INTHEBLACK December 2021 - Magazine - Page 20
GET SMART
// T I M E S T H R E E
COMPILED BY SUSAN MULDOWNEY
WHAT WILL BE
THE TOP CFO
SKILLS FOR 2022?
No one knows for sure what the next year will bring,
but the best CFOs do not waste a crisis. We ask three
finance leaders about the skills they will rely on in 2022.
CLICK HERE
TO BORROW
Active Listening
from the
CPA Library
20 ITB December 2021
01
L AW R I E T R E M A I N E F C PA
CFO, ORIGIN ENERGY
If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s the
importance of being ready to move at speed
when we need to, which makes for a more
resilient organisation and culture.
The job of running a business better is never
finished. However, having a strong purpose, a focus
on getting the basics right and making it easier
for our people to do their jobs stood us in good
stead to navigate the pandemic.
The relatively seamless move to remote work
and having robust systems and processes in
place meant that we were able to execute and
announce a major transaction less than two months
into last year’s first lockdown. This year, the team
delivered our end-of-year reporting remotely.
Listening to our people, customers and suppliers
– and working out how we can help them – remains
a key skill. We stepped up our focus on mental
health and wellbeing for our people, extended
assistance on energy bills for customers and
reduced payment terms for the many small
businesses we work with to help with cash flow.
I’m proud that, despite a challenging
year, we kept moving forward on our
strategy. Reducing capital expenditure and
improving cost performance allowed us to invest
in a number of opportunities that will set Origin
up well in the medium to longer term.
It’s likely 2022 will feature continued
restrictions in one form or another. Regular
communication, both formal and informal, and
strong, visible leadership will be crucial,
particularly with a large part of our workforce either
working remotely or adopting a hybrid work model.
_
The job of running a business better is never
finished. However, having a strong purpose,
a focus on getting the basics right and making
it easier for our people to do their jobs stood us
in good stead to navigate the pandemic.