CFO Talk - Reimagining the New CFO Skillset with Tariq Munir Part 1
In this thought-provoking episode of CFO Talk, host Steve Rosvold sits down with Tariq Munir—Managing Partner at Finspryr and author of the book Reimagined Finance: The CFO’s Leadership Playbook in the Age of AI, Data, and Digital. Together, they dive deep into the evolving skill set every modern CFO needs to thrive in today’s rapidly changing digital landscape.
Drawing on decades of leadership experience at companies like PwC, ExxonMobil, and PepsiCo, Tariq lays out his game-changing framework: the five core capabilities essential for CFOs navigating non-stop transformation. They explore humanistic change management, why critical thinking and emotional intelligence are harder—but more essential—than ever, and how flexibility, responsible digital leadership, and continuous upskilling prepare finance leaders for a future where technology and people must work in tandem.
Whether you’re charting your path to CFO or seeking new strategies to lead your team through uncertainty, this episode is packed with practical wisdom to elevate your leadership in the age of AI and digital disruption.
Quotable Quotes:
Competing Beyond Finance:
“Because remember, we are now not just competing with the finance professionals, we are now competing with the strategy leads as well. We are competing with the digital transformation leads as well who are now becoming CFOs also.”
Emotional Intelligence in a Digital World:
“The most important or the most valuable skill a person can develop is to be emotionally intelligent.”
“We need to start shifting our mindset from can we to should we? If we are using technology to solve a problem, we should be asking the question that is, it is not a matter of whether we can do it or not. A much more ethical and responsible question will be that should we be using technology to do this?”
AI and Risk:
“Without ethical and strategic oversight, AI and digital transformation can amplify risk, not reduce risk.”
Confident Humility and Critical Thinking:
“Be confident in your capabilities, but be humble enough to acknowledge that my truth is not the only truth out there.”
Tackling Change Fatigue in the Age of AI:
“You cannot remove the ambiguity, you cannot remove the impact that technology is going to have on people. But what you can do as a leader is bring clarity to the people.”
Upskilling Staff During Tech Change:
“If people have clarity, if people understand what is coming next, it automatically creates more engagement.”
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