CFO
In all cases of acquisitions, partnering with accounting during diligence (prior to engaging in a transaction) will not only better educate stakeholders on the financial implications of an acquisition but can actually inform how to structure the transaction to meet the desired financial goals and key metrics. Next, where top-line revenue is a key metric and timing is important, the accounting team’s early involvement will be critical to ensure payment plans, incentives, and vendor agreements are structured accordingly. Finally, smart companies (and CFOs) use accounting to advise on lease options (prior to signing) to ensure that leases are structured in a manner that will benefit the company’s critical metrics (or will, minimally, not damage them).