Strategic Finance Insights from a Seasoned CFO

Q1. Could you start by giving us a brief overview of your professional background, particularly focusing on your expertise in the industry?

My career path is quite typical for a CFO. Starting from controlling, I gained exposure to all related finance and business functions — accounting, tax, treasury, sales, production, procurement, and IT.

I have professional experience in across large international and local companies, working in diverse industries such as pharmaceuticals, FMCG, home appliances and the chemical sector. Moreover, working in businesses with different cultures (Western and Asian) has allowed me to develop various approaches to business decision-making.

Q2. What frameworks can be used to prioritize CAPEX between 'Maintenance' and 'Growth' projects, and how can the hurdle rates for inflation or geopolitical risk be adjusted?

I use the following criteria in descending order of importance.

Main criteria:

1. Critical equipment, production stoppage. CAPEX related to business continuity. Failure of this type of equipment can lead to a production halt, which means a cessation of cash flow generation at a rate equal to the company's operating cycle. Therefore, projects in this category have the highest priority.
2. Macroeconomics (ability to fund long-term projects).Worsening macroeconomic policy negatively affects both the cost of…