How CFOs are evolving beyond numbers, according to EY

🚨 Warning Sign for Boardrooms “Tech and finance leaders need to guard against each other’s blind spots to successfully implement AI.” — CFO Dive, Nov 2025 Full article 👉 Cracking AI value requires CFO–CIO middle ground — Bloomfire, CFO Dive (in the comments) Every CFO and CIO should pause right here. Because this sentence exposes the single biggest reason why 70% of AI and digital finance projects fail: Finance speaks ROI. Tech speaks readiness. And the two rarely meet on common ground. That’s exactly the fault line my book “Present and Future Technologies in Finance” was written to close. 💡 Bridging the Blind Spot: From Tech Ambition to Finance Reality The article warns how CIOs “jump to level four or five” of AI maturity while CFOs demand tangible six-month returns. In my book, Case Study 22 — “FP&A Transformation via Intelligent Finance Platforms” shows how a global manufacturer broke that pattern—by aligning AI pilots with working capital metrics. Result: a 20% faster period-close and visible ROI within two quarters. And in Case Study 34 — “Digital Audit & Risk Monitoring in a Multinational Bank,” finance, audit, and IT jointly deployed ML-based anomaly detection. By Q2, the CFO could quote real cost savings from the same platform the CIO had championed—proof that collaboration creates measurable impact. 🧭 Why This Book Is the Bridge Every Leadership Team Needs Modern finance leaders can’t afford to “outsource” tech understanding any more than tech leaders can ignore cash-flow impact. This book gives them a common language — where algorithms meet accountability, and innovation meets governance. It covers: Data readiness & value measurement (Ch. 4) Stakeholder alignment for digital finance (Ch. 7) Governance, risk & ethics in autonomous finance (Ch. 11) Exactly the pillars the CFO Dive article calls missing in today’s AI journeys. 🔑 Final Word If boardrooms are serious about turning AI from concept to cash-flow, this isn’t optional reading. 📘 “Present and Future Technologies in Finance” is the strategic playbook that unites CFO insight with CIO innovation — so organisations stop experimenting and start scaling value. Present and Future Technologies in Finance https://amzn.in/d/01TDD7S

AI is redefining the Finance Function I came across an excellent McKinsey piece today and it reinforces a powerful truth: AI is no longer about experiments. It is fundamentally reshaping how finance creates value. It is not a future trend. It is already empowering finance teams to unlock deeper value, make smarter decisions and drive stronger performance than ever before. A few powerful takeaways that stood out: 🔹 Forward-thinking finance teams are using AI to generate faster insights, sharpen forecasts and elevate the quality of decision-making. 🔹 AI is helping organizations uncover hidden value in working capital by identifying leakages and strengthening contract-to-invoice accuracy. 🔹 Intelligent cost analytics are bringing to light patterns, inefficiencies and opportunities that typically remain unnoticed in large, complex spend structures. 🔹 CFOs who embrace AI-driven workflows are enabling their teams to shift from manual routines to strategic work, value creation, risk management and stronger business partnering. What resonates most is this: AI is not replacing finance professionals. It is amplifying their ability to lead with clarity, confidence and strategic foresight. It cuts through the noise of repetitive tasks and gives finance leaders the space to think bigger, act faster and contribute at a far deeper level. This is the right moment for finance to transition from traditional reporting to intelligent decision-making. Those who embrace the shift early will build a meaningful competitive advantage. Those who wait may find themselves trying to catch up later. Excited to see how AI continues to transform the role of the CFO and elevate the future of finance leadership.

CFO Handbook Credits to Bojan Radojicic follow him for more finance insights! ~~~~~~~~~ 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚: The 𝗖𝗙𝗢 𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 is now live. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗱: → CFO Roles and responsibilities → Modern CFO Pillars → Essential Skills and Qualities for a Successful CFO → Digital Transformation Benefits for CFOs → CFOs Financial Health Checklist → CFO In Financial Modeling → CFO In Financial Statements → CFO Tech Leverage → CFO Evolution → Strategic Partnering ~~~~~~~~~ Want this visual in PDF? DOWNLOAD HERE: https://lnkd.in/dZz9QmP3 ~~~~~~~~~ Financial modeling is no longer optional — it’s the core skill. 👉 Join the Financial Modeling Platform and build a career-ready foundation. https://lnkd.in/dYdwjBAa 👉 And if you want to go beyond, upgrade to the AI Community for full AI-driven finance skills. https://bojanfin.com/ See you inside. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In a world of AI-driven disruption, is your finance team ready to lead transformation? As a CFO, I've seen the pitfalls and the wins. Six months ago, I asked my finance team a simple question: "If AI could do 40% of what you do today, what would you want to do instead?" The silence was deafening. Not because they didn't have ideas. Because they were terrified, I was asking who we could replace. That moment taught me everything about why finance transformations fail. The problem isn't the technology. It's the narrative. Most CFOs roll out AI tools with a cost-saving pitch. "We can do more with less." "Improve efficiency." "Reduce headcount." And we wonder why adoption is slow. Here's what I learned: People don't resist change. They resist being made obsolete. So I changed the conversation entirely. We reframed AI as career acceleration, not a career threat. I gave the team a challenge: identify the work you hate, the repetitive, soul-crushing tasks that keep you from doing meaningful analysis. The list was long: → Manual journal entries → Variance analysis for 50+ cost centres → Reformatting reports for different stakeholders → Chasing approvals for routine transactions → Reconciling data across multiple systems Then I said, "What if AI handled all of this, and you spent your time on strategy, insights, and decision support?" That's when everything shifted. The wins came faster than expected. We started small. One use case at a time. In 5 years, there will be two types of finance professionals: those who work with AI to drive strategic decisions and those who do not. And those still doing tasks AI replaced 3 years ago. As CFOs, we get to choose which team we're building. The companies that win won't be the ones with the best AI tools. They'll be the ones with finance teams confident enough to use them. So ask yourself: Is your finance team learning to lead with AI or learning to fear it? What's your biggest challenge in preparing your finance team for an AI-driven future?

Finance is no longer just about bookkeeping. It’s a strategic driver of growth and profitability. With AI transforming processes, Finance has the opportunity to lead, collaborate across departments, and deliver clarity, not just control. Even junior accountants can influence big-picture decisions. This requires a cultural shift among leaders, empowering Finance teams to move beyond transactional tasks and focus on value-driven insights that shape the future of business. The question is - Are we ready to embrace Finance as a front-line partner in success? #FinanceLeadership #StrategicFinance #FutureOfWork #AIinFinance #BusinessGrowth #FinanceTransformation #LeadershipMindset #Collaboration #DigitalTransformation #AccountingBeyondBooks #FinanceStrategy

67% of CFOs prioritize revenue expansion over cost control. The CFO’s chair has changed — from cost controller to growth architect. Today’s finance leaders are driving automation, AI, and M&A momentum — not just managing books. The modern CFO isn’t protecting the balance sheet. They’re building the business. #CFO #FinanceLeadership #DigitalTransformation #DeloitteInsights #CFO2Growth

The finance profession is evolving – and the pace is accelerating. Across industries, finance teams are stepping into a new era: 💡 From reporting on the past to shaping what’s next. 📊 From spreadsheets to storytelling through data. 🤝 From working in silos to partnering across the business. 🌱 From maintaining teams to building tomorrow’s talent. At Rillion, we see this shift every day – finance moving from operational to strategic, from numbers to insight, from support to leadership. The opportunity is clear: Those who embrace automation, data, and collaboration today… will lead the finance function of tomorrow. We’ve captured these shifts – and what they mean for finance leaders – in our new Trend Spotter Report: The Finance Professional of Tomorrow. The full report explores how finance is becoming the heartbeat of strategy. A pretty good read if you ask us 😉💚 (link in comments 👇)

Your technology strategy is only as strong as the leaders who guide it. This piece from Steven Krueger and Deirdre Ryan shows how true transformation happens when CFOs use technology less as an efficiency play, and more like a catalyst for new value. An important read and a key mindset shift, in the digital age of finance. https://lnkd.in/gDdx9nBv

💡 Why I’m Glad I Started My Career in Accounting In today’s world of AI, data, and digital dashboards, it’s easy to think the days of debits and credits are behind us. But the truth is — the strongest CFOs often have one thing in common: they’ve been there. They’ve closed the books, reconciled accounts, navigated audits, and made the tough accounting judgments that shape the story behind every number. That experience builds a foundation no MBA or algorithm can replicate. CFOs who started in accounting tend to: ✅ See beyond the numbers — connecting financials to real business dynamics. ✅ Earn instant credibility with auditors, boards, and investors. ✅ Lead with empathy — they know the grind of accuracy under pressure. ✅ Transform with control — innovating without losing financial integrity. Yes, modern CFOs must be strategic, digital, and forward-looking. But the best ones still carry that accountant’s mindset — disciplined, analytical, and grounded in the truth behind the numbers. Because before you can reimagine finance, you need to understand it from the inside out. 👉 What about you — did accounting shape your leadership too? #CFO #Leadership #FinanceTransformation #Accounting #CareerPath

The Chief Financial Officer role, long associated with stability, compliance, and meticulous accounting, is undergoing a profound transformation. In an era defined by artificial intelligence, real-time data, and economic volatility, CFOs are evolving from financial stewards into strategic leaders who orchestrate finance, operations, technology, and enterprise-wide decision-making. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gGT-CuXh Guest article by Sameer Madan #CFOLeadership #FutureOfFinance #FinanceTransformation #AIinFinance #DigitalTransformation #FinanceStrategy #ModernCFO #ChiefFutureOfficer