6 October2022Editor NoteWomen CFOs Redefining Women's Role in the Financial Industry ACFO used to be a straightforward leadership role that had to only focus on making financial decisions. However the corporate landscape has evolved and so has the modern CFOs role. This is better explained by Sankar Narayan, former CFO (now COO) of Xero, "As a leader in a company, the modern CFO needs to propel a culture of security. No longer is our job just about revenue, costs and budgets. There is a strong emphasis on managing risk, driving performance and ensuring the integrity and accuracy of company information".In other words there has been a distinct shift in a CFOs role in recent years having moved much beyond their traditional duties of guiding company strategy. In today's day and age they have become a key source of quality data for decision-making purposes. For years women's representation in the CFOs role has been rather low. But here as well there has been a sea of change. More and more women have been craving a niche for themselves in the field of finance. In the current edition of Women Entrepreneur Magazine we introduce you to several such experienced and talented women CFOs from UAE. On the cover page we feature Basma Abdel Hack, CFO, 360VUZ. Every bit of Basma's professional journey has been a milestone and her way of taking forward every experience as learning to lead another organization is commendable. At 360VUZ, she is progressively overseeing the operations of the finance department including fundraising, supplier and customer relationships, treasury management and successfully leading the startup into funding rounds. Basma is accompanied by SyedaFaizaBatool, Finance & Commercial Director, Companies: AFKAR Ventures & OPUS DigiTech. Syeda is a committed finance expert who has substantial work experience in areas such as financial reporting, compliance, commercial finance, taxation, and Investment appraisals."Financial strategy, financial reporting, budgeting and analysis, identifying and addressing potential financial risks and effective oversight of all financial matters, are some of the key responsibilities I shoulder at both companies", explains Syeda. Women such as Basma and Syeda are redefining women's representation in top leadership roles especially in the role of CFOs. We hope their journey inspires our readers to also strive to break the glass ceiling in their respective industries. Read on and do let us know your thoughts. Rachita SharmaManaging Editor
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