CFO Insights Report: Strategic Actions for Growth

In last year’s report, we explored how finance leaders were repositioning for growth after the economic downturn. This year, CFOs are taking the lead in driving growth within their organizations.

While the majority of CFOs feel a strong responsibility to foster growth amid challenges, only 9% think growth leadership should be shared across the C-suite. However, our data suggests that CFOs have an opportunity to enhance their influence further through collaboration.

CFOs are prioritizing cost optimization and efficiency as the top goal for fueling expansion. Notably, fifty-eight percent are leveraging automation and AI to drive performance. As AI continues to gain popularity, finance leaders are increasingly aware of opportunities to automate and optimize processes, making this a key focus for 2025.

Cybersecurity is another major priority for CFOs to invest in; fifty-nine of finance leaders plan to increase their cybersecurity budget to respond to growing threats. However, only 20% plan to enhance collaboration with the IT department to drive this forward.

Despite recent deregulation in the US, ESG has evolved from being seen as a major challenge to growth opportunities for finance leaders globally. This year, forty-eight percent of finance leaders are focusing on sustainability and ESG to drive growth.

Download the full report to uncover comprehensive findings and actionable strategies that can help your company break through the challenges and seize the opportunities of 2025.