According to new research from international recruitment firm Robert Half, 86% of UK Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) are driven to reach the top role of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in their current organization.

The research also shows that the toughest competition for the role of CEO comes from Marketing Directors with 23% of CFOs perceiving them as the greatest threat. Following closely behind are Chief Information Officers (CIOs) and Chief Technology Officers (CTOs) with 22% of CFOs perceiving their niche skill sets as an advantage when trying to reaching the top.

Robert Half states that this supports current trends that IT is a key driver in delivering business growth.  However, finance continues to be the route to the top as 55% of current FTSE 100 CEOs have a background in finance, giving CFOs an edge over other roles.

Research data shows that CFOs believe their knowledge in investor stakeholder management (44%) and economic and business awareness (40%) sets them apart from the crowd. Other benefits that CFOs can deliver are finance and data-driven business decisions (32%), fiscal management and efficiency improvement (22%) and commercial and business growth awareness (12%). 

“The ‘perfect’ CEO will combine strong functional and technical knowledge to drive the business objectives with an understanding of the industry and competitive landscape,” Phil Sheridan, Senior Managing Director at Robert Half UK, UAE and South America, said. “As CEOs continue to be challenged with improving the financial position of the organisation and delivering increased shareholder value, hiring an individual with a strong financial background is often key.”