As finance leaders step beyond traditional stewardship roles, they are increasingly shaping enterprise strategy, driving digital transformation and helping organisations navigate uncertainty.
The executive landscape is undergoing an extraordinary transformation. As we look further into 2026, the expectations placed on finance leaders are broader and more complex than ever before. Across Deloitte’s recent research, particularly our 2026 Finance Trends report, we have learnt that today’s executives are navigating a world where transformation is now a necessity.
CFOs today are expected to be more than financial stewards. They need to be strategic partners and digital innovators, the orchestrators of enterprise value, catalysts for transformation and trusted stabilisers in times of uncertainty. Deloitte’s Finance Trends 2026 report – grounded in insights from 1,326 finance leaders across 23 countries – confirms the evolution of the finance function: automation and artificial intelligence are streamlining routine processes, while cloud-based platforms and advanced analytics are empowering teams with real-time insights and predictive capabilities. These tools are enhancing efficiency while also enabling finance to play a more proactive role in shaping business strategy and driving growth.
However, the digitalisation of finance brings with it new risks, particularly in the areas of cybersecurity and data governance. CFOs must ensure robust controls and build a culture of vigilance, while remaining agile in the face of regulatory change and market volatility.
Many CFOs are opting to enhance their agility and decision-making muscle. Nearly 30 percent are elevating advanced scenario planning, while 28 percent are redesigning governance structures to enable faster, more adaptive decision cycles. At the same time, 57 percent of finance leaders say they now play a leading role in shaping enterprise strategy, reflecting the rising strategic influence of the CFO.
It is within this broader context that the events of the past several weeks take on heightened significance. For CFOs, these developments are more than geopolitical headlines. They are direct inputs into scenario planning, liquidity management, commodity risk exposure, workforce strategy and capital allocation. The CFO’s role now requires anticipating external shocks, modelling rapid-change scenarios, and designing resilient business architectures.
In the face of global instability – whether geopolitical, economic, regulatory, or technological – what gives me immense confidence is the calibre of leadership across the South African CFO community. Your work continues to strengthen businesses, protect livelihoods, and contribute to the stability and competitiveness of our economy.
