Chief financial officers (CFOs) with overseas experience are more likely to be more in demand and better paid, finds recruiter Michael Page in its 2012 CFO Barometer.

The company’s survey of 4,388 CFOs globally found that the bracket of the lowest-earning CFOs had the highest proportion of individuals without international experience. Meanwhile, 74% of CFOs in the highest pay bracket had some level of working overseas, and of the CFOs at companies with over 5,000 employees, only 30% were without international experience.

Michael Page Executive Search managing director Simon Bell says: “For our clients, international experience means more than spending some time just working aboard. For instance, in a company with an aggressive growth strategy, a CFO must have proven successes to illustrate that they fully understand the costs associated with entering an emerging economy.”

The survey also finds that a total of 60% of CFOs have spent time working abroad and that 20% expected to become a chief executive by 2014.