2021-11-10-Gartner-2022_Controller_Leadership_Vision_11页_245kb

Corporate Controller Leadership Vision 2022

• Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has increased social awareness and shifted workplace norms, leading to potential burnout among leaders. Businesses are accelerating digital investments due to new operational demands, requiring controllers to focus on strategies for profitable growth and automation.

• Key Trends and Challenges:

  • 64% of executives increased digital investment and implemented RPA in 2020-2021 for automation.
  • 66% of finance leaders have explored or optimized RPA, but only 39% report consistent delivery of expected benefits from transformations.
  • Common challenges include hyperautomating processes, redistributing work, and increasing digital proficiency.

• Three Strategic Actions for Success:

  1. Digitalize Finance: Invest in digital technologies like AI and hyperautomation to drive profitable growth. Focus on implementing RPA and process mining for better efficiency.
  2. Enhance Staff Digital Skills: Upskill talent through on-the-job learning and leverage predictive analytics for decision support.
  3. Improve Governance and Structure: Determine the optimal degree of centralization using a framework based on organizational diversity and technology integration.

• Recommended Actions for CFOs and Controllers:

  • Use process-mining software to discover and improve processes by analyzing event logs.
  • Optimize RPA governance by redesigning the workforce, potentially adding or eliminating roles.
  • Upskill through opportunities like accessing best practices, expanding roles, and managing change.
  • Consider factors such as business model diversity and technology integration when centralizing or distributing controllership functions.

• Additional Insights: Address the need for actionable insights, resources, and tools to strengthen internal controls, increase efficiency, and support automation, with references to Gartner's research and contact information.