Aspiring CFOs

Not Every Path Is Linear

Contrary to the classic narrative of career planning, most of our panellists didn’t set out to become CFOs. We asked our panel: ‘Did you proactively aspire to be a CFO or did it happen organically?’

Debbie Chandler stated that she did not aspire to be a CFO; however, the opportunity arose when she hadn’t considered that path for herself.

This organic path was echoed by Lauren Prosser, who described her progression as a series of natural steps, each one pushing her to ask, “What’s next?” When she was finally approached about a CFO position, it wasn’t part of a calculated plan, but it made sense immediately. 

Farhan Khan highlighted how career paths can be shaped by external factors as much as personal ambition. With experience navigating distressed retail environments, he was forced to think creatively about his next moves. A turning point came when a potential international relocation didn’t align with his family priorities, prompting a career break and a reflection of priorities.

“Rejections help crystallise the path ahead,” he shared. 

What Modern CFOs Really Do

All four speakers agreed: the CFO role today is far more strategic and multi-faceted than ever before. It’s not just about closing the books or managing compliance,  it’s about steering the business and wearing multiple hats.

Debbie highlighted that in previous roles, success was about producing a great piece of work; now, it’s about understanding the broader business context and thinking a layer beyond your remit,

That shift demands emotional intelligence, commercial awareness, and the ability to communicate clearly across the business, especially when delivering difficult messages. Adam mentioned that the CFO can be the bad cop, having the tough conversations while the CEO is the good cop.  You need to have great soft skills to communicate those messages effectively, compassionately and efficiently.

Corporate vs SME

Several panellists had made the transition from large corporations to smaller, high-growth environments. While the experience was empowering, it didn’t come without its challenges. Lauren joked that you stop getting gold stars, wins feel less obvious, and suddenly you are managing IT issues on top of finance.

In these smaller settings, the role becomes even more hands-on,  and lonely at times. CFOs must find their own solutions to problems and cannot rely on the infrastructure of the likes of an internal IT team.  Losing the built-in peer networks of a large organisation means CFOs must find new ways to get feedback and find peer networks externally..

Skills vs Qualifications

The conversation turned to qualifications, and how feasible it is to navigate your route to CFO without a qualification. While all acknowledged the value of an accountancy background, the consensus was clear: if you are not qualified, you need to find other ways to stand out.

“Being qualified might get you the role,” Adam said, “but might not make you good at it.”

Panellists encouraged aspiring CFOs to focus on what sets them apart, whether that’s a transformation project, commercial acumen, or leadership style. As Farhan put it: “Growth and comfort don’t coexist,  you have to stretch yourself and find your edge.”

Work-Life Balance

In perhaps the most personal part of the evening, each panellist opened up about how they approach work-life balance, and how the expectations around it have changed.

For Adam and Farhan; both fathers,  the importance of setting boundaries was paramount. Farhan stated that he makes it clear he is a dad – it’s not a compromise, it’s part of who he is as a leader.

Adam stressed the need to model sustainable behaviour, especially for future leaders. High-performing over the long term is not about 80-hour weeks. It’s about consistency, energy, and balance.

Final Words of Advice

As the evening drew to a close, the panel shared one piece of advice they wished they’d known earlier in their careers:

• Lauren: “Know your niche and market yourself on it.”
  
• Farhan: “Trust yourself and believe in yourself. I think if you have got to a certain level then you have what it takes to make that next step. Trust your instincts, you know yourself better than anyone else.”
  
• Debbie: “Ruthless prioritisation in everything. Do way less than you’ve got on your plate and be really ruthless about what you’re cutting.”
  
• Adam: “Network. My network was really pivotal in me getting my first CFO role and I just think it’s really important to maintain and invest in it even when you’re not searching for a role because you never know when that opportunity will come along.”
  

Thank You to Our Speakers and Guests

A heartfelt thank you to our panellists for sharing their time and experience with such honesty, and to our attendees for coming along.

The Aspiring CFOs event was a reminder that leadership isn’t a destination, it’s a journey filled with self-discovery, resilience, and continuous learning. Whether you’re on the cusp of your next big move or just starting to envision it, we hope this event gave you the clarity and confidence to take the next step. As always, JasperRose is here to help you with your next career move, or if you are looki to hire into your team, please Contact Us.