Over the past several years, I have spent a great deal of time with CFOs, finance leaders, founders, investors, bankers, and advisors. One thing has become increasingly clear: the challenges facing today’s CFO are broader than finance alone.
Finance leaders are now expected to help navigate AI adoption, cybersecurity risk, fundraising, capital markets, governance, M&A activity, board communication, and strategic growth. The role continues to expand.
That is one reason we recently launched the CFO Executive Forum, an Open Future Forum community focused on creating a trusted peer network for senior finance leaders.
Building a Community Around Trust
In a recent LinkedIn post, Christina Bui, VP at Protiviti and Co-Chair of the CFO Executive Forum, described the kind of environment we are working to create as:
“Small, high-trust, and built on a give-first philosophy.”
That simple idea captures what many executives are looking for today. Not another large conference. Not another networking event filled with sales pitches. Instead, a trusted group of peers who can share experiences and help each other navigate difficult decisions.
Read Christina Bui’s full LinkedIn post here.
The Most Valuable CFO Conversations Happen in Trusted Rooms
Louis Lehot, Partner at Foley & Lardner and a member of the CFO Executive Forum board, recently shared a perspective that resonated with me. He wrote that:
“The most valuable conversations often happen in trusted rooms with peers who have faced similar challenges.”
Anyone who has spent time with CFOs knows how true this is. The best discussions are often not the ones that happen on stage. They happen around a dinner table, in a private meeting, or in a room where leaders can speak candidly about the challenges they are facing.
Read Louis Lehot’s full LinkedIn post here.
Why Diverse Perspectives Matter in a CFO Community
What makes the CFO Executive Forum important is that it brings together more than finance executives alone. CFOs need access to people who understand capital markets, governance, legal risk, fundraising, banking relationships, talent, operational execution, and strategic growth.
Our leadership group reflects that broader view:
- Christina Bui, Protiviti
- Louis Lehot, Foley & Lardner
- Eleonora Yashiro, Silicon Valley Bank
- Murray Newlands, Open Future Forum
CFOs do not operate in isolation. Their decisions affect investors, boards, employees, customers, lenders, and strategic partners. Building a community that reflects those perspectives creates better conversations and stronger relationships.
The Future of CFO Leadership Communities
Organizations such as FEI, CFO Leadership Council, and other established finance networks have demonstrated the long-term value of CFO communities and executive peer groups. We believe there is also room for highly curated, invitation-only groups where senior finance leaders can build deeper relationships with peers facing similar challenges.
The CFO Executive Forum was created with that goal in mind: a place where senior finance leaders can exchange ideas, build trusted relationships, and learn from one another in an environment designed around trust, relevance, and meaningful conversation.
As the role of the CFO continues to evolve, communities built around peer learning and trusted relationships will become increasingly important.
About the CFO Executive Forum
The CFO Executive Forum is an Open Future Forum community for CFOs and senior finance leaders. Membership is by invitation or referral and is designed for finance executives who value candid conversations, trusted relationships, and high-quality peer engagement.
Learn more about the CFO Executive Forum:
https://openfutureforum.com/cfo-executive-forum/
Disclosure: Murray Newlands is the founder of Open Future Forum and the CFO Executive Forum.
