FP&A is the faster path to the CFO role
3 real-life stories and action items for FP&A
READ TIME: 7 MINUTES
Most people think the fastest way to become a CFO is through an MBA, treasury, or investment banking.
But after speaking to many CFO friends and founders of FP&A software companies.
I can admit it freely. FP&A is the faster path to the CFO role.
Here Are 3 Reasons Why:
1. FP&A Sees the Entire Financial Engine
Most finance teams focus on their lane. Accounting tracks historicals, treasury manages liquidity, and investor relations polishes the company’s story.
FP&A? It runs the full financial ecosystem.
It’s where revenue meets costs, where strategy meets execution, and where long-term bets get modeled before they become billion-dollar decisions.
If you want to lead a company’s financial future, you need to see the full picture. FP&A is that picture.
2. FP&A Forces You to Build CEO-Level Judgment
Most finance people report what happened.
But FP&A figures out why it happened and what should happen next.
That’s a different level of thinking.
When a company is burning cash, FP&A doesn’t just pull cost-cutting levers. It predicts which cuts won’t kill long-term growth. When a CEO is betting big on a new market, FP&A stress-tests the model before the company burns millions.
CFOs need this type of thinking.
It’s not just numbers. It’s business judgment.
The kind that turns finance leaders into company leaders.
3. FP&A Puts You in the Room Where It Happens
Most finance roles sit on the sidelines. FP&A sits at the table.
FP&A leaders don’t wait for decisions; they shape them. They’re in the board meetings where capital allocation gets decided. They’re in the strategy sessions that determine if a company goes all-in on expansion or pulls back to protect margins.
By the time an FP&A leader is ready for a CFO role, they’ve already been acting like one.
The Fast Track to CFO Isn’t a Secret
It’s not about where you start in finance.
It’s about what you master.
And FP&A masters what matters:
Strategic thinking
Operational finance
Data-driven leadership
That’s why FP&A is the fastest track to the CFO seat.
Always has been. Always will be.
I’ll share with you 3 stories of FP&A people who got the CFO role.
3 Real-Life Stories of FP&A to CFO Role
1. Kevan Parekh—CFO at Apple
2020: Director of FP&A at Apple
2023: VP of FP&A at Apple
2024: CFO at Apple, a $3 trillion tech giant
When Kevan Parekh was named CFO, people doubted:
No prior CFO experience.
An FP&A leader, not a finance "traditionalist."
Can somebody from FP&A really take the CFO seat at the world’s most valuable company?
But Parekh’s track record speaks for itself.
And Apple CEO Tim Cook praised Parekh's financial expertise and deep understanding of the company, stating that Parekh's intellect and judgment make him the ideal choice for the CFO role.
Parekh’s journey reveals a key insight:
FP&A isn’t about reporting numbers. FP&A is about strategy.
At Apple:
2020: As Director of FP&A, he connected operational KPIs with strategic growth goals.
2023: As VP of FP&A, he led cross-functional planning that unlocked Apple's growth in both hardware and services.
2024: As CFO, he’ll blend Apple’s culture of innovation with disciplined financial leadership.
What makes FP&A a faster path to the CFO role?
Well, FP&A isn’t just about reporting numbers. FP&A is about strategy.
Parekh didn’t just know Apple’s financial data. He knew how to turn it into a competitive advantage. His rise highlights a growing trend.
Today’s most impactful CFOs don’t just protect value. They create it.
The best CFOs don’t come from Wall Street.
They come from FP&A.
2. Kate Bueker—CFO at HubSpot
2007: VP, Corporate FP&A at Akamai
2017: Senior VP, Finance at Akamai
2018-25: CFO at HubSpot, a $40 billion platform
People in finance track numbers. But Kate Bueker drives strategy.
She built her path to CFO through FP&A.
“FP&A is a really hard job, but it was probably the single best training for me to be a CFO.”
At HubSpot, she changed how finance operates.
She focuses on one metric—Net New ARR.
Her leadership style is different:
• She bets on growth but controls risk.
• She builds leaders, not micromanagers.
• She does not block ideas; she finds solutions.
“The CFO role has shifted. It is not about calculating numbers anymore. It is about defining the right metrics for success.”
She sees what most CFOs miss.
Finance is not reporting. Finance is growth.
The lesson:
FP&A is not a back-office function.
It is growth.
It is strategy.
It is execution.
And FP&A is hard but it is the fastest path to the CFO role.
3. Jason Child— CFO at Arm
1999: Corporate Controller at Amazon
2001: Director of FP&A at Amazon
2011: CFO at Groupon
2019: CFO at Splunk
2022: CFO at Arm, the leader in computing architecture
Jason Child’s career proves that FP&A isn’t just a stepping stone.
It’s a direct path to CFO.
At Amazon, he built scalable financial models that supported the company’s rapid expansion and played a key role in Amazon Prime’s profitability strategy.
At Groupon, he led the company through hypergrowth and a successful IPO.
At Splunk, he designed a finance structure that supported data-driven enterprise growth.
Now, at Arm, he’s building financial strategy in a company that powers 99% of the world’s smartphones and is at the center of AI-driven computing.
His journey reveals 1 powerful truth:
FP&A can shape the future of business.
And the best of FP&A don’t track value.
They create it.
You Don't Need a CFO Title to Act Like One
Instead, try this for 18-24 months
Think beyond Excel.
Step up during crisis moments.
Build teams that thrive without you.
Build networks across ops, sales, and tech.
Become the problem solver everyone trusts.
Lead visible projects outside of core finance.
Make tough calls and get measurable results.
Master the art of influence without authority.
Challenge the status quo, even when uncomfortable.
Build deep knowledge of your company's operations.
Connect finance decisions to clear business outcomes.
Build strong relationships with the board and investors.
Your real job is selling stories. Combine data and stories to drive decisions. The best CFOs are great storytellers.
The path from FP&A to CFO isn't more models or certifications.
It's about transforming from a finance person into a business leader who happens to be excellent at finance and with people.
The Bottom Line:
The journey to the CFO role isn’t about where you start.
It’s about what you master along the way.
Whether it’s Kevan Parekh at Apple, Kate Bueker at HubSpot, or Jason Child at Arm, their success proves that the best CFOs can come from FP&A.
And that’s all for today.
P.S. Read: 3 deadly CFO AI use cases
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I’m Wouter Born. A CFOTech investor, advisor and entrepreneur.
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