CFOs On the Move: Week Ending May 29
During the week ending May 29, several mid‑size and consumer‑focused companies announced new chief financial officers. Peloton named Siddharth Thacker, formerly CFO of Rent the Runway, to take over on June 22, while Rollins promoted internal CAO William Harkins to CFO effective June 15. Cencora hired Eva Boratto from Bath & Body Works, Six Flags brought in former Hot Topic CFO Ash Walia, and other firms such as Cycurion, Apollo.io and MasterControl filled top finance roles. Most transitions involve interim CFOs stepping aside as permanent hires are secured.
Mid-Market CFOs Confront Growing Execution Strain
Mid‑market CFOs entered 2026 focused on AI and transformation, but by Q2 the conversation shifted to execution pressure and operational stability. Finance leaders now describe a “COFO” role that blends traditional finance with pricing, supply‑chain, workforce planning and technology oversight....
Claude Pricing Raises New Budgeting Questions for CFOs
Enterprise adoption of Anthropic's Claude AI is prompting CFOs to confront consumption‑based pricing that mirrors utility costs. Microsoft recently curtailed internal Claude Code licenses as token expenses spiked, while Uber burned through its 2026 AI budget by April after deploying...
Brex Co-Founder’s Hiring Demands Expose AI-Era Labor Tensions
Brex co‑founder Henrique Dubugras announced he is building an "AI‑native" investment team for his stealth startup, demanding 8 am‑10 pm, seven‑day workweeks and full‑stack execution. The post mirrors a broader trend where tech giants such as Microsoft, Meta and Block cut staff...
Commercial Litigation and Financial Crime Near Fever-Pitch Levels
U.S. executives predict a sharp rise in corporate disputes in 2026, with 63% expecting more litigation and arbitration. Nearly half (47%) anticipate that cybersecurity and data‑privacy issues will drive a significant portion of that increase. Financial crime is also accelerating,...
CFOs On the Move: Week Ending May 22
The week ending May 22 saw a wave of CFO appointments and departures across diverse sectors. Amgen will bring back Thomas Dittrich as chief financial officer, while Thales names former Nissan finance chief Jérémie Papin to its CFO post. Rent the Runway’s CFO...
M&A Insiders Predict the Market Will Continue to Surge This Year
Bain & Company’s latest survey of 303 M&A executives shows 80% expect deal activity to hold steady or rise in 2026 after a 40% jump in aggregate deal value during the second half of 2025. The first quarter of 2026...
CFOs On the Move: Week Ending May 15
Former Tesla CFO Deepak Ahuja was appointed finance chief of battery‑recycling firm Redwood Materials, bringing extensive automotive and tech experience. Building‑materials giant CRH promoted long‑time insider Aylwyn Bryan to CFO, while the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx named Michael Dillon as...
New Surveys Show AI Gains Are Uneven Across Finance
A KPMG survey of over 1,000 finance leaders and a Progress ShareFile poll of 311 U.S. accountants reveal that AI is now embedded in most finance and accounting workflows, with adoption rates above 70 percent. However, only about a quarter...
‘Megadeals’ Boosted Credit Market in Q1: KPMG
KPMG’s Q1 2026 credit market report shows leveraged loan issuance rose to $173.3 billion, up from $138.1 billion in the prior quarter but down from $195.1 billion a year earlier. M&A‑backed loans reached $74.6 billion, representing 46% of institutional loan volume and marking the...
AI Helps Firms with Efficiency, but Most Don’t Trust It to Drive Growth
EY‑Parthenon's new report finds that while 63% of senior growth leaders say AI boosts efficiency, only a small minority use it for strategic growth. Trust remains a major barrier: 78% expect AI to accelerate growth, yet just 34% trust it...
AI in Finance: When Human-in-the-Loop Means Humans Doing the Work
The article warns that many finance AI pilots merely add a checklist layer, leaving humans to clean data, review outputs, post entries, and document actions. Without clear guardrails, AI fails to reduce workload and becomes an operational burden. Kakkar proposes...
Why CFOs Must Lead the Response to AI-Fueled Disinformation
Artificial intelligence has turned misinformation into a top emerging risk, with Gartner’s 1Q26 report naming disinformation as the most pressing threat to corporate reputation and financial performance. The article argues that chief financial officers must take charge, orchestrating C‑suite collaboration...
CFOs On the Move: Week Ending May 8
A wave of CFO appointments and departures marked the week ending May 8, spanning restaurants, entertainment, and technology firms. Michelle Hook left Portillo’s for Shake Shack, while Brian Witherow stepped down at Six Flags, prompting an interim finance lead. iCIMS elevated CFO Marc...
Prudential CFO Sees ‘Gradual Ramp up’ of Sales in Japan After Pause
Prudential Financial’s CFO Yanela Frias said the February sales pause at its Japan subsidiary cost about $130 million in the first quarter, driving a 27% YoY drop in international revenue to $424 million. The pause, extended through Nov 5, will remain until a...