Moving From Big 4 Auditor to Controller to CFO, with Andrea Hecht
Update: 2025-09-10
Description
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.
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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.
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