EB new styles XF
Key dynamics redefining the modern CFO role
Change is the only constant, it’s said. The past five years have seen rapid shifts, from historically low interest rates to a higher rate environment to renewed recession fears. As a chief financial officer (CFO), you should know how to get comfortable with the uncomfortable, especially as your role continues to expand. While abrupt geopolitical and policy shifts can bring volatility, a clear view of your organization’s financial health can help you face any challenge head-on. How? With a focus on driving business results through collaboration and business model reinvention.
In the spotlight
Seize the deal: Finance leaders poised for high-impact M&A moves
CFOs are steering through a dynamic dealmaking environment. New tariffs, changing economic policies and geopolitical shifts may shape opportunities, making strategic planning essential.
As new regulations and international risks evolve, CFOs can integrate M&A into their capital strategies while balancing financial resilience and business transformation. Assessing these factors now can position finance leaders to make informed, high-impact decisions that create higher total shareholder returns.
More insights
Loading...
66% of CFOs are exploring mergers or acquisitions to bring in specialized talent and strengthen their companies
Source: PwC Pulse Survey, October 2024
What to focus on in 2025
Strategy and growth
Embrace your evolving role
The days of crunching numbers are long gone. Finance leaders need diverse skills — financial expertise, strategic decision-making and risk and stakeholder management — to navigate complex challenges, financial regulations and political uncertainty. Capital requirements, risk and interest rates implications continue to move higher on the list of CFO challenges.
Now, with ongoing innovation and finance transformation, leaders have a full plate. To address these CFO trends, lean on technology. Savvy finance leaders harness the power of data, predictive analytics and financial intelligence. Modern tech can identify risks, simulate scenarios and help devise mitigation strategies to protect financial health and enhance financial resilience. Collaboration with other C-suite members is equally critical. Aligning teams and enabling data-driven decisions can steer your company to success.
Additional ways to embrace your evolving role
Strategy and growth
A CFO imperative: Smart resource reallocation
New PwC research confirms that the strategic redeployment of capital can boost profit margin. The challenge for CFOs? Overcoming stubborn biases.
Strategy and growth
Three strategic leadership goals to unleash your finance function
From redefining roles to enhancing collaboration and embracing innovation for transformative outcomes, these goals can help you unleash your finance function.
Technology
Hit reset on risk and drive more effective system transformations
How CFOs can drive more value from ERP, cloud and technology initiatives through executive teaming.
44% of CFOs say increasing the use of tech to reduce costs is very important to fund in the next 12 months
Source: PwC Pulse Survey, June 2024
Explore executive insights
Identify the key focus areas of your colleagues.
Follow us
