Cyber Risk Analyser

Few embody the changing role of the CFO better than Geoff Buchanan of Tourism Australia. With a career spanning continents and industries, from chartered accountancy in Zimbabwe to global leadership roles with Standard Chartered and ANZ, Geoff brings not only a wealth of expertise, but a dynamic perspective to his current role. At Tourism Australia, success isn’t just about financial metrics – it’s about building a brand, enhancing visitor experiences, and supporting economic recovery through growing international tourism to Australia. In this interview, Geoff shares his unique perspective on redefining value as a CFO in the public sector, balancing return on investment, compliance, and customer experience to deliver impact and future-proof the organisation’s mission to showcase Australia to the world.

CFO at The HOYTS Group, Stephen Watson believes the true value of his role lies in empowering people and fostering collaboration. Rather than just focusing on financial outcomes, Stephen is committed to creating an environment where his team is challenged, supported and given the freedom to grow and innovate. We spoke with Stephen to learn how his focus on developing talent and fostering cross-functional relationships is driving long-term success at HOYTS, redefining the CFO role in a way that puts people at the forefront of value creation.

The role of the CFO continues to evolve, increasingly aligning itself with new, modern definitions of value. As CFO of Vital Energi, Cécile Parker has emerged as a figurehead of this transformation, championing the integration of technology, sustainability, and innovation to unlock new opportunities for growth. In this interview, Cécile shares her insights on how the finance function is evolving into a key driver of value creation, not just through financial oversight but by fostering a culture of adaptability, diversity, and forward-thinking strategy. From guiding digital transformation to shaping ESG initiatives, Cécile explains how the CFO’s role is expanding to meet the demands of a rapidly changing business environment.

Elton Da Silva spent nearly 15 years at Ernst & Young before stepping into the corporate world, specialising in IPO preparations and acquisitions for healthcare technology companies among other industries. Now, as CFO of prosthetics provider Eqwal Group in the US, Elton uses his financial expertise to make a real impact on patients’ lives. 

As CFO at Sam Mills International, Alina Nechita believes the cornerstone of value creation lies in the accuracy of data and the trust it fosters. Rather than simply crunching numbers, Alina sees her role as a bridge between raw data and actionable insights, driving transparency and collaboration across the organisation. We spoke with Alina to explore how her focus on reliability, trust, and innovation is reshaping the finance function, and to learn how she’s leveraging technology and ESG initiatives to build a foundation of transparency for long-term value creation.

The evolution of the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) into a more value centric role is an essential element of the transformation of the finance function. In this series of case studies, CFOs from across a variety of geographies and industries explore how a value centric approach is changing not only the function which they lead but the way in which performance is measured by both internal and external stakeholders across their organisations.

Most mergers and acquisitions require post-merger integration (PMI), the success of which is often determined by how the people involved in the process are managed and brought along on the journey.