world, high level of risks, demands, multiple demands of multiple stakeholders, and the rapid changing business models. So, that's kind of the high-level landscape of the why. Why do we need these new skill sets? Now, going into the actual mindsets, I'd start with What is finance charged with? Fundamentally, finance and accounting and CFOs are charged with governance and business guidance. The telling part is that we've, especially since Sarbanes-Oxley, etc., we have pretty much delivered what the business needs in terms of governance. And so, research shows us there's about a 10% gap between what finance needs to deliver and in terms of governance and what business expects them to deliver. So, 90% of the times we are hitting that right. When it comes to business guidance, the gap is 60 plus percent, which means it's just 40% of the needs that we are meeting in terms of what the business requires. And so, that is the big gap which all CFOs are trying to address. A lot of the transformation, a lot of the business transformation is trying to address that guidance gap. And, Hannah, that gap continues to increase because of the factors I'm talking about, the acceleration in booker and the higher risks, et cetera, and the change in business model. And as that tends to accelerate, you'll find the gap continues to grow. And so, there is a new skillset, there is a new mindset that is required to really close that guidance gap. Does that make sense? 

Hannah Munro: 9:14 

Oh, absolutely. And if we think about the pace of change that we've experienced over the last 12 months, that's a huge, not only have we got that massive gap to catch up on, but like you say, those circumstances are becoming even more volatile and ever-changing. So, what's the solution to that? How do we start that catch-up process? 

Ash Noah: 9:34 

Yeah. So, I'll drill into some of the aspects of the transformation that CFOs are undertaking within their function, not just to transform their function, but also to transform their people. And everyone actually runs to technology first to address the gap. And that's fine. The first port of call is let's get our technology right. But it's those that really address the competencies of their teams and really equipping them with the right mindsets and skillsets are the ones that will truly be able to transform. And so, the transformation is, again, when you look at the four major areas of operation for a CFO, finance is best at going and getting the right information, the relevant information. taking that information, analysing it, and producing insights, and then using those insights to create influence and then really have a strategic impact on the business and create value. So, that's kind of the overarching cycle that each CFO is engaged in. Most finance functions spend a lot of time in information and insight and don't have as much time to spend on influencing and impacting and creating value. Now, as technology adoption has increased, it has given finance more time to engage in that influence and impact boxes. And automation has enabled them to spend less time on gathering the information, gathering the data, and gathering the insights. But what we're finding is there are some key skill sets and mindsets that will address the move towards the influence and impact. So, fundamentally, finance needs to understand the business and the business model. And so, having a value creation mindset that helps finance and the CFOs to understand their business model is absolutely the starting point in terms of having this value creation mindset. To have a value creation mindset, one needs to understand that value is now today, again, research shows 90% of the value of an enterprise is intangible. So, it's not really in the balance sheet. And so, if you want to participate in value creation, one needs to go and understand what is driving intangible value. And that can be understood through the business model as to how you define value, how you deliver that value, how you capture that value, and how you sustain that value. So, understanding your business model really enables a CFO to engage with the business, not just from a point of view of engaging in costs and profits. So, that’s kind of where usually CFOs operate in the element of the business model. But it should really start with understanding the customer value proposition, understanding the processes that enable the business to change the raw materials or the inputs to goods and services, to understand the relationships that the business engages in with suppliers, with customers, with supply chain, etc., to transform the raw materials to the finished goods. And then there's the cost and revenue, which is a key part of the business model, but really, we need to focus on the other three elements. And then beyond that, the CFOs to create value and have this value creation mindset should be able to understand and engage in building the right culture in the organization And the culture that is really, in these times, critical is adopting a disruptive culture in terms of you're ready to disrupt your own offerings, you're ready to disrupt the industry, and you create innovation that enables that disruption. And again, the CFO needs to be able to participate in that and also have this mindset of providing your enterprise opportunities with a digital platform. And so, now we're going towards the whole automation and technology mindset so, that the enterprise can not only be a digitally connected enterprise internally but is able to engage with external platforms to deliver new services, new value propositions, new ways of doing business with the customer. And so, these are kind of the fundamental shifts in mindsets, the value creation mindset, the technology mindset. And then there are some more specific ones, which I want to get into. But before I do that, maybe you want to drill down into anything I said or pose another question. Yeah. Yeah, 

Hannah Munro: 15:02 

absolutely. And I think it's an interesting piece around the value creation. So, we think of a CFO, perhaps one that's new into role, both in a new company and in maybe new into the CFO role. Getting hold of that business model peace and understanding the intangible is quite a challenge, I guess, if you've not worked in that organization. So, what would you recommend in terms of how do we embed that piece into our that first sort of 90 days as a CFO, what should they be doing to get there? 

Ash Noah: 15:36 

Spend a significant amount of time with the business outside of the CFO's office. I have a favourite saying, because I come from the logistics transportation business, you need to go kick the tires and smell the diesel. If you don't do that, you're not really understanding the end-to-end process value proposition. Why is the customer using you? What is different about your services? Why is the customer ready to pay for value-added services? So, truly understanding your business operations. If you want to be a business partner and you want to be a value partner, you really need to be able to understand the entire business. And for a CFO who's not grown up within that business, it's a greater challenge. If you've come through that business and you've come through and grown through the ranks, it actually is sometimes significantly easier because you understand all the moving parts. A CFO has a vantage point in terms of, you know, has a front seat, is able to see across the organization because finance really touches every part of the organization. And so, before one settles in and gets too comfortable in their CFO's chair, I would suggest get on the road, go around. If you have production facilities, visit them. If you have research and development facilities and product development facilities, you need to understand how the marketing engine works and how the revenue engine works and what are your key products and what are your key services. And you have to understand that entire landscape to really understand how to create value. So, in the first 90 days, I would have visited the key locations, the key production sites, service delivery sites, and I've spent time with each of those leaders. I talked about the gap, the business guidance gap. I would start with asking the question, is finance giving you what you need to conduct your business? ask the sales and marketing organization, are they getting what they need to make the decisions? And so, every part of the collaborating across functions is easier said than done. Unless you really understand what each of the functions needs from a finance support and finance business partnering perspective, it's really difficult to then close that gap. guidance gap. So, those are the areas where I would focus on as I went in. Other than, you know, I don't want to say ignore the governance side. The governance side is absolutely critical, making sure you have clean audits, and you have a very solid balance sheet in terms of all the reconciliations and controls are in place. And you have internal controls of the financial reporting and all of that is a given. But The aspect of understanding the business in order to provide business guidance is absolutely critical to start off. 

Hannah Munro: 19:20 

And it's an interesting point, isn't it? And that I would actually say that even if you are in that role, that same process still applies because there is something about looking at all of those operations with the eye of a CFO rather than within finance because if you've not had the chance to do that within that finance controller role, there's a real opportunity to make sure what you think you've understood from within that finance team is also what is actually happening. out there with your stakeholders. 

Ash Noah: 19:52 

Exactly right. 

Hannah Munro: 19:54 

So, you mentioned a few other mindsets. So, we've very much been talking about that value creation mindset. And you referred earlier to a few others that you think are important for any new CFO. So, tell us a little bit more about those. What do those look like? 

Ash Noah: 20:08 

Let's talk about switching gears from value creation mindset to a mindset that really adopts automation technology. And then related to that is analytic mindset in terms of leveraging data. The explosion in the amount of data that is available within the organization and achieving efficiencies within the finance processes and having this technology mindset, they're all kind of interrelated. Finance really needs to lead on what is our data model. Who owns that data? And there is a certain portion of the data which should be owned by the CFO. And that data to decision process needs this real data analytics mindset. So, it's related to value creating. It's an enabler for value creating, for value creation. But having this mindset that where can I get the most relevant data to make the decision is absolutely critical. What we saw through the pandemic, for example, all the trends that we were used to were not an indication of the future because the level of demand, the level of supply, the level of prices, everything was upended. And so, if you were relying just on data that was historic, you would not be able to forecast very quickly how to respond to the unfolding situation. And so, having this data analytics mindset, thinking about external sources of data, can I use proxies? Can I use flight data? How many people are getting on planes and how many people are traveling? Can I use traffic data to see where are people going now if retail stores are opening up in other locations? So, What I'm trying to say is having an open mind to the data that's available, not just within the enterprise, but outside the enterprise. Then being able to leverage that data through technology, analyze that data and really help the organization forecast better levels of demand so, that they can meet the needs of the customer. That's critical in terms of having that mindset of data analytics. And related to that is automation and technology. How can I change my legacy processes? How can I re-engineer my legacy processes so, that I can really apply technology that enables me to automate? So, having a mindset that says, I'm going to standardize. And if I can standardize, then I can automate. And understanding what type of technologies... There aren't that many technologies to get your head around in terms of automation. It's really the robotic process automation, and there are several players in that field. But understanding how RPA works, understanding how you can automate, because the opportunity to automate, even today, is significant. To have a cloud-first mentality, to have a digital-first mindset, is really critical. And so, this mindset is really around embracing technology, embracing automation, and leveraging data and the technologies that can really drive value creation. So, again, kind of feeds back into the value creation story. But the speed of data to decision really will determine an enterprise's competitive advantage. The sooner you're able to decide and act, you might be moving ahead of competition. 

Hannah Munro: 24:16 

And there was an interesting trend. So, I literally recorded another podcast this week where we were with a tech... basically a technology and digital transformation company. And they were saying one of the most interesting things is this 80-20 rule when it comes to both data and technology and that you can automate about 80% of what you do. But it's that 20% that holds you back from that full automation. So, I loved your comment about standardization because I think that's one of the big challenges within finance is removing those complexities that I think sometimes finance absorbs on behalf of the rest of the organization. And that, you know, once you can start to get through those, I think there's a massive power in what we can do in finance. And once you start to get through, you know, all those weird and wonderful scenarios that, you know, that sales will put forwards and finance have to deal with. Absolutely. 

Ash Noah: 25:14 

And also, Hannah, really what one should be looking at is the 21st century enterprise systems have really done a great service to businesses and to CFOs. And what they've done is they've taken best practice processes, and they've actually engineered them into the technology. And so, the old mindset of I define my process and then I use technology to execute that process is actually being flipped. What we need to do is we need to look at the technology, re-engineer our process so, that it fits the technology. If you try and customize the current technology to your existing legacy processes, which were invented in the 20th century, we will not really get the benefits of that investment in technology. 

Hannah Munro: 26:11 

You are definitely preaching to the converted there, Ash. I'm a massive believer in using the tools that you have to the best of their ability, because there's always a danger that you can be too specific about what you want. And I'd have to say I'm a massive believer in not over-developing systems and building, you know, because then you lose the flexibility, don't you, in terms of that technology shift. So, no problem. That's a great point. So, for those of you listening, it's not just me that's saying that. It's the all-knowing Ash from SEMA and AICPA. So, that's a great point, though, Ash, to be very fair. Yeah. So, from a, from a mindset perspective, is there any, so, again, take us back to, you know, those that are listening that are perhaps new into role and thinking about their first, you know, 90 to a hundred days. What else in terms of mindset should we be thinking about from a personal perspective in terms of how we, how we approach that piece? 

Ash Noah: 27:16 

So, as a trained finance professionals. We really have been trained into being a professional, you know, bringing professional scepticism. We ask all the right questions. And our training also has caused us to be very process-oriented in terms of sequential and logical processes. development. And sometimes that goes against us, especially when one is trying to solve problems or when one is trying to drive transformation. So, in that, there's two kind of mindsets that one needs to develop both for oneself as a CFO, but also in our teams. The two things I would really recommend embracing is understanding the workings of agile. So, really looking at agile methodology and adopting, not for technology rollout, but understanding the agile way, understanding how you can test and learn and implement in small increments. And you don't have to get the whole thing right first time. So, experimentation and learning innovating around the first test and learn cycle, bringing people in from other groups and how you approach. That takes me to problem solving. So, an agile mindset and a problem-solving mindset is what I would say CFOs need to be thinking about. So, I talked about the agile methodology and the other methodology is design thinking. And design thinking really is enables finance to break that chain of logical sequential process and try and deliver and solve problems by really understanding the landscape, by really exploring with all the partners how we could perhaps solve this problem and then building a prototype which again goes to that test and learn type environment and really use that prototype and learn from it. So, very related, but two methodologies that I would really encourage CFOs to embrace is the agile methodology and design thinking. And perhaps that kind of completes that compendium of some of these new skill sets Yes, there is Lean and there is Six Sigma and those type of project management and performance management and change management techniques can be brought in. But I really think for CFOs to really understand and leverage the agile and the design thinking is another mindset change that requires to happen. 

Hannah Munro: 30:24 

And that's a tough shift, isn't it? If we think about where finance are expected to be the cautionary ones, if we think historically, that shift into that problem-solving creative thinker, It could be quite challenging for those that are, you know, and while still maintaining that steady hand on the rudder and that sort of that governance piece. So, how do CFOs balance, you know, the development of those skills along with, you know, maintaining the trust of the organization? And, you know, because it's a bit of a balancing act in some ways. 

Ash Noah: 31:04 

It is. And it brings us back full circle. And I think that's a nice kind of close as we go forward. in terms of it's those two pillars. It's the governance and the guidance. And one needs to balance the governance because you cannot not deliver what is required on the control, compliance, the accuracy of reporting, not to be in the front page of the Financial Times for the wrong reasons, right? That is absolutely critical. And that is why CFOs are primarily, they’re charged with that governance to ensure that there's compliance with policies, regulations, etc. And one cannot take their eyes off that. So, having built that foundation, having that strong foundation, one then goes further up. So, I see it as a three-step process. The first step is process excellence. And the process excellence makes sure that you have the required systems and processes and controls in place. And you have engaged with automation, etc. You've got your processes spot on. That gives you the foundation to move towards success. kind of business intelligence. And then you're going towards that data and data analytics and data to decision, decision to execution type mode. And you're building capability in the business intelligence. And then finally, when you have that capability in terms of business intelligence, you then move towards the influence and really having business influence. And that comes with the absolute solid foundation of that process excellence, the digital intelligence, and then you can really deliver that business influence and be creating value and co-creating value with the rest of the organization. 

Hannah Munro: 33:11 

And so, for those that are perhaps looking either to develop into that CFO role, and they perhaps listen to this and going, there's a lot that I maybe need to work on, or, you know, some good self-analysis in there. What is the pathway that you would be recommending? And, you know, in terms of steps and support systems that they should have in place, perhaps before they look to step into that role, and as they go into that first role? 

Ash Noah: 33:39 

So, I think there's a three-dimensional approach. One is you have to be absolutely deeply– you need to have that expertise, the technical expertise. That's the depth in the profession, in a professional qualification. You then need to have the width across the business, business strategy, really understanding– the importance of business models, digital skills. And so, that's kind of the width and the breadth that one needs to cover. And the third dimension is around really being exposed to the right experiences, not just be on a finance track, see if you can move and use that lattice approach which is used so, often in our talks in terms of, you know, the ladder just doesn't go, you know, one way. You have to shift and perhaps spend time in other parts of the business, spend time in operations, spend time in marketing and sales. If you can, try and move around the business and really get that experience. So, it's experiential, having the right mentors and being on a journey that really exposes you to a wider perspective area of practice than just finance. Those would be the three things that I would really encourage aspiring CFOs to be focused on. 

Hannah Munro: 35:21 

And for those that are lucky enough to be stepping into their first CFO role and maybe feeling hopefully very excited, but maybe slightly nervous, what are your top tips for the first 90 days in that CFO role? 

Ash Noah: 35:33 

So, first 90 days, and again here, if you're new to that organization, understand the business, understand the business model and really collaborate across all the functions. Understand their needs and understand how you could be a better business partner to them and serve their needs. And if you have been in the organization, within the organization for a while and you've been promoted up to the CFO, it's really about reaching out to those that you might have stepped over to become the CFO, and it's important to retain them. It's happened to me several times, and I've had to reach out to these people and assure them of the future, assure them of a vision, have a very clear strategy for your finance function, share that strategy across within your team and have visibility across the organization as to how finance will engage with the rest of the business to create value. And so, communication is absolutely critical in terms of the first 90 days. Communicate your intent. Create this strategic view. Create a vision and mission for finance and get your people along. Don't neglect the human dimension. Those would be some of the key things to address in the first 90 days. 

Hannah Munro: 37:09 

Well, that is a great way to finish the podcast. Ash, thank you so, much for sharing your insight and knowledge and experience. And I think for all of those listening, there's some great tips to take away, both in terms of mindset and skills and some practical sort of next steps for those first interval. So, thank you so, much, Ash. It's been wonderful having you on the podcast. You've been a great guest. 

Ash Noah: 37:31 

Thank you very much. It was a delight to be here and talk to you, Hannah. 

Hannah Munro: 37:37 

Brilliant. Thank you, Ash. 

Ash Noah: 37:39 

Thank you. 

Hannah Munro: 37:40 

So, for me, one of the most important things about any transformation project is the partners that you work with. And whilst I'd love to list off a whole host of reasons why ITAS is the perfect partner for your transformation project, why don't I let our customers do the talking for us?