7. The Innovator CFO

All organizations and executives will agree that innovation is important in sustaining competitive advantage, and yet, when it comes to making that innovation a reality, remarkably few succeed. If meaningful – and potentially disruptive – change is to become a reality, innovation must be distinctly assigned and given support at the highest levels of the company. Of course, even purposeful investment in innovation does not ensure success. Companies that are serious about systematic innovation must be willing to accept, and in some cases even celebrate, the periodic failures that will inevitably play a part in motivating change. Here Murat paints his picture of how the CFO role is changing in his view and the importance of innovation in finance.