Do I have to be a certified public accountant to become a chief financial officer or a manager of the finance department?

Must the chief financial officer or the manager of the finance department be a certified public accountant of the unit?

No need. The Accounting Law stipulates the qualifications of the chief financial officer or the manager of the finance department.

Article 38 of the Accounting Law

As the person in charge of the accounting institution (accounting supervisor) of the unit, in addition to obtaining the qualification certificate of accounting practice, he should also have the qualification of professional and technical positions above accountant or have been engaged in accounting work for more than three years.

The accounting law stipulates two sets of conditions: 1) qualification certificate and accounting certificate (intermediate title); 2) Qualification certificate and more than three years accounting experience. One of the two conditions can be met, and you don't have to be a certified public accountant.

Bill meeting belongs to forensic accounting, and accounting belongs to bookkeeping accounting, which are two parallel lines, not progressive.