From the Inside Flap
In the modern corporation, a Chief Financial Officer’s responsibilities have become as diverse and dynamic as they are important. A CFO must manage day-to-day financial activities as well as the implementation of a long-term fiscal strategy, while also keeping abreast of emerging key issues such as outsourcing, shared services, best practices, and electronic commerce. CFOs require both a thoughtful consideration of the changing nature of their job, along with a reliable step-by-step guide to the procedural nuts and bolts. The New CFO Financial Leadership Manual provides a comprehensive overview of the strategies, measurement and control systems, financial analysis tools, funding sources, and management improvement tips that can deliver the greatest possible value to a company.
Financial guru Steven Bragg breaks a CFO’s job responsibilities down into six general categories:
- Strategy
- Accounting
- Financial analysis
- Funding
- Management
- Other concerns, such as pension planning and bankruptcy
He then devotes several chapters to each area, outlining the critical steps that CFOs must take to ensure not merely survival but prosperity. Bragg identifies financing, computer technology, and taxation as the areas where CFOs have the most dramatic impact on a company, and therefore emphasizes the strategy associated with these responsibilities. He then further delves into detailed functional topics, such as control systems, internal auditing, the Securities and Exchange Commission, capital budgeting, the initial public offering, and risk management.
The New CFO Financial Leadership Manual also offers an itemized list of the key tasks that a new CFO should complete when first entering the position, including:
- Setting up training plans for all employees
- Reviewing debt agreements
- Comparing existing transactional systems with a best practices checklist
- Setting up a cash forecasting system
Other resources include a checklist of 100 performance measures, a detailed discussion of employee compensation plans, and guides to improving shareholder value and investor relations. The New CFO Financial Leadership Manual will prove both a comprehensive analysis as well as a handy desk reference that CFOs, controllers, and treasurers will return to time and again.
From the Back Cover
Praise for The New CFO Financial Leadership Manual
"Steve Bragg has done it again! This manual shows what a CFO needs to do to truly add value. It should be mandatory reading for all CFOs who want to play a strategic role in their organizations."
–Janice M. Roehl-Anderson, Partner
Deloitte Consulting
"This timely guide will help CFOs master the right thinking and management skills. An effective tool for navigating today’s corporate financial waters."
–Clint Davies, Principal
Berry, Dunn, McNeil & Parker
"An excellent reference book and good reading besides. This book is a how-to for new and experienced CFOs. It is one place for new CFOs to get information on how to start in their job as well as continuing reference on many issues–such as personnel, accounting and reporting, banking, credit, taxes, and so on."
–Gail W. Sevier, CPA
Member/Manager of Marrs, Sevier & Company LLC
