Decoding Budget vs. Forecast vs. Projection Have you ever thought that finance terms like “budget,” “forecast,” and “projection” must be interchangeable? While these tools might appear similar at first glance, they serve distinct roles in financial planning. Understanding these components of financial planning and their differences is essential for your day-to-day work in corporate finance….
What Does a CFO Do? The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is the key executive leader responsible for overseeing a company’s financial strategy and ensuring long-term financial health. They lead finance and accounting departments, oversee financial strategy, and guide high-level corporate financial decision making. If becoming a CFO is one of your career goals, understanding the…
In this episode of What’s New at CFI, Meeyeon and Ryan Spendelow discuss the importance of stakeholder management in various professional settings, especially in the context of remote work. They explore how stakeholder management has evolved with the rise of virtual teams, the significance of understanding stakeholder expectations, common mistakes finance professionals make, and strategies…
The True Costs When Business Ethics in Finance Fails $3.7 billion. That’s how much Wells Fargo had paid in settlements since 2016 when it was revealed that some of the bank’s employees had opened more than 2 million unauthorized accounts without customer consent. The Wells Fargo scandal stands as one of the most profound failures of business ethics…
Navigating the Many Types of Financial Analysts Dreaming of a career where you can influence business decisions, drive financial strategy, or help organizations manage risk? Financial analysis might be your perfect match. But here’s the thing — the financial analyst path branches in several distinct directions, each with its own unique appeal. Finance offers remarkably…
Using Capital Planning Metrics to Evaluate Investments Every business faces critical decisions about where to invest capital. Companies must determine which projects will create value, generate strong financial returns, and align with long-term strategy. Capital planning metrics help businesses evaluate these investment decisions systematically. The most widely used capital planning metrics include: Net Present Value…
February 2025 – Corporate Finance Institute (CFI), the #1 rated online provider of finance and banking training, has announced that its six certification programs have been officially accredited by LIBF (formerly known as The London Institute of Banking & Finance), a globally-respected higher education institution with a long-standing legacy in banking and financial education. This…
In this episode, Ahmed Aboushady takes us through his extensive career in risk management, from his education in Cairo to professional experiences in Los Angeles, the UK, and his current role at the Ontario Securities Commission. He reflects on the impact of the 2007 financial crisis, the importance of mentorship, and the need for continuous…
What is Deep Learning in Finance? As a subset of machine learning, deep learning teaches itself patterns and relationships by analyzing vast amounts of data. Unlike traditional systems that follow pre-programmed rules, deep learning learns on its own — much like a human brain. It’s similar to how people can improve face recognition or languages…
The Hidden Cost of Poor Naming Conventions Imagine logging into a data room, expecting quick access to critical reports only to find a mess of inconsistently named files. You waste valuable time sifting through the chaos, and in the worst cases, you have to call the client just to locate what you need. However, this…
