The benefit of learning together with your friend is that you keep each other accountable and have meaningful discussions about what you're learning.

Courtlyn
Promotion and Events SpecialistTake Your Career as a Finance Leader to the Next Level
Download BrochureDecember 11, 2023
9 to 12 Months
Online and In Person
Our participants tell us that taking this program together with their colleagues helps to share common language and accelerate impact.
We hope you find the same. Special pricing is available for groups.
The benefit of learning together with your friend is that you keep each other accountable and have meaningful discussions about what you're learning.
Courtlyn
Promotion and Events SpecialistThe Chief Financial Officer Program from Columbia Business School Executive Education will help financial leaders take the next step in their careers. Through a comprehensive curriculum driven by world-class faculty and the latest industry research and insights, senior leaders will develop the knowledge and skills to seamlessly transition into a CFO role. This program will help participants drive financial frameworks that embrace global business strategies while preparing them to manage investors, analysts, and the boards to optimize business efficiency.
It tackles various themes during the multimodal learning journey of 9 to 12 months structured around value creation, capital markets, risk management, leadership, and relevant skill development for the CFO role. At the end of this program, participants will emerge equipped with the skills, tools, and frameworks needed to lead financial transformation and handle increasingly complex challenges being faced by their organizations.
of CFOs believe that evaluating finance strategy, scope, and design is their top priority.
of CFOs say the speed of their decision making has increased due to the need for reinvention.
The Chief Financial Officer Program will enable you to:
Core Curriculum
Kick-start your program journey with 18 weeks of core online learning, imparting essential skills for the CFO role
Weekly Live Sessions
Experience live online sessions with a success coach as well as periodic guest lectures by faculty, industry leaders, and career advisors
World-Renowned Faculty
Learn from Columbia Business School faculty, thought leaders, and financial industry experts
Peer Learning
Learn from high-achieving peers from around the globe, and build your network
Success Coach
Craft your learning journey in line with your career goals with a success coach assigned to your cohort
Networking Event
Interact with faculty, peers, and global industry leaders at an optional two-day on-campus networking event
Select Alumni Benefits
Receive select Columbia Business School alumni benefits upon completion of the program
Capstone Project
Work on a capstone project to refine your skills by applying program learnings to a challenge and drive immediate on-the-job impact in your organization
Flexible Learning Journey
Balance learning with your busy work schedule by dedicating just three to five hours each week toward program sessions and learning activities
The Chief Financial Officer Program is a flexible learning journey designed for senior leaders in finance. You will learn through online and interactive sessions, fireside chats, and guest lectures led by Columbia Business School faculty, and global industry leaders. The program offers an expertly developed curriculum that spans three key phases that will equip you with the necessary tools to drive financial strategy and lead digital transformation at your organization.
The Chief Financial Officer Program will enhance your financial leadership and sharpen your decision-making skills through these carefully curated module topics:
Strategic Leadership
The modern CFO is expected to drive an organization's direction and growth through strategic decision making. This program looks at a CFO’s leadership and its role within the C-suite, drawing on the insights of top CFOs.
Module topics
Leveraging Financial Data and Analytics
To maximize an organization's financial performance, CFOs must utilize a growing volume of data and include analytics within their decision-making process. This program provides a framework for understanding and forecasting a business and its potential value.
Module topics
Driving Innovation and Transformation
To create long-term value for their organizations, CFOs need to forecast risks and uncertainties. This program covers key factors and complex challenges that impact long-range planning, providing the tools needed for a CFO to lead transformational change at their organization.
Module topics
During the Chief Financial Officer Program, you will be able to choose two electives from relevant areas of specialization. These electives are designed to supplement the core learning process, enhance your skill sets, and explore practical strategies that help advance your career. Each elective is taught over approximately six weeks. The choice of electives includes:
Note: Electives are subject to change.
Select one program in person from relevant specializations that are designed to help you lead growth and drive change in a dynamic business environment. Participants can work with their success coach to identify the best fit for them based on their goals. Some of the examples include:
Note: While Columbia Business School Executive Education will attempt to accommodate participant preference selections, we cannot guarantee that all preferences will be granted due to the high demand for our open-enrollment programs. Electives are subject to change.
Meet your cohort peers and faculty in person on the Columbia Business School campus in New York City during an optional two-day recognition ceremony and networking event. This event provides you an opportunity to network with your peers as well as professionals from other cohorts to create a lifelong community of global executives.
Note: Session topics and networking event duration are subject to change.
In the capstone project, you will develop a CFO challenge handbook that applies the key insights of the program within the context of your own organization. Each of the last eight modules in the program provides a different set of challenges and strategic questions to address. You will document your responses to those challenges as part of weekly submissions to put together the full document. Upon completion, the handbook will provide you with a guide to implementing what you have learned in the program to advance and lead your own organization. Challenges addressed in the handbook include:
SHIVARAM RAJGOPAL
Roy Bernard Kester and T.W. Byrnes Professor of Accounting and Auditing, Faculty Director of the Chief Financial Officer Program
Shivaram Rajgopal is the Kester and Byrnes Professor of Accounting and Auditing at Columbia Business School. He has also been a faculty member at Duke University, Emory University, and the University of Washington. Rajgopal’s research interests span financial reporting, earnings quality, fraud, executive compensation, and corporate culture. His research is frequently cited in the popular press, including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Bloomberg, Fortune, Forbes, The Financial Times, Business Week, and The Economist.
The enriching environment of the networking event provides participants with the invaluable opportunity to build a robust network with global executives who bring diverse experiences, cultures, and perspectives. Engaging in thoughtful discussions, they can exchange cutting-edge insights and knowledge that are integral in staying abreast of industry trends. The networking event showcases the vibrant community that participants of the Chief Financial Officer Program become an invaluable part of.
Upon completion of the Chief Financial Officer Program, participants are awarded the Certificate in Business Excellence from Columbia Business School Executive Education. The certificate is a recognition of their achievement and the investment they and their organization have made in their education and development.
Download BrochurePlease note that participants must complete all modules of the program (online, in person or live online, inter-module) to receive the Certificate in Business Excellence.
The Chief Financial Officer Program is uniquely designed to suit professionals with a strong financial background from diverse industries. Individuals new to the CFO role or stepping into a financial leadership role will benefit from the in-depth curriculum, expert faculty, and invaluable networking opportunities.
Participants should have:
Past participants of the Chief Financial Officer Program come from diverse backgrounds, industries, and experiences. The cohort’s diversity ensures that you interact with like-minded peers and gain new perspectives for your organization’s unique challenges.
Average years of work experience:
Top industries:
Top functions:
Countries:
Note: Data from across previous cohorts
Round 1
Deadline: October 12, 2023
Application fee: US$300
Round 2
Deadline: November 8, 2023
Application fee: US$300
Round 3
Deadline: November 30, 2023
Application fee: US$300
The program fee covers teaching fees, all academic material, and access to online coursework. The fee does not include accommodations for the two-day annual in-person reunion and networking event, travel expenses (domestic, international, visa fee, and more), and other expenses not specifically mentioned in the program fee.
The Chief Financial Officer Program has been designed with your busy schedule in mind. You will be required to commit no more than three to five hours per week, enabling you to benefit from this transformative program while fulfilling your day-to-day work responsibilities. The impactful program offers a blend of self-paced modules and live interactions.
The 9- to 12-month learning journey includes live online and video online sessions with renowned faculty, industry experts, and global peers. You can take advantage of weekly live sessions and the Slack channel to ask questions and discuss ideas with your cohort participants. Real-world examples and a debrief of the program learnings are delivered through a combination of recorded video and live online lectures. The program concludes with an optional two-day on-campus recognition ceremony and networking event on the Columbia Business School campus in New York City.
The program fee covers teaching fees, all academic materials, and access to online coursework. The fee does not include accommodation for the two-day in-person recognition ceremony and networking event, travel expenses (domestic, international, visa fee, etc.), or other expenses not specifically mentioned in the fees.
You can pay the full program fee up front or pay in easy installments. If you would like to approach your organization with a sponsorship request for this program, here is a customizable template that you can use.
Unfortunately, it is not possible to take any more electives than the specified number. The electives are designed to help you gain specialized skills in areas that are aligned with your career so that you can dedicate focused time for learning and honing those
Yes. There is closed captioning and transcripts for all prerecorded videos, and closed captioning for recordings of live sessions is also available.
Flexible payment options available.