Moving From Big 4 Auditor to Controller to CFO, with Andrea Hecht

Episode notes

Andrea Hecht, EVP & CFO at CSAA Insurance Group, walks through the real shifts at each step of her career - from auditor at Big 4 accounting firm, EY, to Controller, and ultimately CFO. She explains how the focus moves from technical detail to culture, strategy, and leadership. We cover: Why the first move from public accounting to industry didn’t work, and why the second one did. How interviews and expectations change as you move up. What makes the Controller → CFO leap so challenging. How to get Accounting and FP&A working as one team. The habits that keep her sharp while leading finance at a 4,000-person organization. It's an insightful roadmap for anyone asking what actually changes when you leave public accounting and aim for the CFO seat. Get your CFO readiness score here: Whether becoming a CFO is your goal or not, this assessment highlights the competencies that matter most at the VP level and above, in finance. It’s completely free, and you will get personalized results instantly.

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