The following is a guest post from Steve Gallucci, leader of Deloitte’s CFO Program. Opinions are the author’s own.
As we look ahead, modern CFOs are poised to guide their organizations through one of the most dynamic and evolving business landscapes.
While many finance executives are optimistic about their companies’ financial prospects for 2025, with 59% expressing confidence according to Deloitte’s 4Q24 CFO Signals survey, the path to success will require navigating unquestionable uncertainties. To combat such uncertainties, robust risk governance is essential for building resilience and protecting companies from emerging threats.
The priorities CFOs set for the year ahead are reflective of the current business environment — from managing economic volatility and regulatory shifts to strengthening enterprise risk frameworks. Finance leaders must balance stability with long-term strategic growth in an unpredictable market.
Prioritizing talent transformation
High on the list of priorities for CFOs is talent. The skillset of finance talent should evolve to meet current and future needs. For instance, 40% of surveyed CFOs identified digital transformation of finance as one of their top three priorities for 2025. Digital transformation goes beyond technology deployment; it requires a staff with the expertise to fully leverage new tech.
As part of a broader resilience planning strategy, CFOs are likely to onboard talent with strong digital and AI skills. Given the overall shortage of technology talent, this expertise can be challenging to find. A solution? According to the survey, 43% of finance leaders plan to expand their upskilling and reskilling efforts in the year ahead.
Rewriting risk governance with ERM as a catalyst
2024 presented a series of challenges for CFOs, including geopolitical tensions, high interest rates, and persistent inflation. These variables highlight the importance of a CFO’s ability to assess external and internal risks and swiftly mitigate potential impacts. Speed and agility are crucial, which may explain why 50% of respondents in the survey cited resilience and agility as top internal risks to their organizations.
Finance leaders are increasingly focusing on enterprise risk management (ERM) to help safeguard their organizations. In fact, 42% of respondents in Deloitte’s 4Q24 CFO Signals survey identified ERM as their top priority for 2025, making it the number one response.
While specific strategies will vary by organization and industry sector, a robust risk framework enables organizations to proactively manage uncertainty and foster resilience. By integrating risk considerations into ongoing management strategies and leveraging analytical tools to assess organizational impact, CFOs can develop effective risk frameworks.
A broad view of risk, encompassing capital markets, geopolitics, technology, and environmental factors — not just financials — is essential for developing a comprehensive risk framework. In today’s dynamic landscape, agility and resilience are key to seizing new opportunities and staying ahead of market shifts.
By prioritizing ERM, CFOs can be better positioned to both mitigate threats and uncover new growth opportunities. CFOs should integrate geopolitical risk assessments into their oversight strategies, ensuring potential disruptions are accounted for before they impact operations. Finance chiefs who balance risk mitigation with strategic foresight are more likely to succeed in driving long-term growth for their organizations.
As we move further into 2025, the role of the CFO is expanding. By proactively assessing vulnerabilities, strengthening operational agility and integrating risk considerations into decision-making, finance leaders can be well-positioned to navigate the complexities of today’s business environment and drive sustainable growth.
