Participants of the WHU "Digitalizing the Finance Function: The CFO Perspective" Program

Digitalizing the Finance Function: The CFO Perspective

Mastering Digital Transformation in Finance - Suited for Executives

This program is designed specifically for finance executives who want to understand Digital Finance Transformation, and how finance functions can evolve into business navigators. In this four-day Digital Transformation Training, executives and directors will experience a rich and varied program, including numerous practical use cases, and benefit from impulses from other CFOs and practitioners.

You will receive a WHU Executive Education Certificate after successfully completing the program.

Advanced ManagementCorporate TransformationDigital TransformationFinance
Suitable for participants with at least:
8YearsLeadershipexperience
12YearsWorkexperience
Program Faculty

Program Content

Digitalization is widely acknowledged to be the key driver of corporate transformation regardless of company size, location, or industry. In a world exploding with potential, the way you embrace emerging technologies and the digital transformations they generate will greatly impact your business.

Most companies seek to benefit from the opportunities of digitalization to improve the customer-facing aspects of their business. However, despite the opportunities digitalization offers in terms of new technologies and ways of working, most CFO functions continue to operate traditionally – falling short of what is required of a true business partner.

Clearly, the Covid-19 crisis has forced companies to digitalize much faster than planned. This program will address the connected challenges and demonstrate how to navigate through times of uncertainty.

This Executive Program focuses on the changes to the CFO´s operating landscape and the responsibilities and tasks of the future Finance function. Further, you will discuss the increasingly blurred borders between Finance departments and how CFOs will be able to fill the business partner role through emerging technologies and lean processes.

Digital transformation in finance function: The CFO perspective

This intensive four-day digital finance training, delivered jointly by WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), consists of two modules.

In Module 1, you will take a closer look at digitalization and its application in the different CFO functions. You will be equipped with a systematic overview of the necessary tools to develop a digital roadmap for your company.

Module 2 focuses on mastering digitalization in finance, an in-depth look at implementation hurdles, and solutions for overcoming these, e.g., implementing a digital transformation strategy in finance and accounting departments.

This Digital Transformation for Finance course is highly practical with direct benefits for each participant: during the modules, participants gain insights through lectures, keynote speeches from CFOs and practitioners, best practice examples, and digital case studies. You will be provided with various insights on how to master the digitalization journey of the Finance function, including the application of business analytics, data science, and artificial intelligence. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss their own digitalization challenges and obtain reviews and coaching from program faculty and peers.

Program Benefits

Your personal benefits

  • Expand your Finance Executive network
  • Enhance your strategic impact and drive the digital transformation of the Finance function
  • Discuss your strategic digital transformation challenges with renowned experts from academia and practice
  • Benefit from hands-on knowledge and tools tailored for application to your work environment
  • Become part of an active network of peers and program alumni
  • Profit from a unique combination of knowledge partners

Your company´s benefits

  • Benefit from the toolkit to design the individual finance transformation roadmap
  • Leverage expertise and impulses from other companies and enhance your company network
  • Take advantage of the Finance Transformation momentum
  • Start your digital upskilling journey

Certificate

You will receive a WHU Executive Education Certificate after successfully completing the program.

Participant Profile

  • CFOs, or senior Finance executives aspiring to become CFOs
  • Senior executives from the Finance function (all sizes of businesses, all industries)
  • Senior executives from the Finance function aiming to implement digital transformation

Participants are expected to have a minimum of ten years of professional experience.

The program will be conducted with a minimum number of 12 participants.

Program Format and Module Dates

This 4-day in-class program consists of 2 modules and will be conducted at WHU Campus Düsseldorf and in Frankfurt.

The typical obstacles to digitalizing the Finance function:

  • Uncertainty about how to begin
  • Employee resistance to change
  • Long-term planning vs. quick wins
  • No best practice for fully digitized Finance functions
  • Gaps in digital capabilities
  • Missing support from the management board
  • Conflicting responsibilities and priorities
  • Competition for resources

Get insights from our renowned faculty and guest speakers:

Program directors

  • Professor Martin Glaum, WHU, Chair of International Accounting
  • Gori von Hirschhausen, Partner, Head of Finance Consulting, PwC Europe

Program faculty & guest speakers

  • Alexander Burck, Head of Corporate Financial Controlling, Bayer AG
  • Jörg Janke, Consultant, Egon Zehnder
  • Professor Lutz Johanning, WHU, Chair of Empirical Capital Market Research
  • Axel Kauhausen, Managing Director, Beiersdorf Shared Services GmbH
  • Tobias Keller, Data Scientist / A.I. Specialist, Zero One Data, Deutsche Bahn AG
  • Professor Frauke Schleer-van Gellecom, Director, Finance Transformation - Predictive Excellence, PwC Germany
  • Dr. Yorck Schmidt, Member of the Board, Chief Financial Officer, AVL List GmbH
  • Thomas Schräder, Partner, Corporate Treasury Solutions, PwC
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More Questions? Contact us
More Questions? Contact usYvonne KrackSenior Business Development Manager Executive Education

Excellence in Management Education

WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management

Erkrather Str. 224a
40233 Düsseldorf

execed@whu.edu

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