On Friday we hosted our first Talent Finance event to look at the evolving landscape of the finance world. Our panel included Alistair Roman, Anna Brown and Paul Winter.
Alistair has over two decades of Global experience, He is a seasoned finance executive recognised for driving transformative business and financial strategies that propel profitability, operational excellence, and sustainable growth.
Anna Brown is a Chartered Certified Accountant and has also held several senior roles during her 16 years with KPMG, helping clients to raise finance and deliver their M&A strategy. Anna is about to embark on a new CFO role with a pan European consumer retail business. She has recently completed a CFO role at CT Automotive, Prior to CT, Anna spent eight years at McCarthy & Stone, where she held various senior corporate and operational finance roles, most notably an IPO Director, Group Finance Controller and a Director of Strategic and Corporate Finance.
Paul is a highly experienced financial professional who has worked in a number of different industries. Paul has extensive Board experience, particularly in Private Equity. In recent times predominantly in the marine sector where he is currently Chief Financial Officer at Wightlink- Isle of Wight Ferries Ltd.
Keeping reading to discover the topics we discussed at our event:
Finance is Being Asked to Do It All
Today’s finance leaders are no longer focused solely on the numbers. They’re managing hiring, HR strategy, and broader operational decision-making, all while juggling traditional responsibilities like budgeting, forecasting and spend allocation. The expectation? Do more, predict more, and lead more, all with fewer resources and tighter timelines.
Aligning Spend with Strategy
A key part of the conversation focused on how finance teams allocate both profit and spend. With new technologies demanding investment and long-term initiatives like ESG delivering returns over 15-20 years, it’s critical for CFOs to plan carefully and manage stakeholder expectations.
Long-term thinking isn’t just encouraged, it’s essential. ESG initiatives, for example, often require board level buy in and are increasingly non negotiable. That means finance teams must be proactive in communicating the timeline for ROI and in aligning spend with overall strategy, even when returns aren’t immediate.
AI: Radical, But Not a Replacement
Alistair led a compelling segment on artificial intelligence, noting that while AI will radically change how finance functions, it won’t replace it. Instead, finance teams will need to shift from static tools like Excel to dynamic, real-time automation that enables smarter forecasting and faster decision-making.
This shift will redefine the skills required in finance. Data scientists and analysts will become increasingly vital. The future finance team must be comfortable interpreting data, consolidating insights, and influencing strategy through tech enabled decision-making. But Alistair also reminded us: this isn’t about panic. It’s about progress.
“AI will change the skill set and broaden the role but it won’t eliminate it.”
Bridging the Gap: Skills, Budget, and Buy-In
Anna echoed the opportunities of AI, but also highlighted the realities that many organisations aren’t yet ready. Budget constraints, retraining needs, and gaps in digital readiness are very real. CFOs must act as translators, bridging the technical and strategic divide while managing expectations up and down the business.
One audience member asked whether AI is “an event without parallel.” It’s a compelling question, and the response made clear that AI is not a single event, but a transition. And it’s not about flipping a switch, it’s about guiding people through change.
Paul put it best: “This is a transition, not a transformation. Attitude is key.”
The Expanding Role of the CFO
The role of the CFO is stretching further than ever before. Referencing Gartner insights, Anna shared that 70% of CFOs are now handling responsibilities outside their traditional remit. Surprisingly, many CFOs report using just 5% of their core finance skills day to day.
So, what does this broader role demand?
Three core competencies emerged from our discussion
- Digital Leadership: embracing new technologies, understanding their risks, and ensuring the basics (data, systems, people) are in place.
- Strategic Clarity: aligning spend with the broader business roadmap and ensuring every decision supports long-term value creation.
- Stakeholder Management: navigating complex expectations and leading with transparency and confidence.
Finance leaders are now looking 75% to the future and only 25% to the past. That shift requires boldness, clarity, and a willingness to challenge the status quo.
Building a CFO Survival Toolkit
To close the event, Anna shared her advice for surviving and thriving in the modern finance landscape:
- Embrace soft skills. Communication, empathy, and adaptability are essential.
- Find a supportive CEO. You can’t lead finance in isolation.
- Stay authentic. Bring your full self to the role.
- Maintain a healthy work-life balance. Burnout helps no one.
Final Thoughts
From AI to ESG to stakeholder pressure, the expectations on finance leaders have never been higher. But with the right mindset, tools, and support, today’s CFOs can not only meet the challenge they can help shape the future of business itself.
Follow Talent Finance on LinkedIn here to be the first to hear about our events.
Don’t forget to connect with our panel members here:
Alistair Roman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alistairroman/
Anna Brown: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-brown-254b583/
Paul Winter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-winter-02247847/
