Breaking into the C-suite is never easy. For women in finance, the path can be especially challenging. Globally, women made up just 21% of new CFO appointments in 2025, down from 26% in 2024, according to the latest CFO Turnover Index published by Russell Reynolds.
This year, International Women’s Day (8 March) is centred on the theme ‘Give to Gain,’ a reminder that generosity and collaboration are essential for creating opportunities that advance gender equality. For those navigating the journey to CFO, practical guidance and hard-earned insight are more valuable than ever.
Here, six female CFOs share the most impactful career advice they’ve ever received.
When I bought my first car, my dad told me, “If it has to be now, it has to be no.” I was only 18, and the dealership was putting a lot of pressure on me to close the deal. His advice helped me walk away and a few weeks later I bought a much better car for less money.
That advice has stayed with me my whole career. Women are often trained to be accommodating and, in business, you sometimes face strong negotiators who know every closing tactic. If I feel pressured to make a quick decision, I just say no. A deal that is right will still be there when the pressure comes off.
The best advice I have been given is to take a step back. In my job, it is easy to focus on the details, but sometimes you have to stop and ask why you are doing something. Are you doing it just because you have always done it that way? Is there a quicker way? Can technology or AI solve it for you? Taking that step back helps you see the bigger picture.
Take risks and get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Early in my career, I moved to Sweden just as I was about to have my first child and I was also moving out of finance. It was a lot of change all at once, but those are the moments where you grow the most. When you look back, those risks become the most rewarding parts of your journey.
When I first became a director, I was so excited to solve bigger and better problems. A mentor told me: “Let me manage your expectations – when you become a leader, 80% of the problems you’ll solve are people problems. And those people are the ones solving your business problems.” That was powerful advice that has stayed with me.
The second piece of advice is to always try to disrupt what you’re doing. If something is taking 20% of your time, think about how you can do it better and more efficiently. That mindset has helped me as I’ve developed in my career, because as a CFO you need to do both strategic capital allocations and detailed operational work.
One piece of advice that has stayed with me is: train the ability to make decisions fast, because a decision made is usually better than no decision made. Making a decision, any decision, is often better than waiting too long.
At some point, you have to move forward, even if everything isn’t perfect. In business, especially in finance, you rarely get 100% certainty. Learning to be comfortable with that is important.
A key lesson is learning to move quickly. In a fast-paced environment, time matters. You need to be able to adapt fast and meet change, because waiting too long can hold the business back. Even if you don’t have all the answers, it’s better to make a decision and adjust later than to overthink and miss the moment.
One piece of advice I always return to is control the controllable. Focus on what you can influence rather than worrying about everything else.
Another important one is to forget about imposter syndrome. You have to believe you deserve to be where you are. You are in the room because of the value you bring and the results you have delivered. I once attended an event full of senior finance professionals, and almost the entire room raised their hands when asked if they had felt imposter syndrome. It was a good reminder that it affects everyone and that confidence matters.
Breaking into the C-suite is never easy. For women in finance, the path can be especially challenging. Globally, women made up just 21% of new CFO appointments in 2025, down from 26% in 2024, according to the latest CFO Turnover Index published by Russell Reynolds.
This year, International Women’s Day (8 March) is centred on the theme 'Give to Gain,' a reminder that generosity and collaboration are essential for creating opportunities that advance gender equality. For those navigating the journey to CFO, practical guidance and hard-earned insight are more valuable than ever.
Here, six female CFOs share the most impactful career advice they’ve ever received.
