>the accountant is most likely to actually understand the business
This is where conflicts arise... the accountant is most likely to know which parts of the business are currently generating profit but, depending on the business, may not be very adept at understanding why certain parts are more profitable or the longer-term position of the company within its markets.
You wouldn't want an accountant to be CEO of the typical software start-up, for example.
(I actually partly qualified as an ACA many moons ago before abandoning it...)
This is where conflicts arise... the accountant is most likely to know which parts of the business are currently generating profit but, depending on the business, may not be very adept at understanding why certain parts are more profitable or the longer-term position of the company within its markets.
You wouldn't want an accountant to be CEO of the typical software start-up, for example.
(I actually partly qualified as an ACA many moons ago before abandoning it...)