Gartner Survey Shows CFOs Taking on Broader Role Beyond Traditional Financ

Chief financial officers (CFOs) are expected to perform beyond the traditional scope of leading the finance function in 2025, according to a survey by Gartner, Inc.

The survey of 251 CFOs, taken in October 2024, showed multiple enterprise priorities where CFOs have been asked to assume ownership or co-ownership. There is a marked emphasis on the need for CFOs to drive stronger data and analytics strategy (D&A) for enterprise, to bolster profitability.

“For most CFOs, the responsibilities they carry beyond finance include a mix of enterprise data and analytics (D&A), enterprise risk, corporate strategy, M&A, and procurement,” said Mallory Bulman, CFO Advisory Leader in the Gartner Finance practice. “This expanded role will require CFOs to make decisive trade-offs in their own time and prioritization decisions.”

Other common roles that CFOs are increasingly overseeing include artificial intelligence, information technology, real estate, cybersecurity and environmental social governance, which will require CFOs to make better use of their time and to rely on more help from their leadership teams (see Figure 1).

To better manage their time with challenging priorities, CFOs must fight the constant flood of demands and protect their capacity to prioritize the most important issues facing the organization. To remain cognizant of day-to-day finance activities and not overlook potential leverage points, leading CFOs are expecting more from their leadership teams, going beyond process execution and finance workflows. CFOs should also be sure to prioritize coaching and development in light of these new expectations.

To help hypothesize, test and confirm the relationship between operational and financial outcomes, CFOs should determine metrics that will align with financial and operational performance indicators. Identifying one to three quantifiable targets for the organizational strategy, such as increased shareholder value, CFOs should identify strategic drivers that will impact them. From there, tactical elements such as pricing models and marketing outreach, should be identified and planned to support and drive the strategy.

“Profitable growth will always be the number one priority for CFOs,” said Bulman. “However, owning and anchoring strategic D&A to the overall business system will underscore CFOs’ ability to create a streamlined, measurable approach to tracking metrics and boosting overall enterprise performance.”

Gartner clients can read more in Leadership Vision for 2025: CFO and nonclients can access the report CFO Resource Allocation Strategies That Drive Profitable Growth as they prepare finance functions through 2025.