CFO vs. Controller | What Are The Differences In Terms Of Tasks, Pay & Education
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Reaching a CFO position is a great goal to have if you are in Finance. CFO stands for Chief Financial Officer, which means you’ll be sitting with the executive team and making decisions that will impact the entire company.
My role however is a corporate controller, which means that the CFO is my boss and we have different job descriptions.
A friend of mine once told me that he thought a controller is a mini CFO, which was kind of a hilarious thought. But this got me wondering:
Do people really think that a controller is a mini version of a CFO?
What are the differences in the job description between a controller and a CFO?
Is becoming a controller a good stepping stone into getting a role as a CFO?
What is a typical career trajectory that leads to a CFO role?
What is the earning potential for both a controller and a CFO?
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All views expressed on my channel are mine alone. Not intended as financial or professional advice
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You are a treasure trove of information for a first generation college student like myself. I'm graduating in a three weeks and I realized I don't know how to best reach my future goals beyond college. Needless to say, your videos have cleared up so many questions. You are truly doing a great service with your content.
Thanks Nick
How's post college life treating you now
Thank you for the video. I'm working on my Masters to one day be a CFO, hopefully. I love the Controller side but it has its limits. So basically controller is practice, cfo is theory. Lol
Thanks for watching Gebrina!
CFO is often the one who can think outside of the box vs. a Controller who is busy spinning the wheel.
@@TheFinancialController HI BILL. MAY I ASK YOU WHAT YOUR NATIONALITY IS. IT APPEARS TO ME THAT YOU ARE NOT A NATIVE ENGLISH SPEAKER. AM I WRONG?
@@TheFinancialControlleronline courses for financial controller??
Hey, Bill! Great video! I always wondered the difference and this pretty much cleared it up as detailed as possible! Also, I appreciate you providing the funding stage of a company!
Great information: very detailed, on point and educational. Thank you for putting it out here for us.
Thanks for making very clear what each role does and their expectations
This was wonderfully concise and practical! Thanks a ton
Thanks brother
Very valuable short and to the point video. I like it. 👌Thank you!
Watching this before my financial controllership class. This is so helpful! Tysm!! 💓
Great!
That was helpful. I think I could be a controller if I wanted to stay in corporate America but I’ve also found so many issues with companies that care more about the bottom line than their people. And controllers who think the job means “to control” and change their processes and procedures so much it’s confusing.
Thank you for the video. This really clear things up for me. 👍
Your videos are super informative and helpful. Also helps me think of my talents I need to push when looking for jobs!
BTW, I love knowing what an oddball I am! Always at the top of my class, always promoted within first year at any company, but...
- BA Spanish
- MBA
- Accounting finance jobs
- entrepreneur during twenty year gap raising children and holding part time teaching jobs
- SEC but not big 6
- now am Controller of boutique law firm
-I LOVE audit, tax, financial strategy.
-Want to be financial business strategist!!
But very few people see my talent in my oddball resume. So I'll get my EA next.
I'm not in this industry, but I'm passionate about understanding how it works and the different acronyms and roles. You are doing an incredible job simplifying this for all of us. Thank you very much, and never stop sharing. Do you also have knowledge of venture capital and private equity?
So well explained, thank you!
Thank you! This gave me a good understanding of what my job as a controller would be! Thank you again!
Glad it helped!
I am learning so much from watching your videos. Thank you so much for sharing this amazing source of information. This one is quite helpful.
Thanks Luna!
Love your channel. A couple things I think you missed about the CFO responsibilities are: the Treasury function/cash management, and internal audit (when applicable)
Thanks brother. Agreed
Shouldn't that Controller function which controlling the books i.e. AP (Accounts Payable) & Cashflow basically the Cash Management, AR (Accounts Receivable) - collection basically Treasury and Invesment as well? For the audit function is to ensure the accounts are in compliance with the GAAP, statutory requirements and able to complete the annual audit on timely manner.
I enjoyed your explanation of differences between CFO and Controller positions and know it's useful to many young companies. Another significant problem for young companies is that they are not sure if they need a CFO, COO, or CEO advisor in order to grow their business, and most need help in two or all three of these executive areas. I call them the "Three Pillars of Success" - 1. Vision/Strategic Planning; 2. Financial Strength/Accounting Systems; and, 3. Operations Efficiency. I offer a 3-In-1 fractional CFO, COO & CEO advisory service to Charlotte-based businesses, but my goal is to assist all entrepreneurs to understand the importance of these three executive functions, evaluate their business across the three pillars, and strengthen all three. I'll be adding detailed and instructional videos on this topic and hope to build a useful platform for entrepreneurs in the TH-cam community. If you would watch my 2 minute video, I would love to get your feedback regarding the message and its usefulness to entrepreneurs. Keep up the good work!
Thanks so much for sharing. I found this video very very very helpful! Short, straight to point and easy to understand. 👍
Great!!
I like your video presentation. It is informative too, at the same time. Thanks a lot for your guidance!
Great information!! This is super helpful and very interactive!!!
Thank you Siri!! Happy to meet again here :)
Thanks for sharing your experience
Very insightful. Thanks.
This is a video I needed! Thanks a lot
Thanks!
Great video! Help with career choice!
You nailed it Bill....good simple explanations and good contents in this video.............. another simple way to put the difference is CFO is 'forward looking', where as Controller is typically 'Rear-view mirror view'......... thanks
Thanks brother
If a Controller isn‘t Looking forward, he‘s not doing his Job!
@@improvemyself256 that is the reality on the ground for most controllers. Only a handful among most will make it to be a CFO
This is a great video. I'm Chief Accountant and I'm looking to complete my Masters to move to a FC or CFO position in the next 3-5 years.
Why not pursuing cpa ?
@@Chikou2 i live and work outside the US. I've already completed the British version of the CPA (ACCA).
love this thanks so much!
Great video Bill.
This was very helpful! Thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
I enjoyed the content you have. I would say it’s very common that cfos did come from public in our industry and we are part of fortune 10.
Great to know frank
With CEOs of private companies, there is a tremendous amount of role confusion between CFOs, controllers, and tax preparers.
We developed/employee Growth CFOs. Your video is on point. Thank you.
Thanks for watching and commenting
Thanks a lot for your videos. I just got hired as a new controller in my new company. This is actually my first time as controller and also to manage people/Acctg Dept.. Hope you can also make videos for first time controllers 🙏🏼 thank you very much
Congrats!! Ok will do
@RizzaA you became directly a controller or did you have any experience in any other position like finance manger etc?
Thank you so much sir your video is very helpful for me because I am selected for Financial controller in UBS.
Thank you! This helped a lot.
Great!
Thank you ..this is very helpful.. Can you talk about how CFOs end up becoming the CEO sometimes? and what it takes for a CFO to become the CEO!!!
Really great videos, keep it up 👍🏻
Thank you!
I'm taking a job as senior controller coming from accounting manager and it is essentially CFO within a more complicated corporate structure. I have an econ degree and no CPA.
Nice video! Thanks for sharing this video with us. I like the video and it is very helpful for me. Thanks for sharing.
Glad it was helpful!
Wonderful
Excellent explanation! Thank you.
When will you release a video explaining the Dupont method? I find your videos very interesting.
Very nice video explaining both Controllers and CFO position in a good corporate. Whether CMA suitable for both position, since I’m pursuing CMA program and already holding Bachelor degree in Commerce and MBA in Finance.
Thank you for your videos can you make a video to distinguish between budgets and forecasts and how the two interact. Thanx
Great idea
My guy you really make it understand you, Is there a way I can have a conversation with you. Do you do stuff like that?
Which means I must prepare myself to analyze financial statements !!!
Thank you so much
Hi Bill. As a controller what is your work like balance like (hours and pto)? And what is the size of the company you work at? Thanks for all your videos!
Great work life balance. Size 250-500 employees
Nice discussion, but it just very speed you to discuss but I'm have a understanding. Our course for today is financial controlership. That's why I'm willing to watch your chanel.
woooow extremely clear
Hey thank you so much for the video.
Thanks!
Good job
Good presentation.!
Thank you 🙂
Sir, what about ACCA degree and what are the short course which a working professional can do to become controller. Thanks
hey sir please briefly describe Financial controller and Finance manager what is the position
Um, this is very interesting
as in the United States.
In Serbia, for example
, the Financial Director or CFO, as you call him in America, has the main task of providing SOURCES OF FINANCING for his company
. 99 percent of his work is related to that. Until recently, the controller did not even exist as a separate business or body in companies.
It's usually a job,
financial controls performed
Chief of Accounting of the firm
and only some important parts were performed by the Chief Financial Officer
, mostly more complicated cases for which the Chief of Accounting did not have the authority to solve them.
It is interesting here that most often CFOs do not come from the accounting sector,
so Chiefies of Accounting are much more expert on the issue of controlling and their solutions are ultimately implemented by CFOs
when the case comes to their table because they have higher authority than the Chief of Accounting
From this interesting video, I get the impression
that CFOs in the United States know accounting well enough much more often than in Serbia.
What are differences between being a Financial Accountant and being a Management Accountant?
Could you please recommend some textbooks to get a good knowledge in Finance from the beginning.
Thank you very much for posting this enlightening video. My professional aspiration is to be a CFO, but I am not certain on which path to take. Could I obtain a Master's in Finance, then complete the CFA, then obtain an Executive MBA instead of obtaining an MBA first? I would appreciate if you could provide any further or useful advice you may have.
Hi, Bill! You say the best CFO certification is MBA + CFA. Isn't CFA too narrow and technical for this role, which deals lots with strategic topics and is responsible for a broad range of finance and accounting activities, far beyond investment management? In my opinion, CMA makes more sense, no?
In India however, chartered accountants (similar to cpa in US) often become CFOs. Is it necessary to have backgrounds in financial modelling, forecasting, business management, etc for CFO job roles? Furthermore, here CFOs also have job roles such as tax compliance, financial reporting, etc.
It's different for almost every country.
In the US they seem to value MBA a lot when it comes to finance managament positions. In my country you can get the MBA aswell, but for positions like CFO they really ask for at least a masters degree in Finance or Accountancy & Controlling. And usually they ask for a post-master education in Finance or Accountanting.
Thank you putting some clarity to what I do. I'm sure my CEO will love this video
Haha thanks Terri!
Hi, thank you for the insights. If I have aspirations to become CFO one day, which MBA degree is best to achieve? MBA in Accounting or MBA in Finance?
You own your past, I love it! Yes, you worked at Enron and Lehman Brothers and Yes, you are an excellent controller. Don't get it twisted!
Thanks
Could you please make a video about a Finance Manager role?
As a relatively new controller, i'd say my position in the company is as the CFO's right hand.
So far, the majority of the job has been about being able to obtain knowledge, being able to process it and present it to the CFO, CEO etc.
There's also been a fair bit of budget management, and making sure the rest of the company follows the financial "rules" of the company.
I'm not sure if i should continue down this path as a controller, or go in the direction as a financial analyst - i don't know if you've got any recommendations on that?
That is totally personal. I personally would if you aspire to become CFO
Please tell online courses financial controller??
What advantages does having a MBA Accounting, CPA Certified has? Will that increase chances of being a Controller?
I have a question: with an education in finance, what jobs can I do inside the financial department of a firm?
Thank you so much.. I’ve just started out an entry level accounting job, but I have plans in future to try to get a cpa to advance my career.. your videos help me. Can you do videos on how to get cpa, where to get materials from and how to study for them. I m trying to research on them .
Ok sure
Sir What about the CIMA and ACCA qualifications?
This is quite a summary. In a large international group, there may be a CFO purely dealing with the high level reporting projecting, whilst subsidiary group controllers are dealing with the DD & ingtegration of acquisitions/disposals, whilst reporting on existing and previous entities across multiple countries, treasury, risk, audit. Additionally, controllers are working more closely with local/operational directors and are reliant on them. As these entities will have post / prior trade with the group they may have disclosable reports, new historical comparisons. Changes in tax structures mid year. Investors and stakeholder miss a significant issue by allowing the forecasting CFO types at the table whilst the actuals are excluded and only held to account via strong directors
I my experience those involved in forecasting should have serparate non financial roles. The more regulated, audited information should involve the Finance Director / Financial Contoller, that includes the budgeting process albeit heavily influenced, proposed, etc. by other mangers & directors. .
Thanks for this summary
I think it depends on business and who is hiring. Personally I think every Controller and every CFO should know about taxes but very few I've come across do. Yet they still get hired. The CFO should truly be entrepreneurial because they need a broad viewpoint of the business and how it could be affected by external factors. Yet I've seen many many CFOs with little to no entrepreneurial skills. Go figure!
After ca and also cpa
Could you make a video on healthcare auditing please sir?
Hi. I would like to know how common can a qualified actuary be the CFO of a company that is not insurance related?
I don’t think that’s common
What about the Finance Business Psrtner
What certificates would you suggest to be an Financial Analyst before being a CFO ?
I'm aspiring to be a financial analyst also.
what is the difference between Controller and Accounts Manager?
Bro i can became CFO without professional certificate?bcom finance and taxation+mba finance?
Controller is a general term. It means someone who has authority over his or her domain finance area. Finance Controller oversees areas such as accounting, billings, shared service, AP, AR, GL , tax, standards etc . FC is focused on historical and current transaction and reporting . Business Controller plays a role in business partnering such as commercial finance, financial planning and analysis, business partners, focus on forecast and planning, budgeting and cross functional support with legal, tax, facilities, product, customer success, sales, etc etc..................CFO oversea both of these areas plus areas such as planning, Investors relations, fund raising, product knowledge and partner the CEO and C Suite. In US, many CFOs are non accountants, they can be engineers or economics, IT or even physics major. They however have MBA from good umiversity. Anyone can be CFO, no need to be CPA or CMA.
Great context, thanks so much!
This may be a dumb question. I am mid career as a Cost Accounting Manager but lately have been getting interviews for controller roles in manufacturing companies . Seems many controllers don’t have my costing background. Am I too old at 50 to get my CPA? I have a BS in business with a concentration in accounting but now have 20 plus years experience. At this point its my experience not my schooling thats opening the doors. Is it worth it at my age?
Cpa will bring value but not sure it’s worth it unless you plan to push for very high earning more stressful jobs.
For somebody with an engineering background who does not have a traditional accounting degree, would an MBA in Finance be the recommended route into aiming for future positions as a CFO or should we insist on getting a CPA or CMA?
MBA in Finance. But go get into an FP&A or analyst role to gain the ground level experience as well.
@@TheFinancialControllerAll things being equal, is having a cpa better than a MBA for going to the CFO route? MBA is more broad than a cpa however it does not have the benefit of a cpa that can in any time open his own accounting firm. I m still 18 but I dream of having a cpa firm that externalize the CFO task of small and mid sized companies with a minor in data analytics in order to automate financial reporting and being more in the business intelligence industry
So is the controller where an accountant kind of maxes out? Or is there somewhere to go after that?
Controller is the max out unless they pivot or get an mba to even become considered for a cfo.
Greetings from Morocco!
If someone wants to habe a career in controlling and Finance after the Bachelor of Business administration, is it better to study Bachelor At the Uni or at a University of applied science? Is a Master in FACT Finance Accounting Controlling and Taxes a good move to increase chances to become a CFO? Do you think nowadays the professional certifications like CMA and CFA are very important, or a Master degree is enough??
Thank you so much.
Hahahahah I m from Morocco too and I am 17. I personally hesitate beetwen obtaining a cpa or a mba (in France in both cases).
Guys which is more important. MBA or Masters in Finance? Please answer in relation to the video. Thanks!
what would be the best way for some schmuck like me, who doesn't know anything about finance or money management, to learn something? I'm currently a student of compsci, i'm not sure about careers necessarily in the finance field, but I wouldn't mind getting some business repetoire, communication, professionalism, and money management skills. I am set to go to grad school right after undergrad and I'm seriously considering this field as an ms as it seems pretty interesting. Is this a good move?
Yes ms in finance is nice to have. I would also shoot for some real world experience at a big 4 or consulting firm
Can you make a vid on how to become CFO? I just got my degree in communications and trying to find entry level finance analyst roles that will help me become CFO later
Ok will do
Hey... I just have one doubt. isn't MBA alone enough to be CFO or with MBA is it required to have certified qualifications like CPA ..?
MBA is enough, but the important thing is getting the right work experience
@@TheFinancialController Thank you for the response ♥️
Hi, I have a high school diploma in accounting, a bachelor's in management engineering and I will soon get the master's degree in management engineering in italy. I am a controller here in italy.
Here the controller is a bit different, he controls budgets, does forecast and analyses variances between forecasts and actual numbers, analyses financial KPIs and, in industrial companies, he also does product costification.
He actually is a mini CFO, but he is not an executive.
Now, is it possibile in your opinion for me to have a career in the US as a business controller or CFO?
Thank you.
Yes
Boom CFO is outstanding three certification exam are passed.
CPA
MBA
CFA
As an international student I want to come to US for Ms in finance. But want to know is it good to go without professional certifications like CFA in long run.
With this Ms in finance can I reach CFO level?
Masters in Finance is more than sufficient
Is controller the head of accounting? Like the VP of the accounting dept? And this person along with the finance team all report to the CFO?
Usually not. In my company the accounting department is handling the invoice paperwork and bookings while controllers belong to a seperate department. Controllers analyze the P&L each month and sometimes more often (look for odd postings, deviations etc.) and try to fix it in case there are problems.
Can you please make a video on your journey of becoming a finance controller 🥺
Actually coming very soon!
Hi
As you mentioned in your video that in accounting AP and AR will disappear by 2040. So what all career option will be best to choose in accounting.
I’m studying for accounting. I was told the accounting career title will change to “data analysis” in the future cause the books part is being automated but the financial literacy is the skill. Hope that helps
Small businesses will usually not be as automated as you think. Automation needs a certain scale for it to be used to its potential.
Another qualification needed to be cfo is connections. A nobody most likely stuck at working level, takes miracle to be a cfo.
Sir how many years of experience need to become a cfo
And head accountant not exist?
Please should a controller be a pro in Analysis before being promoted to be a CFO
Controller is a good entry to become a CEO....
So basically
Comptroller - Financial manager
CFO - Financial planner
🤔