For CFOs of listed companies, the demands of the role have never been greater. Investor expectations are rising. Reporting standards are tightening. Boards and regulators are asking more questions, and technology is reshaping the pace of finance delivery.
The modern CFO must balance three competing forces – compliance, strategy, and stakeholder pressure – while maintaining accuracy, confidence, and calm.
1. Compliance: The Non-Negotiable Foundation
Compliance has always been part of the CFO remit, but the scope has expanded dramatically. Today, it extends across accounting standards, tax transparency, ESG reporting, cyber-risk oversight, and audit readiness – all under increasing scrutiny.
One AIM-listed client recently faced the challenge of preparing consolidated financial statements for several international subsidiaries. Their in-house team was stretched thin managing activity while preparing for the year-end audit. Beavis Morgan’s technical accounting team stepped in to handle the consolidation and liaise with the auditors, freeing the CFO to focus on board reporting and investor communication.
The result was timely, accurate submission across multiple jurisdictions and a smoother audit process – without the cost of expanding permanent headcount.
Lesson: Maintaining compliance requires both technical precision and scalable capacity. The smartest CFOs know when to call on external expertise.
2. Strategy: Delivering Growth Without Losing Control
CFOs are now key strategists, expected to shape business direction, support transactions, and make capital allocation decisions that drive shareholder value. But strategic focus is impossible when compliance and reporting consume every hour.
A technology business listed on AIM illustrates this tension. In the middle of a corporate transaction, its finance team had to navigate complex IFRS treatments, deferred tax implications, and investor disclosure requirements. With Beavis Morgan providing technical transaction support and tax structuring advice, the CFO could concentrate on the negotiation itself, confident that the deal structure was both efficient and compliant.
The transaction completed successfully, producing measurable tax savings and strengthening the group’s platform for future acquisitions.
Lesson: Strategy depends on bandwidth. CFOs must protect their time for high-value decisions by outsourcing the right technical and compliance tasks.
3. Stakeholder Pressure: Managing the Message
CFOs sit at the intersection of investors, boards, regulators, and employees, each with competing interests. They are expected to provide clarity, transparency, and assurance while managing risk and uncertainty.
When one large corporate group with diverse subsidiaries struggled with the scale and pace of tax compliance, the CFO faced pressure from both auditors and the board to simplify the process. Beavis Morgan stepped in to coordinate the group’s filings, align the tax strategy, and improve visibility across entities.
By delivering consistent, timely submissions and a simplified structure, the CFO was able to shift conversations from “Are we compliant?” to “How do we grow?” – restoring confidence with both the board and investors.
Lesson: Stakeholder confidence is built on consistency. Timely reporting, transparent communication, and external support help maintain it.
4. The Evolving CFO Skillset
The CFO role has evolved from “financial controller” to “strategic leader.” Today’s CFO must combine technical excellence with communication, resilience, and judgment. They must lead through ambiguity, anticipate risks, and make finance a source of insight, not just compliance.
External advisers have become a natural extension of this leadership model. They bring perspective, reduce pressure, and inject capacity at key moments, allowing CFOs to focus where they add the most value.
At Beavis Morgan, we see this shift across our listed client base. CFOs want partners who understand the regulatory context, can deliver quickly, and know when to take ownership. It’s not about outsourcing responsibility; it’s about building a stronger, more agile finance function.
5. The Value of Independent Expertise
Audit independence rules limit how much practical support auditors can provide to listed entities. That creates a space for independent, non-audit advisers to bridge the gap.
Beavis Morgan’s listed company clients rely on our team for:
- Consolidation and technical accounting support
- IFRS and disclosure guidance
- Statutory accounts preparation
- Tax compliance and group structuring
- Transaction and due diligence assistance
- Audit timetable management
This model gives CFOs the best of both worlds – independence from their auditor and confidence that their reporting is in expert hands.
Final Thoughts
The CFO’s role will only grow in complexity. Between regulatory change, investor scrutiny, and the need for strategic agility, there’s little room for inefficiency or error.
But with trusted external partners handling the technical workload and providing flexible, senior-level support, CFOs can focus on what matters most: leading with clarity, driving growth, and sustaining confidence in the public markets.
At Beavis Morgan, we specialise in supporting CFOs of small-to-mid-sized listed companies. Our senior team provides the extra capacity and expertise you need during peak reporting periods, complex transactions, or periods of change.
If your finance team is under pressure this reporting season, we’re here to help.
Contact us and download our Listed Companies Support information sheet.
