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

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

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

What it means for you ↓ Courses for this story

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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 evolution in the Chief Financial Officer role, moving away from traditional accounting duties towards strategic analysis. This shift reflects broader corporate demands for finance leaders who can interpret complex data to drive business decisions rather than merely reporting historical figures. The report underscores the increasing necessity for analytical rigour and strategic insight within senior financial leadership, signalling that the modern CFO must act as a key business partner capable of leveraging data to shape organisational direction and performance.

Employer demand for Finance and Accounting 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 your technical accounting knowledge is no longer sufficient for senior advancement. You must pivot towards data interpretation and strategic advisory roles. Professionals in finance should immediately upskill in data analytics and business intelligence tools to transform raw numbers into actionable insights. Focus on understanding how financial data influences broader business strategy. If you aim for the C-suite, demonstrate your ability to forecast trends and mitigate risks through analytical rigour. Start by integrating data visualisation into your reporting and seeking cross-functional projects that require strategic financial modelling. This proactive approach positions you as a decision-maker rather than just a reporter, making you indispensable in an increasingly data-driven corporate landscape.

For this story, the fields that convert it into pay are Finance and Accounting, Data Science, Financial Modeling and Business And Management — 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
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These programmes position you for exactly this shift — online, self-paced, and finishing with a verifiable certificate you can share the day you pass.