The Evolving Role of a CFO

I’m excited to share the sixth private equity spotlight, this episode of the Incremental Edge is packed with expert views on what a CFO’s role involves in 2025 and beyond.

Within the discussion, the panel offers their views on the CFO’s evolving role and how it is no longer confined to financial oversight. Today, they are expected to be a strategic partner to the business, shaping growth, driving operational efficiency, and providing real-time insights that influence key investment decisions.

With increasing pressure from investors, tighter deal cycles, and the demand for faster, data-driven decision-making, CFOs must go beyond reporting, telling the story behind the numbers. But to do that effectively, they need more than just experience. They need the right technology, the right insights, and the agility to act in the moment.

What does a CFO’s role look like today? Watch our final episode and explore the key shifts defining this new era of financial leadership.

What to expect from the episode

🟥 The CFO’s digital transformation

Today, the CFO is expected to be a strategic advisor, guiding business decisions with data-driven insights. But this new mandate comes with a critical expectation: CFOs must not only have access to their organisation’s financial data, they must deeply understand it, interpret it, and use it to tell a compelling business story. Investors, leadership teams, and stakeholders rely on the CFO to provide clarity, foresight, and strategic direction.

The real power of digital transformation in finance is the timeliness of insight. Decisions need to be made in the moment, and that’s only possible when CFOs have instant access to accurate, up-to-date financial data. Without the right technology platform, even the most skilled CFOs will struggle to deliver the level of strategic input that modern businesses and investors demand.

In an environment where speed, precision, and strategic thinking define success, the question isn’t whether CFOs should embrace digital transformation, it’s how quickly they can adopt the right tools to stay ahead.

🟥 The modern CFO’s mindset

For the modern CFO, success demands a sharp, analytical mindset, a proactive approach to risk, and the ability to move at speed in an ever-changing landscape.

The best CFOs share a core set of traits. The first trait is curiosity, a relentless drive to question, dig deeper, and truly understand the business beyond the numbers. But curiosity alone isn’t enough. A thorough attention to detail is essential, ensuring that not only the CFO but the entire finance team maintains focus and precision, especially as the business scales or approaches a key financial event like an exit.

The second trait is scepticism but not to mistrust, always having a healthy habit of verifying assumptions with data. Too often, verbal assurances don’t hold up to scrutiny, and in a high-stakes environment, CFOs must demand data-driven proof before making key decisions. This mindset fuels a culture of transparency across the team, where risks are surfaced early, and financial leaders can act swiftly to mitigate threats - or better yet, seize opportunities before they pass.

Ultimately, a high-performing CFO isn’t just a leader in finance; they are a true partner to the CEO and the wider business. When finance functions seamlessly integrate with strategy, decision-making becomes sharper, risks are mitigated before they materialise, and opportunities are captured at the right moment.

In today’s world, being data-led isn’t optional - it’s the foundation of financial leadership.

🟥 The new skills expected of Finance

Stepping into a CFO role in a private equity-backed business is a transformation, whether it’s your first time or you’re a seasoned finance leader. The role will evolve, whether you’re happy about it or not.

At first, the focus is on financial control: ensuring the numbers are accurate, the finances are in order, and reporting is watertight. But private equity demands more than just financial stewardship, it expects CFOs to be strategic thinkers, balancing risk with opportunity at every turn.

That expectation never stops growing. No matter how many times you’ve worked in a PE-backed business, the need for commercial acumen, agility, and data-driven decision-making only intensifies. The ability to act quickly with confidence is critical, and that’s only possible when you have the right team and the right data to back you up.

What does it take to thrive as a PE CFO?

🟥 Building a future-ready finance team

CFO’s are leaders who create clarity, build trust, and nurture high-performing teams. This starts with setting out a clear vision: where is the business heading, and how does each team member contribute to that success?

Their ability to think strategically is only as strong as the team supporting them. When private equity investment first comes in, the finance function may not be built for scale. But as the business grows, so must the team, allowing the CFO to shift from day-to-day operations to higher-level strategic thinking and automation.

The expectations placed on CFOs are always evolving, what mattered at the start of an investment cycle may be completely different by the time of an exit. Take environmental, social and governance factors as an example: just a few years ago, it was barely on the radar for many finance teams. Today, it’s a board-level priority. The best CFOs don’t just react to change; they stay ahead of it, keeping their skills sharp and leveraging the right advisors to ensure they’re always ready for the next challenge.

The strongest finance leaders don’t just manage people; they build long-term professional relationships with individuals choosing to work with them across multiple organisations.

As the CFO role continues to evolve and expand, so does the need for robust systems, processes, and people to ensure that the fundamentals are always covered. Success for a CFO isn’t just about managing numbers, it’s about building the right team, embracing technology, and continuously adapting to the shifting landscape of finance and investment.

Incremental Edge private equity spotlight

We hope you’ve gained a lot of valuable knowledge and real-world insight over the last six weeks. Our panel of experts have offered an abundance of advice for CFOs and finance leaders entering, contributing in and exciting private equity investment cycles.

Look out for more Incremental Edge episodes in the future by checking our LinkedIn.