In the old days, the finance teams operated primarily through manual processes. Closing the books could take weeks, as everything was recorded by hand or in spreadsheets. Human errors were common due to the reliance on manual data entry, and decision-makers had limited access to real-time financial data, making it difficult to act quickly. Paper documentation was the standard, and managing compliance with ever-evolving tax and accounting standards was a constant challenge, as keeping track of everything through physical records was cumbersome and time-consuming.

But change is on the horizon.

Future finance teams won’t be made up of an army of accounting, treasury, FP&A, and internal audit personnel. Instead, they will be lean, agile units, kept as small as possible, with workflows highly automated to minimize manual work.

Imagine a world where for account reconciliation, each transaction is automatically categorized and matched with the corresponding account entry. When a payment is made, the system automatically uploads the transaction data and matches it with the correct ledger entry. Any discrepancies are flagged, leaving only the need for anomaly resolution and final validation.

This is not just a vision. It’s a reality today.

AI is redefining the CFO tech stack. Finance leaders who embrace and adopt the latest technologies will be the frontrunners, reshaping and defining the industry.

We asked industry experts for their take on the future of finance leadership, and their answers paint a compelling picture of what's ahead.

From Data Custodians to Business Architects

Historically, finance teams are often seen as data custodians. They’re responsible for ensuring compliance, managing historical records, and reacting to business needs. That’s no longer enough.

Billy Morris, CFO at Supermetrics, highlights this shift:  

“Finance teams should no longer just be the collectors and transformers of data—they need to be partners in analyzing and acting on it. Automation allows us to free up time from manual processes so finance can focus on business impact.”  

Finance leaders of the future won’t just report the numbers. They’re the architects of their financial infrastructure. This means building integrated data systems, partnering with operations, and ensuring that financial insights drive business decisions in real-time.

AI and Automation Will Reshape the Finance Org

With AI and automation taking over traditional accounting tasks, the finance leader of the future must become a technologist.

Joshua Waldron, VP of Finance at Scale AI, sees AI as a game-changer:  

“Technology is fundamentally shifting what we do. The finance leaders who leverage AI to streamline processes and reduce manual work will be able to focus on strategy rather than survival. The expectation will be that we always have real-time financial visibility, not just at the month-end.”  

Gone are the days of waiting weeks for financial reports. Future CFOs will manage financial operations in real-time, making data-driven decisions on demand. The challenge? Leaders must ensure that their teams embrace technology rather than resist it.

New Skill Sets: Finance as a Cross-Functional Leader

To succeed in the next decade, finance leaders will need new skills, ones that go beyond traditional accounting or finance expertise.

Simone Rüschenberg, author of CFO Playbook and founder of the Finance Leaders League, believes hiring for the right mindset is crucial:  

“Soft skills are becoming just as important as technical ones. Finance leaders must be able to partner with other departments, communicate financial insights effectively, and drive change. Being adaptable and open to new ways of working will define the next generation of CFOs.”

Future finance leaders must think cross-functionally, working closely with product, sales, and engineering teams to integrate finance into the broader business strategy.

One Bold Piece of Advice for Future CFOs and Finance Leaders

When asked for one bold piece of advice for finance teams looking to break away from tradition, our experts emphasized curiosity, adaptability, and the courage to challenge the status quo.

Vladi Vinogradsky, Accounting Leader at Robinhood, put it simply:  

“If you’re not questioning how things are done today, you’re already falling behind.”

Finance professionals who push beyond the status quo, who seek out automation, who collaborate beyond finance, and who embrace technology will be the leaders shaping the next decade of business.

Future finance leaders are already rethinking the close. Are you one of them?