INTHEBLACK July 2026 - Magazine - Page 35
LESSONS LEARNED
1. Think beyond the
numbers: Getting the
numbers right matters, but
the real value comes from
what sits behind them — the
insight and direction you can
give the business.
2. Take ownership of your
career: Do not wait for
someone else to map your
path. You need to speak up,
raise your hand for projects
and be brave enough to step
out of your comfort zone.
3. Commit to continuous
learning: However busy work
gets, keep making time to
learn. AI and technology may
automate parts of your work,
but your learning capabilities
cannot be taken.
In those cases, you receive updates that your
order is being prepared, when it is on
the way and when you will receive it. This
is one simple example, but it shows how
we can potentially save the team time
so they are not spending hours answering
queries and can instead focus on more
critical issues.
The other major challenge is the nature
of the sector itself. When there is a crisis,
our product becomes very popular because
many companies need polymer resins.
But we have to prepare for when the wave
retreats, when prices become lower and the
margin is thin. That is why gaining efficiencies
will give us built-in margin, because a
business has a lot of fixed running costs.
When the rainy days come, relying on
umbrellas is not enough. You have to find
a way to make the team lean now — even
if it is not raining yet.
Preparing for the future is always a
challenge. I think it is about finding
pockets of growth, especially in this region
that is so competitive, and looking at how
we can be ready to seize new growth areas
and opportunities.
For me, that is where the CFO role is
crucial: in not just managing supply, demand
and expectations, but helping the business
become more effective, more forward-looking
and ready for what comes next. ■
READ
an article on five
ways to track the
ROI of AI
UPSKILL
with CPA Australia’s
AI Risk Management
for Accountants
short course
LISTEN
to a podcast about
accounting’s future
in an AI world
intheblack.cpaaustralia.com.au 35
