The Making Of Future-Fit Leadership
This perhaps started as a mere thought but now, for me, is a firm belief – that for any organization, especially the ones that regrouped themselves in the next normal that we are already in, the role of finance as a function and of the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in an enterprise – has transformed. The crisis of the last year compelled CFOs to take the lead in revisiting and creating strategies that could carry the company forward in the face of unprecedented change and challenges.
Many businesses needed to pivot to new models, recalibrate what they did and what they should do for the new market and consumer demands, and the CFO’s role had become central. Even before the crisis, the CFO defined a company’s guardrails in creating the structure of efficient and effective operations. Whether it was the people, legacy functioning like manufacturing and logistics or newer additions such as technology, the CFO was weighing in and allowing a company the necessities to move forward. If the CFO lacked in that vision of the future, the company paid the price.
This was among the reasons why some of the biggest names in industry, both in India and globally, have risen to top leadership positions from those of a CFO. If I had to make a bold analogy, the CFO, along with the CEO, are the central nervous system of the organisation. Growth and presence of technology and other innovations, are at best, part of the peripheral nervous system.
We at BW Businessworld, train the spotlight on this role as it becomes more critical for organisations and industries to be future-ready in every aspect. BW CFO World, our community focused on these financial leaders, took the initiative to celebrate the Best CFOs and financial services in India this year. This is our fifth edition of this endeavour and I was personally excited to see some of the leaders who have made the list this year.
This issue focuses on another important area of constant growth in India – the ecommerce sector. In partnership with the DDB Mudra Group, we have taken a closer look at the ecommerce sector in India. In this issue, we feature some top business leaders who offer their view on how ecommerce is becoming much more nuanced and specific in India, and what should be the right approach for businesses to grow in this new age of digital commerce.
This issue also features several conversations we have had with nation builders and industry leaders who have played very important roles in pushing India’s journey forward, making it the strong 75-year-old polity and economy that it is today. Each of these conversations offers an inspiring lesson. Happy reading!
