Amid global volatility, CFO experts embrace data-driven scenario modelling, with 66% prioritising digital transformation to boost resilience
Berlin, London, 7th July 2025
Lucanet, the leading global provider of end-to-end CFO software solutions, today announced the launch of its Lucanet 2025 Finance Leadership Panel Report, that reveals a clear shift in the CFO role, fuelled by ongoing geopolitical upheaval and trade conflicts.
Featuring 35 European finance leaders, the report shows that CFOs are evolving to become strategic growth drivers, backed by continuous, data-driven forecasting and tech-led transformation.
The findings highlight three major shifts in CFO strategies; their top priorities being real-time scenario modelling–with 66% focusing on digital transformation to bolster resilience, digital and AI-led transformation, and enterprise-wide collaboration.
The report launches ahead of Lucanet World 2025, Lucanet’s flagship summit, where over 700 professionals from finance, tech, risk, tax and sustainability will gather in Berlin on July 9-10 to explore how CFOs can lead through complexity and redefine the future of finance.
Real-time scenario modelling replaces static planning
While 60% of panellists describe the economic outlook as negative or very negative, the mood is pragmatic, not panicked. Static annual budgets are being replaced by rolling, driver-based forecasts with micro-scenarios that enable faster, smarter pivots: “We’re focused on reducing costs, improving agility of operations to respond quickly to fast changing market demands,” said one finance chief.
Digital and AI-led transformation accelerates agility
To enable this real-time strategic agility, two-thirds (66%) of CFOs name digital transformation as their top priority in 2025. Revealing that tech transformation has become a key part of the CFO role, 74% of panelists confirmed they have investments in data management and data integration lined up, with more than half (54%) of those planning projects taking place in the next 12 months.
AI is a key driver in this shift. Panellists are leveraging the technology to automate repetitive tasks, as well as boosting scenario planning by speeding up data processing and enhancing accuracy: “[AI is] a powerful tool for improving decision-making by providing real-time insights, spotting patterns in large data sets, and automating routine tasks – opening the door to a more strategic, forward-looking finance function,” explained one CFO.
Enterprise-wide data sharing fosters holistic business strategy
True strategic planning requires a holistic view of the whole company and the panel uncovered that finance leaders are stepping beyond traditional boundaries, collaborating across departments including HR, sales and sustainability to build unified, real-time data-backed insights.
As the CFO role expands, core success metrics are evolving to include growth enablement, digital transformation progress, organisational resilience, and increasingly, ESG outcomes, the report finds.
“Far from a box-ticking exercise, ESG is becoming a core metric for CFOs. High ESG scores lead to better financial outcomes, including lower interest rates and stronger investment appeal, making it CFO territory,” explains Alistair Gurney, CFO at Lucanet.
“Today’s high-performing CFOs stand out because they’ve reimagined finance for a more complex world. They’re leveraging advanced, AI-powered extended planning and analysis (xP&A) platforms to guide strategy at speed, under pressure, and with clarity,” Gurney continues.
These findings will be unpacked further at Lucanet World 2025, where finance leaders, analysts, and digital transformation experts will come together to share strategies and insights on navigating economic uncertainty, accelerating tech adoption, and reshaping the finance function. For more information and to register see here.
“Beyond the software, at Lucanet we’re building a CFO community,” adds Gurney. “This panel gave us a window into the real-world challenges and priorities facing CFOs today. By bringing together these perspectives in the report and continuing the conversation at Lucanet World, we’re proud to be helping shape the modern CFO office.”
About Lucanet
Lucanet is the CFO Solution Platform built for modern finance leaders to automate processes including consolidation and financial planning, extended planning and analysis, disclosure management, ESG reporting, lease accounting, tax compliance and reporting, and banking and cash management. More than 6,000 companies around the world rely on our easy-to-use and out-of-the-box SaaS platform to help them lead with ease by managing their strategic and reporting needs with speed and accuracy.
The company is headquartered in Berlin with additional offices in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, China, Singapore, and the United States. Together with an international partner network, Lucanet’s professional service team and 900+ employees worldwide focus their passion and expertise on the performance and success of the CFO office.
About Lucanet World
Lucanet World 2025, taking place on 9–10 July in Berlin, brings together more than 700 professionals from finance, tech, tax, risk, and sustainability to explore how CFOs can lead their organisations through complexity. Across two packed days, attendees will hear from visionary C-suite leaders and industry experts on the evolving role of finance, with a focus on digital innovation, agile planning, and the growing strategic importance of ESG. Register here.
Contacts
For more information, please contact: pr@lucanet.com or lucanet@aspectus.com