The Financial Education & Research Foundation (FERF)—the independent nonprofit research affiliate of Financial Executives International (FEI)—today released the findings of its 2026 Financial Executives Priorities Report, revealing how finance leaders are navigating economic uncertainty with disciplined growth strategies and technology-driven transformation.
Released in partnership with Forvis Mazars, the report captures insights from more than 200 senior finance leaders—including CFOs, CAOs, and controllers—across industries, regions, and company sizes.
The findings explore executive priorities for 2026, top financial strategies, workforce and talent trends, cybersecurity and risk management, and the accelerating role of AI and digital transformation in the finance function.
Key Findings From the 2026 Report Include:
- Technology and AI Take Center Stage – Finance leaders are accelerating digital transformation, making technology enablement and AI adoption core to strategy for efficiency and resilience.
- Economic Confidence With Cautious Optimism – Executives remain optimistic about U.S. economic performance and industry outlook, while applying disciplined selectivity to expansion and M&A decisions.
- Cybersecurity and Risk Stay Top of Mind – Organizations are investing in advanced controls and AI-driven automation to strengthen resilience against evolving threats.
- Operational Efficiency Drives Investment – Budgets remain disciplined, with a sharp focus on high-ROI digital initiatives that deliver measurable value.
Additional Insights From the 2026 Report:
Financial Priorities and Planning
- 48% of finance leaders cite revenue growth and market expansion as their top financial priority for 2026 (vs. 51% in 2025).
- 24% identify cost management and optimization as their leading priority.
- 14% rank implementing new financial technologies among their top financial priorities, up from 10% in 2025.
- Only 9% cite liquidity and cash flow management as a top concern, down from 14% in 2025.
Technology, AI, and Digital Transformation
- 64% identify AI and machine learning as top technology investment priorities for 2026, up from 43% in 2025.
- Only 15% of organizations report being well or fully prepared to support advanced analytics and AI initiatives.
- 51% say they are not prepared or only somewhat prepared, highlighting a readiness gap between ambition and execution.
Talent and Workforce Strategy
- 32% of organizations plan to increase headcount in 2026.
- Data, technology, and AI skills now outrank traditional FP&A as the most sought-after capabilities within finance teams.
- Most organizations plan wage increases aligned with inflation, signaling stability rather than aggressive labor competition.
Cybersecurity and Risk Management
- Cybersecurity concern continues to moderate, with 19% of respondents reporting they are “very concerned,” down from 28% in 2025.
- Despite moderating concern, 61% still report feeling concerned about cybersecurity impacts, reinforcing its status as a persistent operational and financial risk.
In addition to providing forward-looking insight, the 2026 report highlights how financial executives are moving from post-inflationary caution toward execution. Leaders are increasingly focused on deploying technology and AI in practical, high-ROI ways while strengthening resilience, governance, and talent capabilities to support sustainable performance in the year ahead.
“Finance leaders enter 2026 focused on execution—turning priorities into measurable progress,” said Andrej Suskavcevic, CAE, President and CEO of Financial Executives International and Financial Education & Research Foundation. “The findings underscore a finance function that is increasingly confident, disciplined, and technology-enabled.”
“Technology enablement is now central to how finance organizations drive value,” said Jessica Coniglio, Consulting Assistant Managing Partner and Business Transformation Leader at Forvis Mazars. “Leaders are applying greater rigor to where they invest—prioritizing digital initiatives that are powered by AI, enhance continuous planning and performance, and drive finance stack modernization to deliver efficiency, insight, and resilience.”
Methodology & Sources
The 2026 Financial Executives Priorities Report is based on confidential survey responses from 212 FEI executive-level members across public, private, nonprofit, and government sectors, collected between September 16 and October 24, 2025. The research also includes anonymized in-depth interviews with senior finance leaders.
Download the full 2026 Financial Executives Priorities Report, sponsored by Forvis Mazars.
