In 2026, the CFO role has never been more complex — or more consequential. Finance leaders are facing high-stakes decisions around AI integration, data governance, and an entirely new talent landscape. Getting these calls right can define the trajectory of an enterprise. Getting them wrong is costly.
These priorities were front and center at IMA's recent webinar, "Top Five Priorities of Forward-Looking CFOs," featuring Mark Monroe, a Domain Expert, Finance and Risk, at SAP. If you weren't able to attend, here's a recap of the key insights, and what they mean for finance leaders navigating today's environment.
Monroe outlined five priority areas for CFOs:
- Data-Driven Decision-Making
- Tax Transformation
- Global Trade
- AI and Automation
- Talent Management and Retention
Data-Driven Decision-Making Disproportionately Affects Accounting and Finance
When asked which of the five priorities disproportionately affects accounting and finance teams, the answer was an unequivocal, “data-driven decision-making.” Without a single source of truth, Monroe opined, none of the promises of AI or automation can come to fruition. If AI integration is to be achieved, data can no longer exist in siloed and fragmented ways; rather it much reach a full level of maturity.
What Does Data Maturity Look Like?
Robert Half’s latest Global Finance Trends report finds real data maturity means finance teams can move from descriptive (what happened) and analytical (why it happened) data insights to those that are predictive (what’s likely next) and prescriptive (tell you the best course of action). Most webinar participants indicated their enterprise is far along the data maturity trajectory, with 18% saying they completely trust and 66% saying they mostly trust their enterprise data.
Tax Transformation: A Strategic Imperative for Finance Leaders
Tax functions are under mounting pressure as the cost of compliance continues to rise and regulatory expectations intensify. The Tax Foundation estimates large corporations spend 690 man hours (or more than 17 full-time weeks) to comply with tax regulations. This is driven by expanding reporting requirements, accelerating regulatory change, growing data complexity, and heightened scrutiny from tax authorities. At the same time, penalties for noncompliance are becoming more severe, exposing organizations to material financial, operational, and reputational risk.
What Does Tax Transformation Look Like for Accounting and Finance?
Modernizing tax operations through digital tools, automation, advanced analytics, and integrated data platforms, organizations can improve accuracy, enhance transparency, and significantly reduce compliance effort. Some webinar participants (26%) indicated their organization had a limited ability to keep pace with new tax regulations, indicating this might be an area in need of improvement.
Global Trade Complexity Poses Challenges
Accounting and finance teams face growing global trade complexity as geopolitical volatility, shifting tariffs, and fragmented systems strain compliance, forecasting, and cost control. With nearly half of all imports occurring through intercompany transactions, transfer pricing accuracy and regulatory compliance have become critical to managing risk and protecting margins.
What Solutions Do Accounting and Finance Professionals Have for Managing Global Trade Impacts?
Automating global trade systems improves compliance accuracy, lowers brokerage costs, and shortens order-to-cash cycles. This further delivers greater visibility, efficiency, and control across cross-border operations.
AI and Automation Actively Being Used
According to Deloitte’s 2026 Finance Trends survey, 63% of finance leaders say they have deployed and are actively using AI. Yet AI implementation does not always achieve expected results. IBM surveyed CEOs about whether AI investments were reaching anticipated ROI targets and only 25% said “yes.”
What Keeps AI from Delivering ROI?
When AI is implemented on a piecemeal basis, it does not deliver the results it would if it was scaled for the enterprise. But scaling AI for enterprise-wide use requires people who know how to use it. Finding, hiring, and retaining this talent is a top priority.
Talent Management and Retention Poses Risks for CFOs
According to Robert Half, 62% of finance and accounting leaders are facing challenges hiring and retaining accountants. The need for talent with specialized skills like financial reporting, data analytics, financial modeling, and ERP software is creating a war for talent. A recent CFO.com article notes CFOs are concerned when many positions in their department go unfilled. Existing employees must absorb extra work and inaccuracies in financial reporting or delays in regulatory filings may result in organizations losing credibility with institutional or private investors.
What Can CFOs Do About the Talent Crunch?
With such an immense talent shortfall, many CFOs are turning to AI and automation. But these technologies require collaboration with humans to work effectively. AI outputs must be checked and validated by humans. Upskilling existing staff or hiring people who show potential for developing technical skills is another strategy. Most webinar participants (66%) indicated they were taking steps to attract and retain talent with digital skills.
The Bottom Line
In 2026, the most effective CFOs are leading well beyond the numbers. Those who invest in data maturity, embrace AI and automation, modernize tax and trade processes, and build the right talent base will be best positioned to turn disruption into competitive advantage. Staying ahead of these shifts requires continuous learning and peer insight — exactly what forums like IMA's CFO webinar series are designed to provide.