CFO in focus - Location, location, location...

A look at recent articles from CFO, an Economist Group series of magazines for senior finance executives

“A Tale of Six Cities”

By Alix Stuart

December's cover story for CFO magazine is a thorough study of six cities across America at a time when companies are taking real-estate issues increasingly into account when making expansion or operational decisions. The perks and incentives offered to corporate tenants in three established financial centres—New York, Chicago and San Francisco—and three up-and-coming cities—Charlotte, Austin and Las Vegas—are explored.

A host of executives go on record to advise on the benefits and drawbacks of the cities they’ve chosen. As such, this is a useful primer for executives considering a move, especially as “the advantage is likely to swing back to the tenant side, if only slightly, as new construction reaches the final stages in many big cities and private-equity owners face the prospect of leasing (or selling) at a discount if they can't refinance short-term loans.” A useful checklist for dealing with landlords is included. More...

Computer knowledge is 'undervalued'

Computer skills need to be a priority when hiring staff, Microsoft says

Computer skills are still undervalued in the UK board room, according to software giant Microsoft. Read original article.

It surveyed 500 UK business leaders and found that a knowledge of information technology (IT) was seen as the seventh most important workplace skill.

Instead, team working and interpersonal skills were seen as the core factors, followed by initiative.

Microsoft chairman Bill Gates said IT skills were needed from the shop floor to the chief executive.

'Share ideas'

"One of the most important changes of the last 30 years is that digital technology has transformed almost everyone into an information worker," said Mr Gates.

TOP BUSINESS SKILLS 1. Team working and interpersonal skills 2. Initiative 3. Analysing and problem solving 4. Verbal communication 5. Personal planning and organising 6. Flexibility 7. IT skills Source: Microsoft

"In almost every job now, people use software and work with information to enable their organisation to operate more effectively."

Yet in an article written for the BBC News website, he added that team work was also a core requisite for success in the software industry.

"Software innovation, like almost every other kind of innovation, requires the ability to collaborate and share ideas with other people, and to sit down and talk with customers and get their feedback and understand their needs," he said.

A solid working knowledge of productivity software has become a basic foundation for success in virtually any career Bill Gates Read Bill Gates' article

In third place in the survey behind team working and interpersonal skills, and initiative, was analysing and problem solving.

This was followed by verbal communication, personal planning and organising, flexibility, and IT skills in seventh place.

Microsoft's survey was conducted to mark the first anniversary of the Leitch report into overcoming the skills gap in the UK economy.