Why Today’s CFOs Need Presentation Skills

The role of CFO is constantly evolving. Today’s CFOs take on a more strategic and operational role than ever before. As CFO, you’ll be a link between every stakeholder in your company. You’ll be expected to present your forecasting to board members and provide strategic insights to ground the decision-making of your CEO. 

Every CFO needs presentation skills. Communication is one of the most vital skills for any CFO. You could be presenting a pitch to a PE house or showcasing forecasting data to your colleagues. 

Presentation skills are one thing that every recruiter is looking for in potential CFOs and finance executives. You’ll need to be able to engage with stakeholders both internally and externally.

At FD Capital, presentation and communication skills are what we look for in every candidate. As a boutique financial recruitment agency, we connected talented financial executives with start-ups and scaling businesses throughout the UK and beyond. 

We’re sharing the reasons why every CFO needs to develop their presentation skills. This advice is the same that we give to our candidates when they’re going through the recruitment process. Don’t underestimate the potential of strong presentation skills to take your career to the next stage as a CFO.

Communication Skills as a CFO

One of the main responsibilities of any CFO is to communicate the financial strategies of the company. You need to be able to translate your forecasting and analysis into engaging presentations and discussions. 

A CFO who is engaging with PE houses and potential investors will rely heavily on their communication and presentation skills to get the deal over the line. Developing your communication skills is vital to having a successful career as a CFO. You should consider it as part of your personal development throughout your career.

If you don’t develop your presentation skills, you could find yourself struggling to achieve your career goals and develop your strategy as a CFO. Presentation skills involve more than just being confident in yourself. You need to know how to translate information, engage your audience, and appear charismatic. 

Look out for opportunities to develop your presentation skills. You don’t have to be presenting in front of board members or potential investors to develop your skills. Working with a mentor can help you identify areas for potential improvement and create a plan to develop your skills.

Start by working on your everyday communication skills and how you interact with colleagues and stakeholders. CFOs often find that their focus on technical information means that they forget the basics. Start by thinking about eye contact, the language you use, and how you explain complex concepts. 

You can develop your presentation skills in everyday life. Often your friends and family outside of work are the best people to help you develop your presentation skills. If you can explain a concept to someone outside of your industry, you’ll breeze through your next board presentation.

Presentation Skills Become More Vital for Strategic CFOs

Today’s CFOs are expected to take on an increasingly strategic and operational role. Presentation skills are vital to this. Traditionally, CFOs have focused on working within the finance department, spending their days forecasting and analyzing data. The modern CFO is often viewed as the second-in-command to the company’s CEO and is a leader within the organization. 

Whether you’re overseeing a restructuring or working on boosting fundraising, communication is key to being successful as a strategic CFO. As a CFO, you’re a key part of the company’s leadership team and a partner for the CEO. 

Your key responsibility as CFO is to provide data-driven insights that will feed into the overarching strategy of the company. You’ll need strong communication skills to confidently deliver your findings and analysis to colleagues, the leadership team, and stakeholders.

One aspect of presentation skills that is often overlooked is being able to curate a presentation. A successful CFO will be able to produce an informative presentation that isn’t overwhelming. You’ll need to be able to produce bite-size graphics and charts that translate your data into actionable points.

Presentations fall within the ‘soft skills’ that a successful CFO needs to have in their arsenal. You can expect any potential employer to quiz you on your presentation experience and communication skills. Your CV and initial interview are opportunities to highlight these soft skills.

The Importance of Your Soft Skills As a CFO

We’re increasingly seeing companies prioritizing soft skills during the recruitment process. Most CFOs will have a similar educational background and certifications. Your soft skills present an opportunity for you to stand out against the competition when applying for CFO positions.

Other soft skills that are highly sought within the financial industry include commercial awareness, communication, and adaptability. This trio should all fall within your transferable skills and are vital to being an engaging presenter.

While your technical skills are crucial, it’s often your soft skills that will set you apart from other candidates. These skills are ones that you can display throughout your CV and provide examples of in your executive summary.

If a company is going through a period of fundraising or stakeholder engagement, they’ll value presentation and communication skills even higher. The modern CFO should be comfortable with stepping into the spotlight as the face of the company. You’ll need to be ready to advocate for your company and promote its vision. Communication skills – and your ability to engage an audience – are therefore vital.

The changing role of CFO means that you’ll now be expected to engage with almost every aspect of your company. You’ll give presentations to a variety of stakeholders, from board members to potential investors and junior colleagues. It’s vital that you start your career as CFO with strong presentational and communication skills.

Most CFOs arrive at their new job with a desire to make changes. Your presentational skills will be essential to winning over support for your strategies as CFO. Having strong communication and presentational skills will create a sense of trust between the CFO and stakeholders. You’ll be a more successful and influential CFO if you spend time developing your ‘soft skills’, including your presentation skills.

Are you ready to take the next step in your career journey as a CFO? Join our talent pool of interim CFOs and Permanent CFOs today.