Gulf Business · 1 Oct, 03:38 · Finance briefing

Deloitte’s Javed Iqbal on the CFO’s shift from accountant to analyst

Deloitte’s Javed Iqbal highlights a fundamental transformation in the Chief Financial Officer role, moving beyond traditional accounting duties towards strategic analysis.

What it means for you ↓ Courses for this story

28%average pay gap between certified and uncertified finance staff

2.4xfaster promotion with a professional credential

83%of finance leaders rank upskilling a top-3 priority

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The briefing

The story
in brief.

What happened, who it affects, and why it landed on our intelligence desk — in plain English, sixty seconds or less.

Deloitte’s Javed Iqbal highlights a fundamental transformation in the Chief Financial Officer role, moving beyond traditional accounting duties towards strategic analysis. This shift reflects broader corporate demands for finance leaders who can interpret complex data to drive business decisions. The report underscores that modern CFOs must act as key strategic partners, leveraging analytical insights rather than merely reporting historical financial figures. This evolution signals a significant change in expectations for senior financial professionals across industries.

Employer demand for Financial Modeling skills — indexed growth since 2019
Indicative index of skill mentions in professional job postings for the field this story moves (2019 = 1)

Your move

What this means
for your career.

Every headline redistributes opportunity. Here is who this one rewards — and how to be on the right side of it.

This shift means pure accounting skills are no longer sufficient for senior finance roles. You must develop strong analytical capabilities to interpret data and drive strategy. Professionals in finance should prioritise learning data analytics and strategic financial modelling. If you aim for leadership, focus on translating financial insights into actionable business advice. Start by upskilling in data interpretation and strategic planning. Engage with cross-functional teams to understand broader business drivers. This proactive approach will distinguish you as a strategic asset, not just a number cruncher, preparing you for the evolving demands of modern corporate leadership.

For this story, the fields that convert it into pay are Financial Modeling, Data Science, AI in Accounting and Strategic Marketing — exactly the programmes matched below. The chart shows the indicative salary uplift certified professionals report in each of those fields; every one of them is a click away, from £79, finishing in as few as 20 days.

Indicative salary uplift in the fields matched to this story
Indicative ranges from published continuing-education salary studies, by field — each field is a recommended course below

Matched to this story

Enrol in these
to benefit.

These programmes position you for exactly this shift — online, self-paced, and finishing with a verifiable certificate you can share the day you pass.