A NEW club was launched yesterday to connect 'lonely' financial directors who often feel isolated in a 'numbers bubble' in offices across the north.
The unique business networking club was unveiled as accountancy and business advisory firm BDO also published its inaugural report into the unique challenges faced by company finance directors.
BDO commissioned the FD in the Spotlight report as a result of experience with its own clients - and the accepted view that the role of a financial director can be a lonely one.
Research was based on a series of interviews with financial directors from a number of private sector companies who attended yesterday's event, with those featured also appearing on an accompanying video.
All those who took part in the initiative - Allen Reid, group finance director of Henry Group; Maggie Allen, financial controller of Global Home Warranties; Karen Dundee, financial director Galgorm Resort and Spa; and Kevin McNamee, group finance director of Denroy Group - said the sharing of problems common to finance professionals would ultimately help everyone in business.
Launching the networking club and report, BDO partner Laura Jackson said the idea was to facilitate financial directors in supporting each other and "building connections" while identifying best practice.
"Financial managers face a range of significant issues such as cost containment, investing in staff and research and currency fluctuations," she said.
"Being a finance director can mean being in quite a lonely space; we think there is a gap in the business network structures and the BDO FD Network will help facilitate some really useful discussion."
Highlighting the "crucial" role played by financial directors in some 117,000 enterprises in Northern Ireland, BDO partner Peter Burnside said financial directors "were not just the people who looked after the numbers" but talented professionals who had expertise in many business sectors including HR and IT.
The club is open to all senior finance professionals and membership is free.
