So, you may have proven your technical know-how in the first few years of professional experience within accountancy and finance.

Here are the other qualities you need to ascend the business leadership ranks in Indonesia.

Be proactive

Always be in the lookout for ways to improve the business. For example, you can think about streamlining the reporting processes or creating a better expense authorisation system. You may even suggest alternative ways to strategise and invest the company’s assets either within Indonesia or regionally. The key is to be bold in raising such ideas to your management, and to take ownership in driving such projects. Showing that you are constantly involved in pushing the business forward makes you an essential member of the team.

Be impactful

As your responsibilities increase, it is important to ensure that you are contributing in impactful and quantifiable ways. Choose projects that are challenging at your level of experience and update top management at every stage of the process. Show that you are able to see through what you started, and that your contribution has a positive impact on the company’s strategies and goals.

Be involved

Being in accountancy and finance often means taking up responsibilities independently. However, supporting your teammates is just as important. Provide help when needed or show interest in company affairs outside of your job scope. These show that you are team player who is above and beyond your job scope.

Be conscious

To propel yourself to the top job of CFO, networking is crucial, especially in Indonesia where establishing working relationships with colleagues and external vendors is critical. No matter how good you are in planning strategies or analysing numbers, you need stakeholder buy-in for all you do. These contacts are invaluable in advancing to the next step of your career. Be open to a new job, relocation opportunities or even a contract position in a particular industry you are passionate about. All these will enable you to gain more experience, expertise and a stronger network.