How UK CFOs are stepping confidently into a new transformational chapter

Modernize technology, foster resilience, translate investments into performance: 2026 finds the Office of the CFO navigating the demands of disruption, volatility, and, of course, opportunity.

While global CFOs face a similar set of pressures, our research finds United Kingdom (UK) finance leaders are tackling evolution of the finance role and the current state of the business with significantly more confidence, a stronger transformation orientation, and overall higher agreement. 

Why this report matters

On a global level, transformation has become embedded in the CFO role, dominating business strategy and day-to-day agendas. But when we zoom in on the UK, we find a finance function that’s actively modernizing, embracing new technologies, and leading enterprise-wide change.

The 2026 Future Ready CFO UK regional report benchmarks how UK finance leaders are embracing the new chapter of their role with deeper AI-driven modernization, stronger cross-functional collaboration, and more a profound push towards strategic leadership compared to global peers. 

Download the 2026 Future Ready CFO UK regional report:
Key findings from the 2026 Future Ready CFO UK regional report

key findings cfo report uki 1.png

Anticipate AI will transform finance, technology, and modernization efforts, versus 66% globally.

key findings cfo report uki 2.png

See the finance role evolving to drive culture and workflow change and fostering continuous learning, almost 10 points higher than the global average.

key findings cfo report uki 3.png

Say AI will reshape long-term strategy and modeling, almost 10% higher than global leaders.

Market trends shaping the UK Office of the CFO
Custom Illustrative Icon

Trend 1: High expectations for AI-driven transformation

UK finance leaders are firm believers in the transformative power of AI and are actively preparing to lead AI-driven change. UK leadership’s expectations for AI-driven impact are notably higher than global peers, with around seven in ten anticipating it will transform technology modernization, long-term strategy and modeling, and budgeting and forecasting.

laptop-checks-secondary-multicolor

Trend 2: Stronger transformation orientation

When it comes to the evolving role of the CFO, UK finance professionals show substantially higher confidence and readiness than the global average. UK leaders place greater emphasis on the CFO’s role in driving cultural and workflow change (93% vs 83%), fostering continuous learning (93% vs 82%), co-leading digital transformation initiatives (90% vs 83%), and enabling real-time external reporting (90% vs 81%).

person-circle-arrows-secondary-multicolor

Trend 3: Strategic, future-oriented finance leadership 

While global trends indicate a continued shift of CFOs into more strategic domains, UK finance leaders appear further along this transition. Nearly half (46%) report deeper involvement in long-term business strategy and financial modeling compared with 39% globally. What’s more, 63% identify finance transformation as a strategic priority (vs 52% globally), demonstrating that UK leaders are proactively positioning themselves at the center of long-term value creation.

Expert voices
  • Future‑ready finance
  • AI‑driven strategy
  • CFO as growth partner
expert future ready cfo julie Kouyoumdjian
CFOs need to master technologies like predictive analytics, AI-driven forecasting, and automation. But technology alone isn’t sufficient. Adaptability, curiosity, and the ability to inspire are equally critical. A future-ready CFO sees finance as both the guardian of stability and the enabler of transformation. Unlike traditional leaders who focused mainly on control, they balance prudence with calculated risk-taking and cultivate foresight.
Julie Kouyoumdjian
Deputy CFO at AMI Paris
expert future ready cfo massimo romano
Artificial intelligence is the magic word today. I'm really committed to go in this direction over the next 12 months, but improving AI literacy is essential. We need real use cases. I see AI like an ‘Aladdin’s lamp’. You need to know the lamp exists, and you need to ask the right questions. It could be a fantastic ally for the finance community to move from a scorekeeper role to a more strategic business role.
Massimo Romano
Head of Group Integrated Reporting at Generali Group 
expert-icon-future-ready-cfo
Over the next five years, the CFO will shift from scorekeeper to growth enabler, partnering with operations, R&D, and sales to shape investment choices. : which product lines to scale, where to plant new factories, which geographies to expand into. Within finance, we’ll gradually build a smaller slate of routine tasks, automating transaction processing, closing, and compliance. That frees up space for folks who can do scenario modeling, business partnering, and capital allocation analysis. The CFO becomes a co-pilot with the CEO on strategic bets — not just a backstop on risk.
Finance leader
2026 Future Ready CFO Survey respondent
About the 2026 Future Ready CFO Survey

The 2026 Wolters Kluwer Future Ready CFO Survey included quantitative interviews with 1,672 senior finance leaders from large organizations across 20 global markets.

Participants included CFOs and enterprise-level finance executives from major regions including the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, China, Japan, Singapore, India, Benelux, Spain, Canada, and others. The survey was conducted between October and December 2025.

The Future Ready CFO report examines global trends shaping the finance function and explores the priorities, pressures, and opportunities redefining the role of the CFO. You are currently viewing Future Ready CFO: UK edition.

form
Download the Report
global
Explore the Global Report
Back To Top