In this time of financial turmoil, life and economy keep rolling along.

• Author: Heffes, Ellen M.
• Position: Editor's page - Editorial

As we put this issue together, the United States financial markets remain in disarray, as we experience the worst financial turmoil in a century. On the same news day recently when Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernake tried to sell Congress on their $700 billion-plus credit and banking-system bailout, er, rescue plan, Warren Buffett got a sweetheart deal to invest $5 billion in Goldman Sachs Group Inc.--and later, another such deal to infuse $3 billion in General Electric Co.--and CNBC Mad Money's James Cramer touted McCormick & Co. Inc. as a stock to own, since it should do well as people will want to spice up the food they'll be cooking at home in lieu of eating out!

Yet, for many of us, we still get up in the morning, work at our jobs--those fortunate to have jobs--engage in some leisure activities and, in essence, live our lives. The U.S. economy continues rolling along. With the current situation much more challenging than in recent memory, CFOs and other senior finance executives will be called upon to help navigate and explain to their managements and boards of directors what is happening in the external environment, how it will impact their company and how the company should proceed.

With Financial Executive a 10-time-a-year publication, we don't aim to keep up with the daily news--things we report would be old before the in dries--and we can't solve the credit crisis. What we can to, however, is provide content that will help our readers focus on their roles at their firms and help them to get through these troubled times.

In that regard, the global nature of business in undeniable, so our cover story focuses on the CFO as global strategist. Gregory Millman, a frequent writer for FE, interviewed two CFOs, and interviewed one--all from global, brand-name companies--to learn how they are adapting to the new world order. One commonality--for these CFOs from India, Hong Kong...