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At the very top of the Chartered path, the CCFO designation proves you are more than a finance executive — you are a strategic leader who guides organisations, shapes industries, and keeps the economy moving forward.

Chartered Chief Financial Officer 

As a CCFO, you’re not just managing the finance function. You’re steering long-term strategy, governance, and risk at board level.

Here’s what makes our Chartered CFOs different:

  • Other qualifications produce box-tickers and rule-enforcers.

  • CCFOs are trained to see how millions of transactions flow into GDP, and how decisions made in boardrooms ripple out into farms, factories, hospitals, and schools.

  • You adapt accounting and tax to real-world contexts — ensuring businesses not only comply, but grow, create jobs, and fuel progress.

The result? You’re not a generic auditor or number-cruncher. You’re a context-relevant leader,  a CFO who reduces risk, drives growth, and keeps the economy moving forward.

1. What It Is

  • The Chartered Chief Financial Officer (CCFO) designation is the highest recognition awarded by CIBA. It confirms that you have mastered financial leadership at an executive and strategic level.

  • As a CCFO, you:

  • Influence decisions at board and investor level

  • Lead governance, compliance, and risk management

  • Drive long-term business and economic growth

  • Act as a trusted voice for stakeholders, employees, and society

2. Requirements

To qualify for the Chartered Chief Financial Officer designation, you need:

  • NQF Level 9 qualification (or equivalent)

  • 10 years relevant management/executive experience

  • Successful completion of an interview assessment with CIBA

3. Why It Matters to You

  • Executive authority: Recognised as a finance leader who can guide strategy at the highest level.

  • Top-tier credibility: Boards, CEOs, and investors trust you with long-term financial decisions.

  • Economic impact: Your leadership shapes industries, creates stability, and drives GDP growth.

  • Career peak: Positions you for the most senior, best-paying roles in finance and governance.

4. Key Rules, Standards, or Requirements

  • Registered on the SAQA database.

  • Aligned with CIBA standards on leadership, ethics, and governance.

  • Requires annual CPD and executive-level declarations to remain active.

5. How to Apply

  • Check eligibility — NQF 9 qualification + 10 years’ executive-level finance experience.

  • Apply — submit your application through CIBA’s membership system.

  • Interview — attend an executive readiness interview with CIBA.

  • Awarded — once approved, you can use the CCFO title.

6. Maintaining Your Designation

To keep your Chartered Chief Financial Officer status active, you must:

  • Complete annual CPD in line with CIBA’s CPD policy.

  • Submit your annual compliance and ethics declaration.

This ensures you remain a trusted, credible leader at the highest level.