Financial Education & Research Foundation (FERF), the independent research affiliate of Financial Executives International (FEI), is set to release the 2026 Financial Executives Priorities Report later this month, revealing how finance leaders are navigating economic uncertainty with disciplined growth and technology-driven transformation. The report is prepared in partnership with Forvis Mazars, one of the largest public accounting and consulting firms in the United States.
The 2026 Financial Executives Priorities Report presents survey results from finance leaders on their outlook for the year ahead, highlighting the most critical executive priorities, financial strategies, and planning challenges. The report explores workforce trends—including headcount plans, wage adjustments, and the evolving skills needed for finance talent—as well as the adoption of AI and approaches to cybersecurity risk.
Key Findings from This Year’s Report:
In addition to providing strategic foresight, this year’s report offers a valuable perspective on how the priorities of financial executives have evolved since 2025. By linking last year’s survey results with new data and stakeholder interviews, the report highlights the transition from pandemic-era uncertainty to today’s environment, shaped by post-inflationary pressures, tariff policies, and geopolitical complexity. These findings underscore the shifting priorities, emerging challenges, and opportunities that will define financial strategies in the year ahead.
Technology Enablement Surpasses FP&A as a Strategic Imperative
Financial executives have elevated technology enablement above financial planning & analysis (FP&A) in their strategic priorities—a marked shift from previous years. Leaders are now placing greater emphasis on adopting advanced technologies such as AI, automation, and cloud platforms to modernize finance functions, drive efficiency, and unlock new sources of value. This shift reflects a fundamental change in perspective: technology is now viewed as a strategic driver of finance transformation, not merely an operational necessity.
Disciplined Growth and Selective M&A
Confidence in the U.S. economy remains strong, with GDP growth projected at 1.7%. Inflation has moderated to around 3%, and M&A appetite is steady but increasingly selective. Most organizations report stable or increased interest in strategic M&A, reflecting a thoughtful approach to partnerships and acquisitions. Executives are channeling capital into high-ROI initiatives, balancing optimism with operational rigor.
Talent Transformation and Workforce Strategy
The finance talent landscape is evolving rapidly. Data, technology, and AI skills now lead the priority list, overtaking traditional FP&A. Most organizations plan to maintain or modestly increase headcount, with wage strategies aligned to inflation. Upskilling, role redesign, and digital enablement are emphasized to capture the benefits of automation and AI productivity improvements while preserving institutional knowledge and judgment.
Resilience and Risk Management
Cybersecurity remains a top-tier risk, but concern is moderating as organizations standardize controls and incident playbooks. Investment in AI-powered automation, zero-trust architectures, and unified data management platforms is accelerating. Preparedness levels are solid, and organizations are increasingly confident in their ability to manage evolving threats.
Operational Efficiency and Digital Transformation
Streamlining processes and driving efficiency are central as organizations seek to balance growth ambitions with cost control and margin improvement. Most organizations are maintaining disciplined budgets for digital transformation, focusing investments on practical, high-ROI use cases that deliver measurable results. Despite technology and digital transformation leading in priority, only 15% of organization report being well or fully prepared to support advanced analytics and AI initiatives showing a readiness gap and possibly hinting at larger investments in technology in 2026.
Key Trends and Insights:
The following key trends and insights highlight how financial executive priorities have shifted from 2025 to 2026. Drawing on survey data and stakeholder perspectives, these findings reveal the evolving strategies, investment areas, and workforce dynamics shaping the finance function in the year ahead.
- Revenue growth remains the #1 priority (48% in 2026, 51% in 2025)
- AI and machine learning are top investment priorities (64% in 2026, 43% in 2025)
- Data/Technology/AI skills now top the talent priority list
- Most organizations plan to maintain or increase headcount
- Cost management remains steady (24%)
- Technology adoption is rising (14% in 2026, 10% in 2025)
- Liquidity concerns are declining (9% in 2026, 14% in 2025)
- Cybersecurity concern is moderating (“very concerned”: 19% in 2026, 28% in 2025)
What This Means for Executives
Accelerate Digital Transformation
Consider making technology adoption a leadership priority. Investing in AI, automation, and cloud solutions can help modernize finance and drive measurable outcomes.
Cultivate Future-Ready Talent
Aim to build teams with advanced data and technology skills. Upskilling and reskilling can ensure your workforce is prepared for evolving finance roles.
Pursue Growth with Discipline
Approach expansion and M&A with strategic selectivity. Balancing optimism with rigorous analysis and risk management may help maximize long-term value.
Strengthen Risk and Resilience
Enhancing cybersecurity and governance frameworks, and leveraging AI-powered tools and zero-trust architectures, can help protect assets and ensure continuity.
Optimize for Efficiency
Focusing investments on high-ROI digital initiatives and streamlining processes can support cost discipline and operational agility.
Methodology and Sources
The 2026 Financial Executives Priorities Report is based on confidential survey responses from 212 FEI executive-level members across public, private, non-profit, and government sectors, collected from September 16 to October 24, 2025. In-depth interviews with financial leaders provide additional context and insights.
Turn Strategic Insight into Competitive Advantage
Download the full 2026 Financial Executives Priorities Report and uncover actionable insights to shape your 2026 strategy: https://www.financialexecutives.org/Research/Publications/2026/Financial-Executives-Priorities-2026-Report.aspx
Forvis Mazars will host a webinar in partnership with FEI. This year’s webinar uncovers the strategies, challenges, and technology trends shaping the future of finance and accounting.
Save the date and secure your spot for the webinar on January 21, 2026.
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