THE JOURNAL

Insights & Strategies.

Executive career positioning, mindset shifts, and recruitment secrets from 25+ years on the inside.

Tourism and Hospitality Finance Leaders: Seasons, Assets and Cash

Belinda Paris

Published on: 20/10/2026

What a hospitality finance director does across tourism and hospitality in Australia and NZ. Seasonal cash, property, owners, payroll risk and resume tips.

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Transport and Logistics Finance Leaders: Fleets, Contracts and Thin Margins

Belinda Paris

Published on: 20/10/2026

What a logistics finance manager or CFO really does in transport. Fleet decisions, contract pricing, fuel costs, working with operations and resume tips.

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Manufacturing Finance Directors: Costing, Capital and Supply Chains

Belinda Paris

Published on: 20/10/2026

What a manufacturing finance director does. Product costing and margin, capital and plant decisions, supply chain and inventory risk, and resume points.

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Professional Services Firm CFO and COO Roles: Law, Accounting and Engineering Firms

Belinda Paris

Published on: 20/10/2026

Professional services firm CFO and COO roles in law, accounting and engineering firms. Partners, utilisation, lockup, pricing and moving in from corporate.

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The CFO's First 100 Days in a Private Equity-Backed Business

Belinda Paris

Published on: 20/10/2026

A CFO 100 day plan for a private equity-backed business. What the investment team expects, cash, reporting, lenders, early wins and common mistakes.

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Chief Financial and Strategy Officer: When Strategy Moves Under the CFO

Belinda Paris

Published on: 20/10/2026

The chief financial and strategy officer role explained. Why groups combine the roles, what the strategy half involves, how to win it and how to show it.

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CFO Incentive Plans Explained: STI, LTI and What to Ask Before You Sign

Belinda Paris

Published on: 20/10/2026

CFO long term incentive and STI plans in plain English. How they work, vesting, leaver terms, change of control and what to ask before you sign.

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CFO Succession Planning: Building Your Successor Without Weakening Your Position

Belinda Paris

Published on: 20/10/2026

CFO succession planning without the fear. Why boards ask, who to develop, how to give a successor board exposure and how it helps your own next move.

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Career Coach for Finance Professionals: When It Helps and When It Does Not

Belinda Paris

Published on: 19/10/2026

When a career coach for finance professionals is worth it, when you do not need one, how to choose a coach and what to expect to pay in Australia and NZ.

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CFO Peer Groups and Forums: Are They Worth Joining?

Belinda Paris

Published on: 19/10/2026

Is a CFO peer group worth joining? What peer groups and forums offer, paid vs free options, how to choose one, get value and use it for your career.

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What a CFO Signs: Declarations, Liability and Protecting Yourself

Belinda Paris

Published on: 13/10/2026

What CFOs typically sign, from board declarations to auditor letters and bank certificates, how to build the evidence behind your sign-off and protect yourself.

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Rebuilding the Finance Team as a New CFO

Belinda Paris

Published on: 13/10/2026

How a new CFO rebuilds the finance team. Assess before you act, decide who to keep, grow, move or exit, hire key leaders and keep the business running.

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Your First Board Meeting as a New CFO

Belinda Paris

Published on: 13/10/2026

How a new CFO prepares for their first board meeting. What the board is judging, reading past papers, meeting directors and handling hard questions.

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The CFO and the Chair: Building the Relationship That Protects You

Belinda Paris

Published on: 13/10/2026

How CFOs build a strong relationship with the board chair without going around the CEO. Bad news, CEO and chair conflict, and your board career.

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CFO and Company Secretary: Holding Both Roles

Belinda Paris

Published on: 13/10/2026

What it means to be CFO and Company Secretary at the same time. Why the roles are combined, what the company secretary part involves and how to show both.

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Leading a Sale Process as CFO: How to Show It on Your Resume and in Interview

Belinda Paris

Published on: 13/10/2026

What a CFO does in a business sale, how to run the business and the deal at once, and how to show a sale on your resume without breaking confidentiality.

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Management Equity in Private Equity Deals: What CFOs Should Understand

Belinda Paris

Published on: 13/10/2026

What CFOs should understand about management equity in private equity deals. Sweet equity, co-investment, vesting, leaver terms and questions to ask.

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How Boards Judge a CFO: The Measures Behind Your Review

Belinda Paris

Published on: 13/10/2026

How boards and CEOs measure CFO performance. Financial, leadership and board measures, using your review to build your resume, and what to ask first.

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CFO and Investor Relations: What Listed Company CFOs Need to Show

Belinda Paris

Published on: 13/10/2026

What investor relations involves for a CFO in a listed company, how to show IR experience on your resume, and how to build it before your first listed role.

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What Age Do People Become a CFO? Timing the Move

Belinda Paris

Published on: 13/10/2026

What age people become a CFO in Australia and NZ, why there is no single right age, what boards look for at each stage and signs the timing is right for you.

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Why CFOs Get Fired: The Patterns Boards Talk About

Belinda Paris

Published on: 09/10/2026

The common reasons CFOs lose their jobs, from surprises and lost CEO trust to the wrong fit for the business stage, and what CFOs can do to protect themselves.

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Group Financial Controller Pay: What Drives the Gap Between Roles

Belinda Paris

Published on: 09/10/2026

What drives Group Financial Controller pay in Australia and NZ. Why ranges are wide, how listed, PE and private groups differ, and how to negotiate well.

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Finance Leadership in a Roll-Up: Running Finance in a Fast-Acquiring Group

Belinda Paris

Published on: 09/10/2026

What it is like to lead finance in a private equity roll-up. Integrating new businesses fast, keeping control, lender reporting and the results to show.

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Working With the Audit Committee Chair: A Guide for Group Financial Controllers

Belinda Paris

Published on: 09/10/2026

How Group Financial Controllers build a strong relationship with the audit committee chair. What the chair needs, bad news early and using it for your career.

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Regional Financial Controller Roles in Asia-Pacific: Is It the Right Move?

Belinda Paris

Published on: 09/10/2026

What regional financial controller roles across Asia-Pacific involve, how they read to ANZ CFO panels later, and how to decide if the move is right for you.

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Acting CFO: How to Turn a Temporary Role Into the Job

Belinda Paris

Published on: 09/10/2026

How to make the most of an acting CFO role. What the board and CEO watch for, your first 30 days, decisions to make or hold, and making the case for the job.

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Leading an Offshore Finance Team: What Group Financial Controllers Need to Show

Belinda Paris

Published on: 09/10/2026

How senior finance leaders show offshore team leadership on a resume and in interview. Standards, controls, trust across time zones and results that count.

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Group Financial Controller to CFO: The Gap Most People Underestimate

Belinda Paris

Published on: 09/10/2026

How a Group Financial Controller moves into a CFO role. The three gaps CFO panels look for and how to close them before you apply.

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Group Financial Controller Job Description: What the Role Really Covers

Belinda Paris

Published on: 09/10/2026

What a Group Financial Controller does in Australia and NZ. Core duties, how the role changes in listed, PE and private groups, and what separates the best.

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When a Director Oversteps: How CFOs Handle Board Members Who Go Direct to Staff

Belinda Paris

Published on: 09/10/2026

How CFOs handle a director who goes direct to finance staff. Why it happens, the risks, working through the chair and setting clear information lines.

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