Helen Mason is a Senior Managing Director and the Denver Market Leader at Riveron.
Finance leaders value precision. Timeliness and tidiness of spreadsheets have historically been must-haves for fresh talent—but today, AI and automation technologies have increased efficiencies and taken over many tedious tasks that accountants once performed. While the limitations and manual nature of Excel aren’t going away just yet (in spite of the prayers of accountants everywhere), the office of the CFO is undergoing an undeniable transformation. The pace of business is faster, messier and more digital than ever, and the expectations placed on finance leaders have evolved accordingly. Finance and accounting teams can no longer operate on last month’s numbers. They’re expected to forecast in real time, advise and partner across the organization.
This shift is happening concurrently with a dire accounting talent shortage. Universities are struggling to keep up with the modern finance function, leaving many young accountants with a skills gap before they enter the workforce. Companies, too, are in need of a new road map. The next generation of finance professionals must not only master the fundamentals but also develop skills in data analysis, systems thinking and collaboration. Cross-functional finance leadership is the new baseline. Precision still matters, but in a world of constant change, perspective is what sets great leaders apart.
Finance’s Identity Shift: From Scorekeepers To Strategists
The boring accountant stereotype’s ship has sailed, but popular culture has yet to catch the drift. People I meet are often shocked to learn that I have stuck it out in the accounting world for as long as I have. But the finance leaders with whom I work today are dynamic, tech-savvy and plugged into strategy in both their nine-to-fives and five-to-nines. They’re expected to influence decisions far beyond budgeting, from digital transformation to product planning to talent retention. Tomorrow’s finance leaders are thinking cross-functionally in every conversation, every initiative and every win they deliver.
Thanks to stronger tech stacks and automation tools, accounting has real-time access to data that has historically taken weeks or months to pull through. Firms that fail to invest in the proper technologies will fall quickly behind. Leveraging GenAI can free up valuable time for strategic thinking and bring the industry even closer to the holy grail of a continuous, zero-day close.
A Talent Shortage Meets Rising Expectations
The current accounting talent pipeline does not align with rising industry expectations. Gen Z and Gen Alpha want to work in famously fast-moving and hyped industries like AI, tech startups and nontraditional media. Accounting’s PR problem hides the fact that the profession offers many of the innovations, problem-solving and career mobility that students seek in so-called “exciting” jobs, plus the stability that others often lack. Today’s finance leaders are part consultants, part technologists and part communicators. The profession is evolving, but the way we talk about and train for it hasn’t kept pace.
This is an opportunity for CFOs and controllers to redefine what a finance career looks like and help their teams evolve alongside the business. That starts with leading by example and embracing new technologies, prioritizing continuous learning and actively demonstrating the diverse skill set the modern finance function demands. When CFOs show curiosity and communicate the strategic value of finance beyond the numbers, they set the tone for the entire organization. By modeling adaptability and forward thinking, finance leaders can inspire their teams to see the profession not as a static path, but as a dynamic career at the center of business transformation and cross-functional success.
The Future Of Finance Is For Everybody
Cross-functional finance doesn’t require a Fortune 500 budget. Throughout my career, I’ve helped lean teams get there using simple, scalable tactics. No matter the size of the accounting and finance organization or the company itself, a consistent, true analysis of the team’s time spent offers the most value. Pay attention to which processes are manual in nature and how much is retrospective versus prospective. Too often, teams keep doing things simply because that’s how they’ve always done them.
For example, one of my clients long struggled to retain an assistant controller, rehiring every six months and onboarding the same way each time. The process involved tedious training videos and outdated steps, yet no one stopped to question it until leadership got involved. The lesson: At every level, continuously improve workflows, streamline onboarding and eliminate manual busywork that drains resources without adding value.
What Cross-Functional Readiness Really Looks Like
Cross-functional operations don’t mean perfection. As an audit channel leader, I help companies build well-rounded, business-minded teams who can flex across disciplines. I recommend businesses start by fostering:
• Systems Fluency: Go beyond basic enterprise resource planning skills. Encourage team members to explore automation platforms and AI tools that can simplify complexities and drive business outcomes.
• Actionable Data: Companies have a world of data at their fingertips. Accounting and finance professionals need to know how to access large volumes of it quickly, synthesize it and use it for strategic purposes.
• An AI-Forward Environment: Accounting and finance professionals cannot afford to be afraid of AI and its ability to help teams sift through data quickly. Although AI can be daunting for some, it’s manageable and monumental if CFOs start with a specific use case or small pilot program to encourage relevant AI adoption within accounting and finance functions.
• Strategic Communication: Train teams to speak the language of product, sales and strategy.
• Scenario Thinking: Shift focus from “what happened” to “what’s next?” Use real-time data to support agile decision-making.
• Culture-First Approach: Hire for curiosity, coachability and problem-solving. The best analysts today have range, not just credentials.
The future of finance is anything but one-dimensional. The next generation of CFOs will guide their teams to close books faster and advise on companywide priorities all in the same day. It’s time we retired the outdated tropes and embraced the multidimensional, cross-functional finance leader—the kind who understands data, drives strategy and connects the numbers to the narrative that drives the company forward.
Forbes Finance Council is an invitation-only organization for executives in successful accounting, financial planning and wealth management firms. Do I qualify?
