For Mike San Diego, Certified Financial Consultant and CFO of EON Group, mastering the numbers is just one part of what makes a modern finance leader effective. To truly create value, he believes a CFO must understand how the entire organization works—well beyond the confines of a balance sheet.
“My approach has always been understanding the business value chain… from end to end, from A to Z,” San Diego told Financial Adviser PH. “That way, you can create your vantage position to add value.”
In a communication consultancy firm like EON, where clients span diverse industries, this mindset is essential. For San Diego, being effective as a CFO isn’t just about managing finances—it’s about understanding the bigger picture, including the operations, the clients, and the industries they serve.
“You need to understand not just your company’s business model and internal operations,” he says, “but also the external environment—what’s happening in the economy and how your industry is evolving.”
That depth of understanding gives CFOs the edge to move from being financial gatekeepers to strategic enablers. San Diego describes his role through three core focus areas: growth, profitability, and liquidity. “Creating the drivers for each and identifying strategies on how to achieve them—that’s where a CFO can really make a difference.”
But his approach doesn’t stop at strategy. He also emphasizes the importance of transformation, particularly with the rapid rise of AI and digital innovation. “It is very important to look at how businesses and functions are innovating and transforming,” he says. “The challenge is how you can participate and benefit while you embrace the inevitable AI.”
His advice to young professionals aspiring to grow in finance? Don’t stay in your silo. Walk the floor. Ask how things work. Understand how departments interact—and where you, as a finance leader, can plug in to make smarter, faster, and more strategic decisions.
“Finance today is no longer about just keeping score,” San Diego says. “It’s about enabling business decisions, driving change, and understanding where value truly comes from.”
