What is the main difference between accounting and finance professional?

Accounting is merely recording past or current transactions.  Historically, we used to call this bookkeeping (when Luco Paciolo invented accounting in the year based on the mathematical concept of LHS=RHS), then came the time of the development and wide use of accrual concept when this began to be known as accounting which still is to some extent.  However, the term finance is more of an overall concept of which accounting is a reasonable portion.  So, Finance professional includes someone who not only looks at the past or current transactions but also contributes in the future needs of the organisation.  This includes (but not limited to) for eg,valuation based on industry or/and macro assumptions, cash flow requirements of the organisation for the next5 years, forecasts of sales, costs for the future period.  Therefore, finance includes a bit of accounting, management accounting, strategic management accounting, valuations, financial planning and analysis, audit, wider GAAP that is being practised in a particular jurisdiction etc. I hope this helps with your understanding.

Regards

Mohammed.