Companies want battle-tested CFOs. There aren’t enough of them
Global CFO appointments saw a slight decrease in Q1 2026 compared to the previous year, marking the first decline since 2022. A significant factor contributing to this trend is the increasing rate of CFO retirements, with 60% of outgoing finance chiefs opting for retirement or board positions. Companies are actively seeking experienced CFOs, leading to a rise in newly appointed CFOs with prior public company experience and an increase in interim CFOs to manage leadership gaps. AI
IMPACT The increasing complexity of the CFO role, partly due to AI expectations, is cited as a reason for retirements, suggesting a subtle impact on financial leadership.