The top 5 trends for finance leaders in 2026

Despite the obstacles, finance leaders are focusing on opportunities and expanding their influence, especially by championing technologies such as cloud, automation, and AI. More than half (57%) say they are now among the top leaders influencing strategy across the organisation.

We recently held a roundtable with CFOs from around the world to get a feel for how the role is changing. Here are the five key trends they expect to see in 2026, with action points for each.