As part of an ongoing programme to develop the Eastern Region’s Future Finance Directors, finance professionals took part in the Future FD workshop delivered by Pure and Deloitte.

The half-day workshop, held in Cambridge on Thursday 14 December, was the second of three themed sessions to be delivered as part of professional recruitment specialists Pure and Deloitte’s 2017/18 Future FD Programme. Now in its seventh year, this collaborative programme provides a 12-month career development forum for ambitious finance managers looking to progress to FD level.   

The theme for this session was ‘Tales of the journey to the top’ and included presentations on getting the best use of LinkedIn and networking. Three experienced CFO’s gave their top pieces of advice.  Janne Vaagenes, Strategic Advisor at Innovia Technology recommended that each career move should be a “move towards your next opportunity, not away from your last.”  Paul Haworth, CFO at Get Busy Plc, suggested that CFOs should “have confidence and surround yourself with people who will encourage and support you”.  Lee Maughan, CFO at Push Energy concluded the session advising that successful CFO’s should “Say yes to opportunity, build networks and get to know your business.”

Gill Buchanan, Chief Operating Officer at Pure, said: “The demands placed on senior financial professionals has evolved and the responsibilities of the role have become increasingly complex and diverse. The aim of the Future FD Programme is to provide a career development forum in which senior finance professionals can develop and execute a strategy to succeed in making the next step up into a position where they will be expected to contribute across many areas of the business.”

The Future FD Programme is delivered free of charge in return for a £40 donation to the East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH). To date, the programme has raised more than £2,000 for the charity which supports families and cares for children and young people with life-threatening conditions across the region.

The final workshop of the 2017/18 Future FD Programme will take place in March 2018. For more information contact Gill Buchanan on gill.buchanan@prs.uk.com.