By Grant Kennedy, Associate Director at AFA
The CFO role has become broader and more demanding. In 2026, CFOs are expected to protect performance, support growth and make sure the finance function can respond when business conditions change.
The finance teams that stand out are not necessarily the biggest or the ones with the most technology. They are the teams that use good data, effective systems and strong processes to make better decisions, faster.
Here are five priorities CFOs should have on their agenda in 2026.
- Finance must help shape strategy, not just report on it
Boards and CEOs increasingly expect CFOs to be involved in decisions around capital allocation, scenario planning and business performance as they happen, rather than waiting for the next reporting cycle.
This means finance needs to provide more than historical numbers. It needs to provide reliable insight, realistic forecasts and information that helps leaders make better decisions about growth, margins and risk.
The CFO is no longer simply reporting what happened. Finance has a role in helping determine what happens next.
- Automation must deliver more than time savings
Manual processes, spreadsheets and disconnected systems can do more than slow finance teams down. They can create control issues, make processes harder to scale and leave teams with less capacity to focus on higher-value work.
In 2026, CFOs should be asking what automation actually delivers for the business.
The benefits should extend beyond saving time. Good automation can shorten reporting cycles, reduce manual errors, strengthen controls and give finance teams more time to focus on analysis and decision-making.
- Data quality is a business issue
If finance is working with inconsistent or disconnected data, it becomes harder to produce reliable forecasts, report quickly and make decisions with confidence. Data quality should therefore be treated as a business priority, not simply an IT or back-office issue.
CFOs need confidence that their data is accurate, connected and available when it is needed. That foundation supports better reporting, faster decisions and more informed investment choices.
- Talent and capability still matter
Technology will not transform a finance function on its own. The people using that technology and the way they work with it matter just as much. Finance teams increasingly need a combination of technical, commercial, communication and digital skills. They also need people who can interpret information and explain what it means for the business.
Investing in those capabilities will help finance teams adapt as technology, regulation and business expectations continue to change.
- Agility is now a finance capability
Economic pressure, policy changes and market volatility can quickly change the assumptions behind a business plan. CFOs therefore need finance functions that can reforecast quickly, identify emerging risks and give leadership teams a clear view of what different scenarios could mean for the business.
That requires operating models, governance and technology that support speed and adaptability while maintaining the right level of control.
The opportunity for CFOs
For many CFOs, the question is no longer whether the finance function needs to change. It is where to start. The best place to begin is often with the areas creating the biggest bottlenecks. Where are decisions being delayed? Where are finance teams spending too much time on manual work? Where are data or process issues creating unnecessary risk?
Addressing those areas can create meaningful improvements without trying to transform everything at once.
At AFA, we work with organisations to improve finance performance through practical transformation, including process redesign, operating model improvements, automation and capability building.
The finance function of the future will not be defined by how much technology it has. It will be defined by how effectively it uses its people, processes, data and technology to help the business make better decisions.
For CFOs, the question is simple: which priority will you act on first?
