Only a Third of CFOs Lead Long-Term Investment Decisions, Research Finds

Why It Matters

Limited CFO leadership in long‑term investments may hinder corporate resilience and growth, while accelerating AI integration can elevate finance from a back‑office role to a strategic partner.

Key Takeaways

• Only 31% of UK CFOs lead long‑term investment decisions.
• 25% see finance as strategic partner; 38% view it as operational.
• Advanced AI adoption in finance exists in just 16% of firms.
• AI potential highest for forecasting (56%) and fraud detection (55%).
• Market volatility offers CFOs chance to redefine finance role.

Pulse Analysis

The EY "DNA of a CFO" report underscores a widening gap between the growing strategic importance of long‑term capital allocation and the actual influence of finance leaders in the UK. As companies grapple with market volatility, the need to balance short‑term earnings pressure against investments in transformation, resilience, and growth has never been sharper. Yet only a third of surveyed CFOs claim to steer these decisions, suggesting that boards may still rely on other executives for forward‑looking capital planning, potentially leaving firms vulnerable to missed growth opportunities.

A parallel narrative emerges around artificial intelligence. While 81% of finance leaders anticipate AI‑enabled business models within the next year, only 16% report an advanced AI capability within their finance function. The primary perceived benefits cluster around forecasting, fraud detection, and risk assessment, but adoption stalls due to data‑quality concerns, bias risk, and skill shortages. Larger enterprises—those with revenues above $10 bn—show higher maturity, yet the overall landscape remains early‑stage, limiting the predictive analytics that could empower CFOs to champion long‑term investments.

For CFOs, the convergence of market uncertainty and AI evolution presents a strategic inflection point. By investing in AI‑driven insight tools and broadening team expertise beyond traditional accounting, finance leaders can shift perception from operational custodians to strategic partners. This transition not only enhances decision‑making speed and accuracy but also positions finance at the heart of long‑term value creation, aligning investment portfolios with emerging value drivers and investor expectations. Companies that enable their CFOs to lead this change are likely to achieve stronger resilience and sustained growth.