An accountant by any other name…
Is a change in job title from “principal accountant” to “finance business partner” just rebranding or a sign of evolution? Makbul Patel looks at what’s in a name.
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'Is a change in job title from “principal accountant” to “finance business partner” just rebranding or a sign of evolution? Makbul Patel looks at what’s in a name.'
I am a chartered accountant and will die a chartered accountant
A finance business partner sounds like either a IFA or a lender. What idiot would choose a meaningless title that any unqualified numpty can claim?
But then I speak as a member of this forum that replies to any answers, as an accountant.
I've had a dispute with someone who called himself a Certified Chartered Accountant, who then said he was Chartered Accountant, then a Certified Book keeper, then a Book keeper. Turns out he was just a waste of space with no professional qualification or insurance.
So yes, a name is important.
I used to have a client who took the mick out of titles. The tea lady was "the brown liquid dispenser".
I've just told a client friend that from now on I am a Finance Business Partner. She said that to her I will always be her accountant.
'principal accountant' ive been in industry for 30 years and never heard that one before.
These titles (business partner) are supposed to denote, someone who supports the executives with higher level management accounting skills/knowledge, but they are a step below Finance Director or CFO.
So a division in a large corporate might have 3 or 4 'accountants' doing the 'donkey work' for the division concerned, whereas the business partner hangs around with the leadership of the division, like an intermediary between them and the dedicated accountants, also liaising with the shared services accounting & financial planning teams. If there is an FD or CFO he will support them or support the executives directly if no FD/CFO.
FBP is the obvious next step.
I call myself Group Accountant because whilst I may do the role of an FD I work for family owned companies and am not a director of them in the legal sense (albeit I have met loads of "FDs" and "directors" who are not real directors)
I could refer to myself as Company Secretary, as at least I am one of them, but it does not work for our partnership (nor of course would FD) and is also too narrow in expectation.
But this is the way with titles, my wife used to work for stockmarket brokers/analysts, one more promotion and she would have been an exalted Vice President (catch is they had an awful lot of vice presidents scuffing about)