The CFO Strategy Brief - CSOsandbox

Making the role of Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) your own

Paul Hunter and Stuart Orr Season 1 Episode 3

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0:00 | 21:02

Scant research has been undertaken into the role of the Chief Strategy Officer (CSO), that is, the determination of what a CSO does. As specialists in strategy practice, the Strategic Management Institute (SMI), the research arm of Paul Hunter Strategy and Leadership has evolved a representation of the role. It is based on raw experience in the field, empirical research, and conclusions drawn from corporate strategy specific publications. Our derived description of the role is presented in this video, as is a response to the question: “How does the SMI’s definition of the role of the CSO compare with actual demand? To draw a comparison an analysis of CSO position descriptions drawn from LinkedIn advertisements in Australia, London, New York and San Francisco were reviewed and conclusions drawn. It will be a surprise for many to learn that one critical component of the CSO’s role is missing from formal job descriptions, even though its existence is vital to the long-term survival of many corporations.

A written version of this podcast is available to CSOsanbox subscribers. Submissions can be made at our web site website: www.CSOsandbox.com. References applicable to parts of this video are as follows:

References

1. Hunter, P., Corporate Strategy (Remastered) II: A Fieldbook, Implementing High Performance Strategy and Leadership, Routledge, Oxford, UK, 2020

2. Hunter, P., Corporate Strategy (Remastered) I: High Performance Strategy and Leadership in a Volatile, Disrupted World, Routledge, Oxford, UK, 2020

3. Ansoff, H.I. (1965), Corporate Strategy, New York: McGraw-Hill 

4. Pfeifer, S., The Financial Times, London, UK 21 May 2023. Accessed 25 may, 2023 https://www.ft.com/content/3436ab7e-728f-4ca0-9cde-d51ab2c4b90e 

5. BHP, Our Strategy https://www.bhp.com/about/strategy, Accessed 15 May 2023

6. Rademakers, M., Corporate Universities as Drivers of Organizational Learning, Routledge, Oxford, UK, 2014.

7. Allen, L., “Chocolate Fortunes; the Battle for the Hearts and Minds, and Wallets of China’s Consumers”, AMACOM, 2010

8. Mars Edge, https://www.mars.com/our-brands/edge, Accessed 25 May 2023

The CSOsandbox Podcast Channel presents The CFO Strategy Brief, giving CFOs, CEOs, and senior executives clear, actionable perspectives at the intersection of finance, strategy, and leadership. Each episode explores how modern CFOs drive transformation, connect financial discipline with long‑term purpose, and lead enterprise‑wide change.

We focus on themes such as capital allocation, digital transformation, risk intelligence, and governance—always with a lens on turning insight into action.

The show is part of a broader strategic intelligence ecosystem powered by the Stratāgaia Power BI app and informed by the books Corporate Strategy (Remastered) I & II and Corporation of the Future (Routledge). Learn more at www.smiknowledge.com, connect via www.phsandl.com, or explore episodes at https://csosandbox.buzzsprout.com.