Financial Executives Priorities 2026
January 21, 2026Join Financial Executives International (FEI) for an exclusive webinar, hosted by Forvis Mazars, as we explore the results of the 2026 Financial Executives Priorities Survey. Hear from industry leaders as they share practical insights on key priorities, risks, and opportunities to consider for the year ahead, including economic outlooks, strategies for managing talent, M&A trends, and the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity. Gain valuable perspectives on how financial executives are navigating uncertainty and positioning their organizations for success in a rapidly changing business environment.
Registration is directly through FEI. For any questions regarding CPE, please contact FEI.
While the live webinar may have come to a close, you can now watch the archived presentation on demand anytime. In addition, read on for the main highlights from this information-packed session.
Key Takeaways
- Revenue growth and cost optimization remain the top two priorities for finance leaders in 2026. “Implementing new financial technologies” is the top third priority, rising from 10% in 2025 to 14% in 2026, replacing strengthening liquidity and cash flow from last year.
- Although economic confidence and optimism are rising, tariffs, supply chain dynamics, election-year uncertainty, and moderated inflation continue to influence planning and execution.
- Inflation stabilized around 3% in 2025, prompting organizations to focus on operational efficiency, automation, workforce strategy, and long‑term pricing models.
- AI is becoming a central tool in finance operations, yet the survey reveals a striking gap between use and readiness, largely due to a lack of data quality and architecture.
- 88% of organizations use AI in at least one function.
- 15% feel prepared for advanced analytics and AI.
- In the CFO function, AP automation, forecasting, and management reporting are the top areas of investment.
- AI and cybersecurity create a feedback loop. On the cybersecurity side, AI enhances detection, prediction, and response, while also enhancing malicious actors by increasing social engineering precision, vulnerability detection speed, and scale of fraud.
- Talent strategy priorities include data, technology, and AI skills, which now outrank financial planning and analysis for the first time.
Discover more insights and in-depth findings that are shaping the finance function from the 2026 Financial Executives Priorities Survey.
Presenter(s)
Jessica Coniglio, Anthony Reggiannini, David Mayo, Jared Forman