EMEA Recruitment Podcast #172 - Finance Leadership and the Human Element – Jakub Bejnarowicz

We were pleased to welcome Jakub Bejnarowicz, Regional Director, Europe at AICPA & CIMA, onto the EMEA Recruitment podcast. 

The conversation opens light-heartedly, with Jakub sharing a recent moment when his three-year-old son imitated him by putting papers into a folder and saying, “I am going to work,” which made him smile. He reflects on how children observe and mimic behaviors, wondering if his son might one day follow in his professional footsteps.

The discussion then turns to our upcoming event, How to Manage with Impact: The Human Side of Leadership, taking place on Thursday 23rd October in Zurich, in partnership with the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA). Jakub will be one of four senior panelists sharing their insights and experiences. He encourages Finance and business leaders, as well as CIMA members, to attend – register now.

When asked about his career journey, Jakub explains that he began by promoting higher education internationally, recruiting students and faculty, and fostering cross-border academic partnerships. A turning point came when a recruiter approached him to establish CIMA’s operations in Central and Eastern Europe, starting in Poland. 

Jakub has now worked with the organization for almost 15 years. He finds it inspiring to collaborate with highly skilled Finance professionals and leaders to help them upskill. What excites him most is connecting people, building teams, and forming partnerships across Europe, including with local recruiters and educational institutions, to help individuals succeed in the profession. For Jakub, this work connects deeply with his heart, making his role especially meaningful.

Over time, he’s learned that while Europe’s diversity is its strength, it also requires understanding of each country’s unique education systems and professional traditions. For CIMA, that means building bridges, creating partnerships with local institutions, and finding shared purpose.

He’s particularly proud of initiatives like the recently launched CFO Program in Geneva. Above all, Jakub says that success always comes down to people: investing time to build genuine relationships, earning trust, and finding common goals. Relationships, he notes, take time to cultivate, especially in Finance, where credibility and trust develop gradually.

Asked about his passion for helping people, Jakub shares that he developed people skills over time. Attending boarding school helped him gain independence and confidence. He also credits his upbringing - his father was a mayor and his mother a general manager of a production facility - for exposing him to leadership and relationship-building from an early age.

Paul and Jakub discuss how Finance roles have evolved. CFO and Finance Director positions were once perceived as back-office and technical, but they have become much more about business partnering, influencing, and driving impact.

Touching on the future of Finance, Jakub explains that AICPA & CIMA provide valuable insights to its nearly 600,000 members, candidates, and registrants, as well as the wider Finance and business community, through surveys, research, and reports - such as Re-defining Finance for a Sustainable World. Finance, he says, is all about acquiring financial and relevant information, processing it, and turning it into actionable insights. While many Accounting operations are increasingly automated, accuracy and integration remain crucial.

Those entering or developing in the Finance profession now need a different skillset: the ability to embrace technology, communicate strategically, and tell a clear story through numbers. Jakub notes that the Finance structure has evolved from a triangle to a diamond shape, with fewer people at entry levels and greater emphasis on advanced skills and leadership potential.

He stresses the growing focus on stakeholders and long-term value creation, integrating financial, social, and natural capital, while understanding business models and co-creating value.

Jakub explains that today’s Finance professionals must blend deep technical expertise with strong communication and people skills, becoming what he calls “T-shaped professionals.” While technology and automation manage more routine work, the human side of Finance - storytelling, empathy, and authentic leadership - is what truly drives success. These qualities, he adds, develop through experience and a genuine desire to make an impact, helping professionals grow into trusted business partners and even future CEOs.

He also highlights the importance of inspiring the next generation, showing that Finance is no longer rigid or traditional, but a dynamic, tech-driven, and people-focused career path.

 

Use the timestamps below to find the part of the episode that interests you most: 

Timestamps

01:15: The last thing that made Jakub smile

02:55: What to expect at our upcoming event 

06:15: How Jakub joined CIMA and what keeps him inspired

11:15: Key lessons learned during Jakub’s career 

14:15: Jakub’s passion for helping people

18:55: How senior Finance roles have changed

20:45: Trends shaping the Finance function 

25:25: The importance of stakeholder relationships

30:17: How to manage impact and show empathy

37:00: Inspiring the next generation 

To connect with Jakub, you can find him on LinkedIn.

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The podcast is brought to you in partnership with Operation Smile, an international medical charity that provides life-changing surgery to children and adults with cleft lip and palate. Find out more about Operation Smile’s work around the world: https://www.operationsmile.org.uk/partners/emea-recruitment/

 

If there are any topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes, please get in touch with [e-mail] 

 

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