09 Sep From Newly Qualified to Finance Director: Building Your Leadership Style
Becoming a newly qualified accountant is a huge milestone. It represents years of dedication, technical mastery, and personal sacrifice. But for many, qualification isn’t the finish line, it’s the start of a much bigger journey: the path towards senior leadership and ultimately the Finance Director seat.
The Transition: From Recently Qualified to a Finance Leader
Newly qualified accountants can enter the profession through a variety of routes. Some train within an accountancy practice, others complete a degree in accountancy and finance, which may grant exemptions from certain ACCA or CIMA papers. Alternatively, many begin their careers within a finance team, building experience from the ground up or by studying towards an AAT qualification.
At the point of qualification, your strengths will often reflect your route. If you are trained in practice, you are likely to have strong technical expertise in audit, reporting, and analysis. If your background is in industry, you may have progressed through the finance function, starting in ledger work and moving upward.
However, stepping into senior finance roles requires more than technical capability. Success is no longer defined purely by your ability to prepare accounts, but by your capacity to influence decisions, communicate strategy, and lead people effectively.
Leadership Style: Finding Your Fit
There’s no single “best” leadership style in finance. Some leaders thrive on being hands-on, others are empowered by delegation. The key is authenticity, understanding your strengths and gaps, and developing a style that builds trust. For new leaders, this might mean:
- Learning to simplify complex financials for non-finance stakeholders.
- Building emotional intelligence alongside technical skills.
- Practicing resilience and adaptability in uncertain markets.
Building Blocks on the Journey to FD
While the route varies, certain experiences tend to shape future Finance Directors:
- Business Partnering: Sitting alongside commercial teams to influence performance.
- FP&A and Strategy: Moving from looking back at the numbers to forecasting and shaping future decisions.
- People Leadership: Managing teams, mentoring juniors, and understanding how to get the best out of people.
- Board Exposure: Gaining early experience in presenting to senior stakeholders and influencing at the top table.
The Evolving FD Role
Today’s Finance Director isn’t just the guardian of numbers. They are strategists, communicators, and culture-builders. The FD role increasingly demands commercial awareness, digital literacy, and a mindset geared towards growth and innovation.
Final Thought
For newly qualified accountants, the opportunity has never been greater. The market needs leaders who can combine technical credibility with commercial influence and authentic leadership. The journey to FD is not about ticking boxes, it’s about developing into the kind of leader people want to follow.