The expansion of the role of Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) has accelerated in recent years, and now the CFOs are also involved in decisions regarding technology investments, artificial intelligence (AI) governance and long-term value creation, according to the Deloitte Finance Trends 2027: Shaping the Next Era of Enterprise Value study. More than half of the survey participants (54%) are involved in decisions on how to allocate AI and technology investments across the organization, while 48% coordinate initiatives on the trust, accuracy and transparency of AI systems, and another 48% are responsible for overseeing technology investments and controlling the associated costs. More than two-thirds of those who have taken on new responsibilities say that this expansion has taken place in the last three years, the study shows.
The top priority identified by study participants for fiscal year 2027 is integrating artificial intelligence and advanced technologies for operations automation (43%), followed by increasing cost efficiency across the organization (34%), optimizing capital allocation and investment decisions (33%), and strengthening the strategic influence of the finance function across the organization (32%). As a result, amid accelerating digital transformation and an increasingly complex economic and geopolitical context, finance leaders have become a bridge between strategy, investments, risk, and organizational performance, the study shows.
"The results of the study confirm a trend that we have also observed in Romania in recent years: finance leaders have taken on responsibilities that go beyond the traditional sphere of the finance function in a short period of time, from prioritizing investments and supporting organizational transformation to the adoption and governance of emerging technologies. As artificial intelligence becomes an essential component of business strategy, the finance function is becoming an essential partner for evaluating investments, managing risks and measuring the value generated for the organization. Consequently, the role of the CFO continues to broaden, and his success will depend on the ability to combine financial expertise with a solid understanding and use of technology, data and organizational transformation," said Zeno Caprariu, Audit Partner, Deloitte Romania, and Leader of the CFO Program in Romania.
As organizations operate in an environment marked by rapid market changes, accelerated technology evolution, and the need for real-time decisions, finance leaders believe the finance function needs to significantly improve its responsiveness, the study shows. Nearly half of respondents (48%) say finance departments need to deliver relevant data and insights to the business faster, 36% indicate the need to adapt more quickly to external market changes, and 34% emphasize the importance of quickly reallocating capital and resources to new strategic priorities.
To meet these requirements, organizations are investing in strengthening their data and technology infrastructure, with almost half of respondents (46%) planning to modernize core enterprise resource planning (ERP) platforms and integrate financial, operational and tax data. At the same time, 43% intend to transform the way the finance function works by reorganizing activities or collaborating with external partners, while almost a third (33%) aim to make more intensive use of dynamic forecasting, scenario planning and AI-generated information to inform decisions. Also, 29% of respondents intend to develop data analysis and AI skills within finance teams, to better leverage available information and transform automation into faster and more efficient business decisions.
The Deloitte Finance Trends 2027: Shaping the Next Era of Enterprise Value study was conducted globally among more than 1,400 finance leaders (CFOs or their deputies) in 26 countries, from companies with annual revenues of more than 1 billion dollars, from industries such as technology, financial services, energy, industrial products, consumer goods and healthcare.
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