Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Program
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Overview of the Chief Financial Officer Program
The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Program from UC Berkeley Executive Education is a transformative seven-month journey designed to prepare financial leaders for the age of disruption and reinvention. As uncertainty from geopolitical shifts and the rise of AI shapes global capital dynamics, this program empowers modern CFOs like you to evolve from a financial steward to a growth architect. The program positions you as a trusted advisor to the CEO by equipping you with practical, immediately applicable frameworks. You'll strengthen critical leadership capabilities — communication, influence, and effective CEO partnership — so that finance is seen not as the “CF-No,” but rather a confident copilot in driving business growth.
Through live online sessions, discussions with UC Berkeley Haas faculty and peer circles, applied learning experiences, and networking opportunities, you will deep dive into financial strategy, cutting-edge growth strategies, AI use cases, and leadership development.
What You Will Learn in the Chief Financial Officer Program
Built with and for experienced leaders, this program delivers CFO-tested tools, real-world cases, and practical frameworks you can apply immediately. Learn directly from seasoned industry leaders and faculty, engage in a cohort designed for meaningful peer learning and long-term relationships, and benefit from career connections that support your continued growth at the top. This seven-month immersive learning journey will enable you to:
Develop and execute corporate financial strategies that drive competitive advantage and long-term value creation
Strengthen risk management capabilities to enhance business resilience and navigate global financial uncertainties
Leverage AI, data science, and emerging technologies to inform financial and strategic decision making and drive innovation
Lead capital allocation, investment decisions, and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) strategies to maximize growth opportunities
Build executive presence and leadership skills to effectively collaborate across functions and influence internal and external stakeholders
Foster a culture of agility, inclusion, and strategic change to position the organization for sustainable success
AI Strategy for CFOs
AI is transforming how CFOs lead, analyze, and shape enterprise value. Integrated across the Berkeley Chief Financial Officer Program, AI is explored not as a future concept but as a present-day strategic advantage — empowering financial leaders to harness data, automate intelligence, and drive ethical innovation. Through interactive sessions, case studies, and applied projects, you will learn to embed AI into decision making, financial planning, and business transformation. You will explore:
AI in Financial Decision Making
AI and machine learning to improve forecasting accuracy, optimize risk management, and enhance capital allocation through data-driven insights
Data-Driven Leadership
Analytics and visualization tools to identify patterns, uncover opportunities, and improve business performance
AI Strategy in Practice
Frameworks for adopting and scaling AI initiatives across financial, operational, and customer-facing functions to generate sustainable enterprise value
Human–AI Collaboration
Ethical transformation by aligning people, technology, and purpose — maintaining trust and balance between human intuition and algorithmic intelligence
Curriculum
The Berkeley CFO Program offers you a transformative learning journey by integrating real-world examples, peer collaboration, and practical assignments to bridge theory with impact. You will engage in live faculty-led sessions and discussions with industry leaders, exploring the evolving role of the CFO in driving organizational growth, long-term vision, resilience, and AI integration. The journey culminates in a two-day in-person immersion at the UC Berkeley campus, offering rich networking and experiential learning opportunities.
Develop your leadership agility to thrive in the C-suite. Assess your leadership style, influence stakeholders across functions, and build high-performing, inclusive teams. Strengthen your decision making through sound governance and financial accountability while balancing innovation and risk.
Module 1: Your Leadership Style
Module 2: Cross-Function Collaboration and Influence
Module 3: Stakeholder Management and Influence
Module 4: Negotiation Skills
Module 5: Effective Decision Making
Module 6: Executive Presence
Module 7: Fostering a Culture of Innovation and Inclusive Impact
Learn to interpret complex financial statements, uncover insights into performance, and manage risk in volatile markets. Lead capital budgeting and valuation, aligning investments with corporate goals and ESG priorities. Build governance frameworks that ensure transparency, oversee liquidity and solvency, and deepen your expertise across treasury, investor relations, tax, and procurement to enhance enterprise-wide financial resilience.
Module 8: KPI Development and Data-Driven Decision Making
Module 9: Advanced Financial Statement Analysis and Value Creation
Module 10: Strategic Risk Management for CFOs
Module 11: Company Valuation
Module 12: Capital Budgeting and Project Appraisal
Module 13: Corporate Finance and Strategy
Module 14: Long-term Financial Planning
Module 15: Building and Scaling a Finance Organization
Expand your strategic influence as a CFO by aligning financial decisions with enterprise growth. Assess capital structure trade-offs, lead M&A and IPO strategies, and design agile organizations that foster innovation and customer centricity. Use scenario planning to navigate uncertainty, anticipate macroeconomic shifts, and integrate market insights into decision making.
Module 16: Key Capital Structure and Trade-Offs
Module 17: Leading Growth Strategies
Module 18: Competitive Strategy: Creating a Customer-Centric Organization
Module 19: Mergers and Acquisitions
Module 20: Scenario Planning for Growth and Financial Markets, Currency Fluctuations, and Inflation
Module 21: Mastering the Stages of Global Growth
Module 22: Strategy in Global Political Economy
Harness technology to drive innovation and transformation across your organization. Evaluate how emerging technologies and AI create strategic value and enhance decision making. Additionally, build a roadmap for integrating AI into finance and operations while balancing automation with human judgment to lead ethical, future-ready transformation.
Module 23: Leveraging Emerging Technology for Business Transformation
Module 24: Leading Innovation
Module 25: Storytelling and Data Visualization
Module 26: Experimentation for Business
Module 27: Introduction: AI and Business
Module 28: Machine Learning Basics
The Global Leadership Campus Immersion, held in the summer/fall at the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley campus, brings together participants from multiple cohorts of the program for a two-day in-person networking event, live faculty-led sessions, keynote by guest speakers, and more. This event presents a significant opportunity for you to engage with peers, acquire knowledge, and conclude your program journey.
Program Highlights
AI for Finance
Leverage from the content that is designed with a focus on how AI impacts finance leaders and prepares them to match the momentum of AI.
Interactive Live Sessions
Participate in live online sessions with faculty, the success coach, and industry leaders for insights on the latest AI trends and innovation opportunities.
World-Renowned Faculty
Gain future-focused knowledge from Berkeley Haas faculty and experts from leading financial institutions, combining research and real-world insight to drive enterprise value.
Comprehensive Curriculum
Engage in sessions on financial leadership, including growth strategies, M&As, IPOs, and financial strategy in the global political economy.
Real-World Application
Acquire real-world practical knowledge and skills, and apply them to enhance your role as a CFO and drive your organization's success.
Peer Circles
Engage in substantive discussions on important business and financial decision making and career challenges with your global peer group.
Success Coach
Interact with the success coach assigned to your cohort to align your learning journey with your career goals.
Path to Alumni Benefits
Completion of this program fulfills 12 curriculum days toward the Berkeley Certificate of Business Excellence (COBE).
Live Online Sessions on AI in Finance
Understand the core applications of AI and machine learning in financial planning, forecasting, and risk management
Evaluate how AI-driven analytics enhance decision making in capital allocation, fraud detection, and working capital optimization
Identify the ethical, regulatory, and governance issues that arise when implementing AI in financial operations
Develop a practical roadmap for integrating AI into finance functions while balancing automation with human expertise
Assess the effects of AI adoption on talent, key processes, and the evolving responsibilities of a Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Examine how AI is reshaping the accounting function, including AP/AR workflows, internal and financial audits, compliance, and contract management
Global Leadership Campus Immersion
The program concludes with a two-day in-person event that is held on the UC Berkeley campus in California. The Global Leadership Campus Immersion will be an action-packed networking opportunity featuring in-person faculty-led sessions, guest speakers, and peer discussions.
You will attend live sessions with cutting-edge disruptors, industry guest speakers, and thought leaders at the forefront of strategy, AI, and financial leadership. You will interact with professionals at some of the world's most prominent organizations. Scheduled networking breaks will allow you to interact with a global network of peers and grow your professional community. This immersion session will also prepare you for enriching encounters along the way.
Meet The Faculty
At UC Berkeley Executive Education, world-renowned faculty bring deep expertise in business administration, entrepreneurship, innovation, and business and public policy. Their pioneering research and real-world insights shape the program curriculum and ground every concept in evidence and application.
Associate Professor of Accounting & Distinguished Teaching Fellow; Faculty Director, Center for Social Sector Leadership, Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley
Contributing Faculty
Professor, UC Berkeley Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences (EECS)
Teaching Professor | Earl F. Cheit Faculty Fellow | Entrepreneurship & Innovation | Innovation & Design | Operations & IT Management | Sustainability
Bank of America Dean | Co-Director, Berkeley Center for Workplace Culture and Innovation | Management of Organizations
Lecturer in Entrepreneurship | Senior Fellow
Lecturer, Finance
George Break and Helen Schnacke Break Distinguished Professor of Economics and Business Administration
Continuing Professional Faculty | Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Managing Director, Advisory Services, Iron Butterfly Consulting
Professor of Marketing
Associate Adjunct Professor, Research Scientist
Associate Adjunct Professor, Research Scientist
Professional Faculty | Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Lecturer | Founding Director, Center for Equity, Gender, and Leadership
Professor | Lorraine Tyson Mitchell Chair in Leadership and Communication
Managing Director & Senior Partner, Chairman of the BCG Henderson Institute
Former Head of Corporate Finance & Strategy, Anthropic
Associate Professor | Harold Furst Chair in Management Philosophy and Values
Professor | Ewald T. Grether Professor of Business Administration and Public Policy | Chair, Management of Organizations
Professional Faculty | Marketing, Haas School of Business
CFO, Haas School of Business
Who Is the CFO Program For?
The Chief Financial Officer Program helps current CFOs and senior finance leaders who are aspiring CFOs to lead innovation while staying ahead of financial disruption.
This program is particularly beneficial for:
Current CFOs looking to adapt to the modern role of the CFO and gain advanced knowledge to identify growth opportunities and create value for their organizations
Aspiring CFOs, including C-suite professionals in finance/corporate finance and accounting, who are looking to expand beyond their domain expertise and step into an enterprise-wide role
Why the CFO Program with Berkeley Executive Education?
As the CFO’s responsibilities continue to evolve, key trends like strategy and growth, transformation, sustainability, technology, and resilience are redefining the future of financial leadership. The Chief Financial Officer Program from Berkeley Executive Education is designed around these very trends, helping finance leaders like you navigate disruption and lead with purpose.
Rooted in UC Berkeley’s academic rigor and real-world insight, the program equips you with:
Comprehensive understanding of business, growth strategies, and emerging technologies
Leadership capabilities to build resilient, forward-looking organizations
Skills to harness technology, including AI and machine learning, to lead confidently and drive transformation
Strategies to embed sustainability and innovation into financial decision making
A networking of global peers and industry experts to draw inspiration and real-world context
A Top-Ranked Business School Advantage
Consistently ranked among the world’s leading institutions for business education, UC Berkeley has a legacy of shaping visionary leaders who redefine industries.
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Certificate
Upon completion of this program, Berkeley Executive Education grants a verified digital certificate of completion. Participants must complete 80 percent of the required activities, including a capstone project (if any), to obtain the certificate of completion.
Successful completion of this program fulfills 12 curriculum days (minimum requirement of 17 curriculum days) toward the Berkeley Certificate of Business Excellence (COBE) under Leadership & Communication and Finance & Business Acumen pillars.
Learn more about how it works.
Note: This program results in a digital certificate of completion and is not eligible for degree credit/CEUs. After successful completion of the program, your verified digital certificate will be emailed to you in the name you used when registering for the program. All certificate images are for illustrative purposes only and may be subject to change at the discretion of Berkeley Executive Education.
This program counts toward the Berkeley Certificate of Business Excellence
Curriculum days: 12 days
Pillars: Leadership & Communication and Finance & Business Acumen
A Berkeley Certificate of Business Excellence gives individuals the opportunity to create a personal plan of study structured by our four academic pillars. Participants will earn a mark of distinction with certification from a world-class university and enjoy the flexibility of completing the program in up to three years.
FAQs
The Berkeley CFO Program is a seven-month transformative learning journey that equips financial leaders to navigate complex challenges and drive enterprise impact. Combining world-class research with real-world application, it builds the strategic, innovation, and financial leadership skills essential for succeeding as a strategic CFO. Participants will build strategic thinking and financial management capabilities, explore emerging trends and technologies, and leverage AI applications to become trusted advisors, build resilient organizations, and lead as modern CFOs.
The CFO Program is designed for current and aspiring CFOs, along with senior finance executives preparing to become strategic leaders and take on enterprise-wide leadership roles in the next stage of their careers.
The Berkeley CFO Program consists of four core modules delivered through online and live online sessions with faculty. It concludes with a two-day networking event at the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley campus, where you will meet peers from multiple cohorts, faculty, and industry leaders.
Program fees for the Berkeley Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Program are listed on the official program page. The fee includes access to all core modules, live online sessions with Berkeley Haas faculty, peer learning circles, and success coach support. Elements not specifically mentioned in the program fee, including travel, visa, and accommodation expenses for the campus immersion, are not included in the program fee. Flexible payment options are available, making it easier for finance leaders to invest in a world-class learning experience that builds the strategic, financial, and leadership skills needed to succeed in the evolving CFO role.
The best course for a CFO depends on their professional goals and the evolving demands of the role. Today’s CFOs need more than financial expertise — they must master strategy, technology, and leadership to drive enterprise transformation. The Berkeley CFO Program is designed to meet these needs, combining world-class research, practical frameworks, and real-world application. Over seven months, it equips finance leaders with the strategic, analytical, and innovation skills needed to navigate disruption, harness AI, and create sustainable business value.
Absolutely. The Berkeley Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Program delivers measurable value by equipping finance leaders to navigate disruption and lead enterprise transformation. Participants gain practical tools, strategic frameworks, and hands-on experience to make data-driven decisions, manage risk, and drive sustainable growth. With its integration of AI, emerging technologies, and leadership development, the program bridges the gap between financial stewardship and strategic innovation. Backed by world-renowned Berkeley Haas faculty and a global peer network, it’s a transformative experience that prepares you to lead with confidence and shape the future of financial leadership.
Training to become a CFO requires more than mastering finance — it demands developing strategic, technological, and leadership expertise. The Berkeley Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Program offers a comprehensive path to build these capabilities through an immersive seven-month journey. You’ll learn to interpret complex financial data, lead enterprise transformation, harness AI and emerging technologies, and strengthen executive presence. This blend of academic rigor, real-world application, and global networking prepares you to step confidently into the diverse, future-ready role of a modern CFO.
No. While both focus on leadership and business acumen, executive education programs like the Berkeley Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Program are designed for experienced professionals seeking targeted, practical learning without the time commitment of a full MBA. Executive education emphasizes applied learning, real-world insights, and immediate impact — helping leaders strengthen strategic, financial, and leadership capabilities relevant to their current roles. An MBA, on the other hand, provides a broader academic foundation for early- to mid-career professionals.
UC Berkeley Center for Executive Education, dba Berkeley Executive Education, is a California nonprofit organization formed for the purpose of operating executive education programs in support of UC Berkeley and the Haas School of Business.
Upon completion of the CFO Program, you will receive a verified digital certificate and earn a path to select Berkeley Haas alumni benefits.
You must submit your application to the Berkeley Chief Financial Officer Program online. Application fees vary by rounds. Applying earlier increases your chance of being accepted into the program.
Emeritus collects all program payments, provides learner enrollment and program support, and manages learning platform services.
The program fee includes all the program materials and online coursework. It does not include travel costs, including visa fee, meals, accommodation at UC Berkeley during the Global Leadership Campus Immersion, and any other expenses not specifically mentioned in the program fee details.
For the program refund and deferral policy, please click the link here.
Fees for Emeritus programs with Berkeley Executive Education may not be paid for with (a) funds from the GI Bill, the Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Act of 2008, or similar types of military education funding benefits or (b) Title IV financial aid funds.
Connect with a Program Advisor for a 1:1 Session
Our program advisors have helped senior executives across the world choose the right program for their career goals. Schedule a 1:1 to gain a deeper understanding of why the Berkeley Chief Financial Officer Program is the right fit for you. Email: berkeley_cfo@emeritus.org
Phone: +1 567 485 3613 (U.S.) / +44 1313 812082 (U.K.) / +971 80 0035703815 (U.A.E.) / +52 55682 69035 (LATAM)
Early applications are encouraged. Admissions are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis.
Flexible payment options are available.
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