Partner & Associate Director, Corporate Strategy
Munich
Dr. Sebastian Stange is an Expert for Corporate Strategy and CFO Excellence at Boston Consulting Group, which he joined in 2004. He is a core member of the Corporate Development practice area. He has worked mainly in the industrial goods sector, but supports projects across industries globally.
Sebastian has a special interest in parenting strategy and the role of the corporate center, capital allocation, and corporate governance. He co-developed BCG's parenting strategy concept and is co-author of several BCG publications on those subjects.
There are four good options. Learn how to choose the best one for your company.
Economic uncertainty is on the rise, and CFOs must plan for flexibility. That means shorter budgeting cycles, relative forecasting targets, and simplified scenario-based planning.
CFOs' expectations for their companies are gradually becoming more optimistic, but many still see difficult times ahead.
Our new global CFO survey during the COVID-19 crisis reveals that many CFOs are less pessimistic than they were when we first conducted the survey in April. In fact, half of the respondents have a more positive outlook, while about one-third have more negative expectations. This change in outlook naturally varies by industry: semiconductor, retail, and software and services CFOs are much more optimistic about the revenue and profit impact of the pandemic than they were in April, while CFOs in industrial goods industries (such as automotive) still see relatively little cause for optimism. (See the sidebar “About the Survey.”)
CFOs, though surprisingly pessimistic, are making the right moves to keep their businesses viable. To prepare for the future, they should take a scenario-based approach to balance financial discipline with strategic flexibility.
Only a few CFOs lead finance functions that truly outperform in both efficiency and effectiveness. Here’s what sets them apart.
Conversations with the hands-on experts reveal six key success factors.
Managing risk involves more than complex financial models and formal systems. Here are ten basic principles that should govern the art of risk management.
In today’s increasingly complex and less predictable global environment, planning has never been more difficult—or more important. BCG highlights ten guiding principles for getting it right.
Too many spinoffs fail to create long-term value. To ink successful demerger deals, executives need a strategy that comprises three critical components.