What CFOs are looking forward to in 2026

This year has been a rocky, uncertain one for many members of the business community. Many CFOs are glad to put 2025 behind them, and quite a few are also taking a proactive, if not positive, approach to 2026. Here’s what finance heads have on tap in the new year:

Growth with focus and discipline:

“In 2026, our primary focus is driving profitable growth amid a dynamic macroeconomic landscape. Achieving this requires focused execution and disciplined capital allocation to ensure every investment aligns with long-term value creation for our stakeholders.

“Employee development continues to be a critical priority. We recently launched our Finance Leadership Development program. Additionally, by enabling internal mobility and creating new opportunities, we are fostering a culture of growth that benefits both our employees and the business.”

—Anshooman Aga, CFO of Vontier

Building on growth with innovation:

“In 2026, I’m looking forward to building on an incredibly strong year for Gong. We surpassed $300m in ARR this year and are continuing to grow rapidly. As a point of reference, if we look at public market comparables, we are operating at a growth rate that would put us in the top decile of public SaaS companies. That momentum is being fueled by real shifts in how revenue teams operate, especially with AI. Over the next 12 months, our goals are to continue leading the way in this new category by launching new products, driving innovation at pace, and delivering even greater value to customers across industries and around the world.”

—Tim Riitters, CFO of Gong

Scaling a finance function as a newly public company grows

“As we look to 2026, Black Rock Coffee is focused on purposeful and efficient growth as we’re committed to expanding our footprint by 20% annually…

“In my role as CFO, my priorities center on building teams and tools that enable scalable success. That includes expanding our FP&A capabilities to provide timely, accurate, and transparent insights; streamlining processes to reduce manual work; and serving as a strategic and supportive business partner to Black Rock Coffee as we enter this stage of growth.”

—Rodd Booth, CFO of Black Rock Coffee

Empowering talent with technology:

“Change presents opportunity, and that’s especially true for Link Logistics, given our core strategy is to use data to make the best investment and operational decisions in the industry. As CFO, I help to execute that strategy by establishing future-focused tech, innovation, and analytical teams who can build reporting and predictive analytics that provide objective and actionable information to everyone in the company. The biggest challenge for us is to find, inspire, and empower talent, and to always understand the art of the possible given all that new technology is making available to us.”

—Matthew Ostrower, CFO of Link Logistics 

Partnering across the business:

“The CFO role has undergone one of the most dramatic transformations in the C-suite. Once defined by spreadsheets and accounting, today’s finance leaders are architects of strategy, culture, and growth. Looking toward 2026, I’m excited to partner across sales, product, and marketing to ensure ROI, operational alignment, and measurable impact across the organization.”

—Mark Chamberlain, CFO of UserTesting

EY’s Myles Corson weighs in on CFO resilience:

“As CFOs look ahead to 2026, several key themes emerge. First, there is a strong emphasis on the need for resilience in the face of ongoing disruptions. CFOs are aware that transformation is not a one-off project, but a continuous process and that it requires continuous adaptability. What’s also clear from our conversations is that CFOs are striving to balance innovation with stability—keeping on track with their traditional financial responsibilities while also embracing bold, data-driven transformations…I’m seeing a real acknowledgment of the importance of collaboration and communication across the C-suite. CFOs are keen to build trusted relationships with other executives to align on strategic goals and to pursue long-term value creation. They are preparing for a future that demands agility, strategic foresight, and a commitment to continuous improvement.”

—Myles Corson, EY global financial accounting advisory services, strategy and markets leader