Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

A Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is the senior officer responsible for overseeing the financial activities of the entire company. Some of the most important duties of the CFO include implementing and supervising internal controls, monitoring cash flow, planning strategic financial decisions, and serving as a key advisor to company management. The CFO is responsible for ensuring proper accounting and financial and tax reporting, as well as helping the company to detect fraudulent activities. While a founder will often serve as the initial CFO of an early-stage startup, as a company matures it will generally want to hire a CFO with extensive financial management experience as well as educational credentials in finance and/or accounting.