Nordea’s CFO Ian Smith named Chief Financial Officer of the year

Ian Smith, CFO of Nordea since 2020, has today been named the 2024 Chief Financial Officer of the Year in Finland in the annual awards event organised by Finnish Talouselämä and Accenture Finland. The award is a clear recognition of what Nordea and its finance team have accomplished under his leadership. Throughout a period of considerable societal and macroeconomic change the team has made an important contribution to Nordea’s strong financial performance and the delivery of Nordea’s strategic objectives.

In its statement the selection committee highlighted Ian’s central role in leading and driving the transformation of Nordea’s finance function towards stronger proactivity and forward focus. The committee described Ian as a role model for delivering 360 degree value to Nordea’s shareholders, customers, management and employees - earning trust and establishing rapport on different levels across the Nordea organisation. 

“I am delighted and humbled by the conclusion of the selection committee and sincerely grateful to receive this award. This recognition is an honor for me, but most of all for the Nordea finance team and the whole of Nordea. I am pleased to see that the persistent work behind our strong financial performance is being noticed. I would like to thank not only the selection committee and all stakeholders who have contributed to this award, but especially Nordea’s finance team – without their commitment, dedication and hard work receiving this award would not have been possible,” said Ian Smith.

The annual CFO of the year award aims to give recognition to a top performer in financial management and leadership in Finland. The award also wants to encourage Finnish finance management into even better performance and raise the recognition of finance management and leadership. It wants to showcase annually finance management’s main focus areas and themes. The CFO of the year award has been organised by Talouselämä and Accenture Finland since 2006. Finalists invited to the awards are selected based on key criteria such as company financial performance, 360 interviews and other expert analysis. The selection committee is made up of senior Finnish business executives. 

Read more about Ian Smith and the award in Talouselämä’s article (in Finnish, for subscribers).