The Finance Benchmarking Network for Controlling and Accounting

The CFO-Panel was founded in 2003 by Horváth & Partners Management Consultants. It focuses on the CFO's main responsibilities. Basis of the CFO-Panel is a constant benchmarking survey in Controlling, Accounting in which all member companies participate.

It all started in December 2003 with a meeting of executive managers from 12 companies which took place in Berlin. Initially, the network was established under the name Horváth & Partners CFO-Panel with a focus on Controlling. Since the first meeting this inspiring idea has been able to gain numerous new member companies. After a while the focus was extended with the processes of Accounting. Since then the CFO-Panel covers all relevant financial processes.

In an annual online survey network members update the benchmark database. A standardized process model enables the comparison of differently structured companies. Answering questions is optional - every participant decides individually which questions he wants to answer. The benchmarks adress questions about objectives, organization, allocation of ressources, systems & IT-solutions as well as on design and efficiency of processes.

The survey of the CFO-Panel is web-based. The results are evaluated individually and offer a comparison with the average and quartiles of the CFO-Panel database. The benchmarking reports are ad-hoc available via the company-portal and can be downloaded after the surveys are completed. During the semi-annual CFO-Panel Meetings selected results and best practices are presented and discussed in depth.

CFO-Panel member companies benefit in various ways from the evaluation of the benchmarks. The objectives of the CFO-Panel, however, exceed the generation of benchmarks. » Read up on the further objectives of the CFO-Panel and become a member.