Indian financial leaders are in high demand across the globe. The biggest of organizations worldwide are increasingly in pursuit of top Indian talent to fill their leadership seats. The sentiments among India Inc is no different. Tech giant Apple recently named insider Kevan Parekh as its chief financial officer, replacing company veteran Luca Maestri. One of the latest appointments includes Nilesh Zaveri as Senior VP, CFO & COO, APAC of Warner Bros. Discovery. The corporate realm in India is expected to reflect this global trend, especially with running organizations becoming increasingly expensive. The demand for treasury officers is also on the rise.

However, financial experts in the country face significant challenges in maximizing the benefits of the current favorable ecosystem. They urgently require team members who are not only proficient in accounting, auditing, and compliance but also adept at data visualization, flexible in their thinking, possess strong communication skills, and, crucially, have substantial business acumen. According to a recent Ernst & Young report, 22 percent of global financial leaders prioritize transforming the recruitment, retention, and development of finance talent.

Beyond the traditional challenges of managing job costs and financial planning, financial leaders now face the critical task of harnessing fragmented and unstructured data while embracing technological advancements and digital transformation. The latest Ernst & Young report indicates that 23 percent of CFOs plan to prioritize enhancing their big data and analytics capabilities to revolutionize forecasting, risk management, and the identification of value drivers. This annual special issue of CEO Insights offers an in-depth exploration of the financial expertise in the country, especially in the treasury department. We welcome your insights and feedback.