Neil Batenburg

Full Name: Neil Batenburg Occupation: Chief Financial Officer Organisation: American Express Australia & New Zealand CIMA Entry Route:  CIMA Level/Award achieved so far: FCMA, CGMA

Tell us about your current role at American Express and what’s the most interesting aspect of your job?

My role is Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for American Express Australia and New Zealand. Financial Services is a very dynamic industry that is going through a huge amount of disruption and change. The most interesting aspect of my role is to help drive decisions that enable the company to react quickly and efficiently to challenges and opportunities.

How does the CIMA qualification benefit the CFO?

In today’s world, the CFO is playing a prominent role in driving the commercial and strategic decisions within the company and a strong background in Management Accounting is a key asset to facilitate this.

What sets CIMA apart from other professional accounting qualifications?

What sets CIMA apart is the emphasis on management accounts and the linkage to dealing with commercial decisions and influencing business partners through analysis and financial modelling.

What advice would you give to anyone thinking of studying towards the CIMA qualification?

Having a professional qualification carries a lot of weight in the financial community, and one that is linked to supporting the management of the company aligns well with business partner expectations that the finance function is there to support growth.