In this exclusive Q&A, Sage vice-president for medium business, Africa & Middle East, Gerhard Hartman unpacks how AI, automation and real-time data are transforming the CFO’s role from historical reporter to strategic architect. Drawing on Sage’s latest research and success stories from ATKV, Wild Eye and Q4 Fuel, he explains why South African finance leaders are uniquely positioned to lead digital transformation, and what the CFO of 2030 will look like.
In a business environment defined by economic pressure, rapid digitisation and the rise of artificial intelligence, the role of the CFO is undergoing its most significant transformation in decades. Today’s finance leaders are no longer confined to historical reporting or compliance oversight, they are strategic architects shaping the future direction of their organisations.
To unpack this evolution, CFO South Africa sat down with Gerhard Hartman, vice-president for medium business at Sage Africa & Middle East, to discuss how AI, automation and integrated cloud solutions are redefining finance leadership. Hartman shares insights from Sage’s latest research, real customer success stories from ATKV, Wild Eye and Q4 Fuel, and practical guidance for CFOs navigating digital transformation.
Gerhard, you said the finance role of five years ago is gone – and “good riddance”. What’s the single biggest shift CFOs should recognise about their role today?
The single biggest shift is that CFOs have moved from being custodians of history to architects of the future. Five years ago, the role was dominated by compliance, historical reporting and budget policing. Today, financial leaders are strategic partners embedded in every growth, risk and innovation discussion.
Research suggests many successful finance leaders now spend a significant portion of their day outside traditional finance activities, in operations, talent management, ESG reporting and technology implementation. This is not an incremental change; it’s a complete redefinition of what “finance leadership” means. Financial leaders are no longer the people who arrive at the board meeting with last month’s numbers; they are the ones shaping next month’s strategy in real time.
And here’s the real opportunity: finance has always had a panoramic view of the business. They see the numbers behind every decision, every risk, every success. Now, that perspective is being recognised as a strategic asset, and the CFO is expected to use it to drive transformation, not just monitor it.
Research shows 89 percent of CFOs have taken on a much larger digital transformation mandate. Why do you think finance leaders are increasingly being asked to lead on technology rather than just support it?
It’s about trust, visibility and the ability to connect the dots. CFOs understand the financial implications of every operational change, and they have the cross-functional reach to ensure technology adoption is holistic rather than siloed.
Boards and CEOs are realising that digital transformation is no longer an IT project; it’s a business transformation. Finance leaders are uniquely positioned to ensure these investments deliver measurable ROI. Finance leaders touch HR, operations, sales, supply chain and compliance, so when they lead on technology, it’s more likely to integrate across the organisation.
And let’s be honest, the stakes are high. With AI, machine learning, and automation reshaping how organisations manage talent, risk and forecasting, the CFO’s role in technology is about ensuring innovation is aligned with strategy, compliance and long-term sustainability.
You highlighted that successful finance leaders now spend more than half their day outside of traditional finance. How does this change the skills and mindset required of CFOs?
It demands a mindset shift from “technical expert” to “strategic influencer.” Yes, mastery of core finance skills remains non-negotiable, but the modern CFO also needs:
- Data literacy: the ability to interpret real-time insights and move from “what happened?” to “what should we do next?”
- Cross-functional collaboration: translating financial data into actionable strategies for non-finance teams.
- Strategic thinking: using scenario modelling and forecasting to guide the business through uncertainty.
It’s about being comfortable making decisions with imperfect information, using technology to close those gaps quickly and leading conversations that go beyond the balance sheet. The most successful CFOs I meet are curious, adaptable and willing to challenge the status quo; they’re not waiting for perfect reports; they’re shaping the future as it unfolds.
South Africa is ahead of the curve in AI-driven risk management, with 45 percent of companies already applying it. What lessons can local CFOs teach the rest of the continent?
The key lesson is that AI in risk management is not a “future project”, it’s a practical tool delivering value today. South African CFOs have moved from identifying risks after the fact to predicting and preventing them before they occur.
For example, according to our CFO report, AI-powered anomaly detection in finance systems can flag unusual transactions in real time, materially reducing fraud risk by up to 50 percent. The takeaway for the rest of Africa is to start with a clear priority, whether it’s fraud prevention, compliance monitoring, or credit scoring and implement AI where it can make the fastest, most visible difference. Early wins build confidence and confidence accelerates adoption.
Real-time decision-making is becoming a hallmark of the modern CFO. How do you see this reshaping the month-end close and the finance team’s relevance at the executive table?
Real-time data is collapsing the old month-end cycle. Instead of waiting weeks to understand performance, CFOs can now provide up-to-the-minute insights that influence decisions immediately.
This changes finance’s relevance entirely. They’re no longer reporting on what happened; they’re advising on what should happen next. At the executive table, that makes finance indispensable. They’re not just part of the conversation; they’re often leading it, because our data is the most current and our analysis is proactive rather than reactive.
For example, when ATKV cut their monthly reporting time by half and gained real-time dashboards accessible from any device, their finance team moved from “end-of-month reporters” to “daily strategic advisers”. That’s the shift.
Only nine percent of CFOs view growth leadership as a shared responsibility. Why do you think this number is so low, and how can CFOs help change that mindset?
The low number reflects a lingering perception that growth is the domain of sales or marketing, while finance is the “brakes” rather than the “accelerator”.
To change this, CFOs need to actively participate in growth discussions, bring scenario modelling to the table and use data to highlight opportunities, not just risks. Wild Eye’s transformation is a perfect example; by using Sage Intacct’s deferred revenue tracking and forecasting tools, they could plan expansion confidently, showing that finance can be the enabler of growth.
When finance leaders demonstrate that they can enable growth responsibly, they shift perceptions and become co-owners of the growth agenda.
You spoke of “hyperautomation” and cost/time savings of up to 90 percent. Beyond efficiency, what are the most strategic outcomes CFOs should aim for when investing in automation?
Efficiency is the entry point, but the real prize is strategic agility. Automation frees up capacity for CFOs and their teams to focus on forecasting, market analysis and strategic planning.
It also improves decision quality by delivering cleaner, faster data. Over time, it changes the perception of finance from a cost centre to a value creator. Integrated automation enables predictive insights, supports innovation and strengthens the organisation’s ability to pivot quickly in response to market changes.
For Q4 Fuel, automation didn’t just save time, it unlocked asset management insights that now inform profitability strategies across the group.
You shared case studies from ATKV, Wild Eye, and Q4 Fuel. What do these stories reveal about the difference between surface-level automation and truly transformative automation?
The difference is night and day, and it comes down to whether automation is simply speeding up existing tasks or fundamentally changing how the organisation operates and makes decisions.
ATKV gained instant access to consolidated financials and cut reporting cycles by half, enabling strategic visibility across multiple sites. Wild Eye moved from reactive reconciliations to proactive forecasting, planning growth with confidence. Q4 Fuel reduced invoice processing from a day to two hours, centralised asset management, and freed finance teams to focus on profitability analysis.
Across all three, the common thread is integration and tailoring. Surface-level automation might give you faster AP processing; BUT transformative automation connects AP to forecasting, asset management and real-time dashboards, so the CFO isn’t just closing the books, they’re opening strategic possibilities. It’s about building a system that reflects the organisation’s unique structure, revenue streams and growth ambitions, and ensuring it’s supported by partners who understand the business deeply.
True transformation connects automation across processes, turning finance from a reporting function into a strategic driver.
Many finance teams adopt automation in silos. What’s your advice for CFOs who want to move from piecemeal adoption to an integrated automation strategy?
Start with a clear map of your finance ecosystem: identify every process, every data source and every dependency. Then prioritise automation projects that connect multiple processes rather than just one.
Integration multiplies the value of automation because it eliminates data silos and creates a single source of truth. Partner with vendors and implementation specialists who understand your industry and can tailor solutions to your workflows.
The most successful projects we’ve seen, like Wild Eye’s and Q4 Fuel’s, were guided by Business Partners who ensured every module worked together, from AP automation to forecasting, asset management, and dashboards.
You stressed that inadequate training is the number one reason finance teams underuse new systems. How can CFOs ensure their teams don’t just adopt automation but actually master it?
Treat training as a strategic investment, not a tick-box exercise. Build structured learning into your implementation plan, use sandbox environments for hands-on practice and provide ongoing refresher courses as the system evolves.
Leverage platforms like Sage University for certifications and ensure your Business Partner stays engaged beyond go-live. Mastery comes from confidence, and confidence comes from continuous learning and support.
Q4 Fuel’s use of a sandbox environment before going live is a textbook example and it ensured the team was fully prepared, reducing adoption friction and maximising ROI from day one.
You outlined three critical skills: data literacy, cross-functional collaboration, and strategic thinking. Which of these do you believe South African CFOs are strongest in – and which is the biggest gap?
South African CFOs excel at cross-functional collaboration, our market demands it, given the complexity and diversity of our operating environments.
The biggest gap is data literacy. Financial leaders have access to more real-time data than ever before, but many finance teams are still focused on “what happened” rather than “what should happen next”. Closing that gap will unlock the full strategic potential of automation and AI.
Wild Eye’s journey shows what’s possible when data literacy is strong, they moved from reactive reporting to proactive forecasting, changing the way they plan growth.
Sage Business Partners play a big role in successful rollouts. Can you share why local expertise and cultural fit are so important for implementation success in South Africa?
Local expertise ensures your technology implementation respects regulatory requirements, market realities, and cultural nuances. In South Africa, business practices vary widely across regions and industries, and a one-size-fits-all approach simply doesn’t work.
Our Business Partners understand these subtleties, they can configure systems to fit your unique revenue streams, integrate with local vendors, and provide support in local languages and time zones.
Absolute Gravitas’s work with Wild Eye and Brilliant Link’s work with ATKV and Q4 Fuel show the value of partners who don’t just install software, they embed themselves in your strategy, ensuring the system reflects your business model and growth ambitions.
You issued a 90-day challenge for CFOs to automate one manual process. Why is starting small more effective than attempting a big-bang transformation?
Starting small builds momentum and confidence. A big-bang approach often overwhelms teams and risks derailing the project.
By automating one process, say, invoice approvals or expense reporting, you can measure the impact quickly, demonstrate value to stakeholders, and create a proof point for further investment.
ATKV’s initial focus on streamlining group consolidations was a small step that delivered big wins, paving the way for broader automation.
Finally, if you had to summarise the opportunity in one line: what does the CFO who embraces automation and AI today look like in 2030
By 2030, the CFO who embraces automation and AI today will be the organisation’s chief strategist, a leader whose decisions are powered by real-time intelligence, whose teams are freed from manual drudgery, and whose influence extends across every growth, risk, and innovation initiative.
They will be the ones who led the change, not the ones who were swept up by it.
