2025 is set to be a transformative year for all of us working in finance. Change will keep happening quicker and quicker, which means we have to work harder to keep up if we want to stay successful in our roles.
Here I share my top predictions for 2025 – with my usual actionable insights to help you embrace the rapid changes you’ll face this year.
The Changing Role of AI
If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ll know I’ve been talking about AI since the early days of ChatGPT.
Finance teams are already using AI to produce better outcomes in our work, and in 2025 there’s no question it will become even more useful for us.
At the most basic level, finance teams should already be using AI to automate routine tasks like invoice processing to gain back time for value-add work. But that isn’t all AI is good for – this year, we’ll see a shift towards using AI for strategic decision-making.
This year, look out for AI tools that can help your team to:
- Forecast trends and deliver real-time, data-driven insights to help finance teams make faster, better informed decisions.
- Run “what-if” scenarios to explore strategic options and courses of action.
- Progress towards agentic AI, where systems will be able to complete multi-step tasks without constant human oversight. I talked more about the potential of agentic AI in one of my previous newsletters if you’d like to learn more!
If you’re not already using AI daily, now is the time to start. These tools will boost your productivity and give you an important competitive edge in the industry.
Real-time Insights
It’s time to say goodbye to static monthly reporting. In today’s fast-changing world, relying on historic data will prevent finance teams from adding value.
This year, see if you can move beyond tools like Excel and try using AI-powered dashboards and other cloud-based solutions instead.
The real-time insights these systems provide will change the game in decision-making processes.
Finance teams who use AI in this way will be the ones who are able to help their organisations respond quickly to market changes.
And how do you get your team to run with new tech?
Of course, getting your team to use new tools and tech is harder than it sounds – especially if they’ve not had to deal with change for a while!
If you’re a CFO, you can help your finance team along by actively encouraging people to innovate in their roles.
Introducing simple processes like coming together as a team to discuss how you can solve a problem you’re experiencing with technology is a good place to start.
Getting together with other departments, IT for example, is also a good way to get people thinking differently (and means you can practice your influential leadership skills too!).
Smarter Digital Transformation Projects
Digital transformation isn’t new, but in 2025, things are speeding up!
Finance teams will need to fully embrace cloud-based solutions, AI-led robotic process automation (RPA) and more.
But what does that look like in reality?
- Making strategic investments in emerging technology (and the infrastructure needed to support it!) to create better outcomes in finance and therefore the wider business.
- Improved cybersecurity measures to protect against the threats that come with using more technology.
- A focus on the 80/20 principle: prioritising the 20% of investments that will drive 80% of results.
Staying ahead means understanding these technologies and knowing when (and how) to adopt them to boost efficiency.
Finance Teams as Strategic Business Partners
We’ve already seen CFOs and FDs move away from the back-office and step into the role of strategic business partners. But this year (thanks to rapid advances in AI and other tech) we’ll see finance professionals at all levels able to follow in their footsteps.
By using AI to automate day-to-day tasks, team members will have more time for value-add work.
With the time gained back, teams will be able to focus their efforts on meaningful, forward-looking data analysis.
Whilst the best finance leaders already act as business partners, the jump in technology will allow people at all levels to support leaders to:
- Analyse data and offer strategic recommendations that drive business growth.
- Tell compelling stories with data to communicate key insights with non-financial stakeholders.
- Collaborate across teams to make sure finance strategies align with broader business goals.
These changes to the finance function mean different skillsets will be more desirable across the board in finance roles, which leads me to my next prediction…
Up-skilling and Re-skilling
With huge changes on the horizon, it’s understandable that some finance people are concerned about what this means for their jobs in the future.
Similarly, as finance services move out of the back office, finance teams will be looking for people with strong soft skills more than ever before.
Of course, technical know-how is still needed, but many finance teams may need to build their team’s soft skills to support them into increasingly people-facing roles.
That’s where up-skilling and re-skilling come into play.
Finance leaders may want to focus on developing these skills across their teams:
- Technical skills like automation, advanced analytics, business strategy and AI use.
- Soft skills like leadership, adaptability and emotional intelligence. These skills will be critical for building relationships and driving strategic change.
ESG Reporting Becomes Non-Negotiable
This year, we’re going to see ESG (environmental, social and governance) reporting enter the spotlight.
Consumers value ethical business practices more than ever before, and regulatory bodies have upped their expectations when it comes to reporting.
Stakeholders will expect detailed, transparent information on a wide range of metrics, from energy use to community impact.
For finance teams, that means ESG isn’t just a bonus anymore – it’s a must-have.
Including ESG metrics in reporting is the best way to stay ahead of the game. Real-time dashboards can help teams keep track of ESG performance and turn data into action.
ESG reporting isn’t just about ticking boxes. It’s an opportunity for finance teams to strengthen ties with stakeholders and make a real difference in the wider community.
What’s next?
Finance leaders and their teams have a lot to prepare for in 2025 – and a lot to look forward to! Embracing emerging technologies, adopting real-time reporting and focusing on strategic value will help teams stay ahead of the curve.
Need help planning for 2025? Get in touch today.
