2025 Edition

CFO + Finance Leaders Survey: Thriving Amid Uncertainty

Consero Global's annual report finds growth-stage finance leaders are turning talent shortages, rising costs, and the rapid advance of AI into levers for smarter, faster growth.

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Critical Insights

From 100+ investor-backed finance leaders:

96%

work with a third-party finance and accounting firm

↑ from 79% in 2024

94%

are testing or using AI within the finance function

↑ from 74% last year

62%

expect to increase their AI investment in the next 12 months

57%

have a positive outlook for 12-month forecast

62%

complete month-end close activities within 9 days

80%

have higher expectations for acquiring another company since January 2025

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Executive Summary

Consero Global surveyed 103 CFOs and VPs of Finance to learn where they are seeing the greatest risks and opportunities in 2025 and beyond. The results uncover how growth-stage finance leaders are turning talent shortages, rising costs, and the rapid advance of AI into levers for smarter, faster growth.

All respondents work for organizations with annual revenues ranging from $10 million to $200 million and come from a variety of sectors including Technology/Software, Consulting/Professional Services, Healthcare Tech, and Investment Management.

The findings reveal a clear and decisive shift in how finance functions operate.

The rest of this report details the forces behind these trends and provides actionable insights for finance leaders navigating an increasingly complex business environment.

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Five Key Trends

A Persistent Talent Shortage

About half of finance leaders report being understaffed, with lengthy time-to-fill for open senior accounting roles.

The AI Tipping Point

Nearly all finance leaders are already testing or have deployed AI, and most predict their organization's AI investments will increase over the next year.

The New Outsourcing Mandate

An overwhelming majority of finance leaders report working with a third-party finance and accounting partner.

Efficiency Improvements

A majority of finance leaders confirm their teams are able to complete financial close activities within 9 days, which is a sizeable improvement from last year.

Positive Financial Outlook

Despite current challenges, most finance leaders have a positive outlook regarding their 12-month financial forecast.

From Insight to Impact: The CFO's 2025 Growth Playbook

Finance leaders enter the back half of 2025 with one foot on the accelerator and the other navigating economic headwinds. M&A pipelines are heating up, AI pilots are scaling, and capital efficiency remains non‑negotiable.

The CFO's mandate is clear: convert volatility into a smarter, faster, and more resilient finance operation without compromising investor confidence or growth momentum.

How Consero's Finance as a Service (FaaS) Model Meets the Moment:

Leverage AI without the learning curve:

Consero's pre‑integrated, AI‑enabled tech stack eliminates the guesswork of vendor selection, implementation, and training. Your team focuses on insights, not infrastructure.

Win the M&A race:

We produce audit‑proof books and due‑diligence‑ready packages from day one, shortening deal timelines and elevating valuations.

Accelerate closes, solve talent gaps:

Tap an on‑demand team of seasoned CFOs, controllers, and analysts that consistently closes faster and more accurately than internal builds.

Instant clarity for stakeholders:

Investor‑grade dashboards, KPI drill‑downs, and rolling forecasts equip PE and VC stakeholders with the real‑time intelligence they demand.

Control costs while scaling:

Consero's fixed‑fee model flexes with your growth. Go live in 30–90 days and avoid the 12–18‑month, seven‑figure journey of recruiting and stitching systems together yourself.

Join the ranks of finance leaders turning volatility into value. Request a no‑obligation consultation to receive a tailored roadmap for a more resilient, tech‑powered finance function powered by Consero.

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CFO + Finance Leaders Survey: Thriving Amid Uncertainty

Critical Insights

Executive Summary

Five Key Trends

From Insight to Impact: The CFO's 2025 Growth Playbook

Consero FaaS: Disrupting the Outdated Traditional F&A Model

Transformation

Ongoing F&A

New PE Platform Investment F&A Challenges

Founder Owned Company Accounting:

Carve-Out Accounting:

To Optimized Finance & Accounting: