Why having a chief accounting officer is a secret weapon for CFOs — extending their tenure and making it more likely they’ll become CEO

Good morning. For finance chiefs, how they delegate isn’t just an operational choice—it can shape the course of their entire career. CFOs who delegate financial reporting to a strong chief accounting officer are significantly more likely to stay in their roles—and more likely to eventually become a CEO. The new research finding is part of a study co-authored by Adrienne Rhodes, an assistant professor of accounting at the University of Iowa’s Tippie College of Business. The paper, “Delegation and Chief ...