When the CFO Becomes HR

It happens all the time - HR lands on the CFO’s desk. It makes sense on paper: compliance, payroll, risk. Those boxes belong to finance, right?

But people management isn’t about spreadsheets. It’s about behavior, emotion, and communication - the parts of a business that don’t fit neatly into a budget line.

Here’s what I’ve learned:

• CFOs are some of my favorite partners. They see the big picture, they’re detail-oriented, and they understand how structure protects the company.

• When I partner with a CFO, we build systems that do both - they keep the company compliant and financially sound while I make sure the people side runs just as smoothly.

HR and Finance don’t compete; they complement each other.

When both work together - compliance gets tighter, culture gets stronger, and leadership finally gets to focus on growth.

The CFO protects the numbers. I protect the people. And together, we protect the business.