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- CFOs, Don’t Buy the Hype: AI’s Real Impact on Productivity 🤖
CFOs, Don’t Buy the Hype: AI’s Real Impact on Productivity 🤖
Inside: Revolut’s CFO Maps Out Bold U.S. Expansion 🚀
Vanessa Carter
March 26, 2025
Hey there, CFOs! 💼
This week, we’re diving deep into the stories that are shaping the future of finance and tech.
From CFOs needing to recalibrate their AI expectations in the face of its underwhelming performance, to finance teams taking on a new, game-changing role at Lucanet, and Revolut’s bold U.S. expansion with a “banktech” twist—these are the shifts you won’t want to miss.
Buckle up, grab your favorite drink, and let’s dive into the stories that are shaking up the finance world!
📰 Upcoming in this issue
Rethink the Hype: Why CFOs Should Temper AI Expectations 🤖
Inside Lucanet: When the Finance Team Becomes the First Customer 👥
From Fintech to Banktech: Revolut’s CFO Talks U.S. Expansion 🚀
📈 Trending news
Rethink the Hype: Why CFOs Should Temper AI Expectations 🤖 read the full 575-word article here
Article published: March 25, 2025
In “Why CFOs should reset their expectations on AI's impact,” The CFO pulls back the curtain on AI’s underwhelming performance in the workplace, despite record-level enthusiasm and investment.
Speaking at Gartner’s 2025 CFO & Finance Executive Conference, Randeep Rathindran made it plain: AI’s productivity gains have been, at best, marginal.
According to Gartner’s survey of 724 professionals, only 37% of traditional AI users and 34% of GenAI users reported strong productivity improvements.
That’s a sobering contrast to AI’s overhyped promise.
Rather than slashing headcount or revolutionizing operations overnight, AI has largely mirrored the modest results of other emerging tech—boosting marketing, but barely nudging HR or legal functions.
The message for CFOs? Don’t chase miracles. Build smarter teams, not just smarter tools.
Key Takeaways:
📊 Only 34–37% Saw Major Gains: AI and GenAI users report productivity bumps barely above average across surveyed teams.
🧩 Marketing Wins, HR Loses: Productivity gains skew by function; creative roles benefit more than compliance-driven departments.
⚠️ CFOs Urged to Recalibrate: Finance leaders must abandon assumptions about rapid cost savings or sweeping headcount cuts.
🚀 Experimentation > Automation: High-performing teams prioritize adaptability, learning, and internal process shifts—not just tech adoption.
Inside Lucanet: When the Finance Team Becomes the First Customer 👥 read the full 865-word article here
Article published: March 21, 2025
In “‘We have become our own customers’ — How Lucanet’s finance team collaborates” from CFO, the spotlight is on Lucanet’s radically self-integrated finance function. CEO Elias Apel, formerly CFO, and VP of Finance Carsten Gerger share how running the company’s finances on their own software has given them a product-testing edge — and reshaped their roles entirely.
Gerger calls it “fun,” but don’t be fooled: this model of internal collaboration is fast becoming a competitive advantage. Their finance team isn’t just crunching numbers — they’re shaping the product roadmap, testing features, and feeding real-world feedback directly to developers.
It’s a case study of how finance is evolving from back-office function to strategic co-pilot.
Key Takeaways:
🧪 Finance as Product Testers: Lucanet’s finance team uses the company’s own software, giving real-time product feedback pre-launch.
💡 Less Accounting, More Analysis: Tech reduces reliance on deep accounting expertise, freeing teams to focus on forecasting and decision-making.
🌍 Shift to Global Matrix: Lucanet moved from a centralized HQ to a globally autonomous model, aligning regions on products and KPIs.
🔁 CFO to CEO Playbook: Apel’s transition from CFO to CEO was built on commercializing finance and making himself “redundant by design.”
From Fintech to Banktech: Revolut’s CFO Talks U.S. Expansion 🚀 read the full 937-word article here
Article published: March 24, 2025
In “Revolut US CFO aims for growth, maturity, with more ‘boots on the ground’” by CFO Dive, finance chief Max Lapin maps out the fintech’s evolution from scrappy disruptor to serious banking contender.
Following a hard-won U.K. banking license in 2024, Revolut is setting its sights on U.S. soil — again. But this time, Lapin says, they’re more mature, more compliant, and more strategic, with a clear focus on building an agile-yet-regulated “banktech” model.
Forget car loans for now — the real product is trust.
Key Takeaways:
🏛️ U.S. Banking Dreams Revived: After years of delays, Revolut is eyeing a U.S. license, operating now through Lead Bank.
🧠 ‘Banktech’ Philosophy: CFO Max Lapin champions a hybrid model: a full bank with the speed and mindset of a tech firm.
📈 $45 Billion Valuation: Revolut’s secondary share sale post-U.K. license approval boosted its valuation by 36%.
👟 Boots on the Ground: Growth means hiring tax experts, salespeople, and compliance pros to match regulatory expectations.
Why It Matters
these aren’t just trends—they’re seismic shifts in how finance functions at the core of strategic business decisions.
As CFOs, the challenge is no longer just about managing numbers; it’s about navigating the complexities of AI, redefining your team’s role, and leading transformative changes in how your company operates. The future of business is unfolding, and your leadership will make all the difference.
Stay ahead, stay agile, and let’s continue shaping the future together!
See you next time! 🚀
Vanessa Carter
Editor-in-Chief
CFO Executive Insights
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