CFOs: I'll Stay Put

July 26, 2002 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Chief financial officers (CFO) are apparently "hunkered down" for the duration, according to a new survey.

A new survey by RHI Management Resources, which polled CFOs about their career aspirations found:

  • 36 % of finance executives who said they plan to stay put
  • 32% who have their eye on a retirement check
  • 10% who said they would give in to their entrepreneurial spirit and start their own company.

Some 6% of the responding finance executives said they would go into consulting, another 6% were going to try for the CFO chair at a large company, while still another 6% were going to angle for a promotion at their next job to CEO or president.

The entrepreneurial spirit apparently wasn’t overwhelming among the respondents. Asked of they would do a company start up if pulling together the necessary capital was no longer an issue, four out of ten said no thanks. More than half (57%) said they would be very or somewhat interested.

The risks associated with starting a business outweighed the perceived benefits, according to the survey, which covered 1,400 CFOs from US companies with more than 20 employees.

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