🧠 Data Crunching Out, Value Creation In for CFOs

Tech-Powered Finance Teams Drive Growth

Author

Vanessa Carter
August 19, 2025

In partnership with

Former Zillow exec targets $1.3T market

The wealthiest companies tend to target the biggest markets. For example, NVIDIA skyrocketed nearly 200% higher in the last year with the $214B AI market’s tailwind.

That’s why investors are so excited about Pacaso.

Created by a former Zillow exec, Pacaso brings co-ownership to a $1.3 trillion real estate market. And by handing keys to 2,000+ happy homeowners, they’ve made $110M+ in gross profit to date. They even reserved the Nasdaq ticker PCSO.

No wonder the same VCs behind Uber, Venmo, and eBay also invested in Pacaso. And for just $2.90/share, you can join them as an early-stage Pacaso investor today.

Paid advertisement for Pacaso’s Regulation A offering. Read the offering circular at invest.pacaso.com. Reserving a ticker symbol is not a guarantee that the company will go public. Listing on the NASDAQ is subject to approvals.

Hey there, CFOs! 💼

In this issue, we look at how forward-thinking finance teams are moving beyond spreadsheets by using AI tools to automate everything from ledger entries to GST compliance.

One company quietly cut month-end close time by 40 percent and gained real-time visibility into SKU-level profitability across multiple regions.

📰 Upcoming in this issue

  • 📊 From Spreadsheets to Smart Accounting: Tech Is Transforming Finance

  • 📊 CFOs Elevate Tax to Strategy

  • 📊 PE-Backed CFOs Face New AI Marching Orders

📊 From Spreadsheets to Smart Accounting: Tech Is Transforming Finance

Cloud platforms, AI, and automation are replacing manual spreadsheets with real-time, compliant, insight-rich finance workflows for businesses of all sizes.

Key Takeaways:

  • 🤖 Automation Cuts Busywork: AI handles data entry, reconciliations, and invoice processing, reducing errors and speeding monthly close.

  • ☁️ Cloud Creates a Single Source of Truth: Connected banking, payroll, tax, and ERP systems sync through APIs, giving secure access from any device.

  • 📈 Analytics Guide Decisions: Real-time dashboards, cash flow forecasts, and scenario planning help leaders act faster with better visibility.

  • 🔒 Compliance and Skills Move Upfront: Built-in audit trails, role-based access, and e-invoicing strengthen controls while teams upskill in digital finance.

📊 CFOs Elevate Tax to Strategy

CFOs are pulling tax into the boardroom, linking AI, compliance, and planning to growth and risk. BDO’s latest readout shows tax leaders advising earlier and more often on core decisions.

Key Takeaways:

  • 🧭 Strategic Seat at the Table: Tax leaders are being consulted upfront on capital planning, cross-border moves, and business model shifts.

  • 🤖 AI and Automation Priorities: Finance chiefs want transparent AI in tax for cleaner data, faster scenarios, and continuous compliance monitoring.

  • 🔒 Compliance Pressure Mounts: Evolving global rules, transfer pricing scrutiny, and new reporting demands are driving stronger controls and documentation.

  • 🤝 Closer CFO and Tax Alignment: Integrated planning now ties forecasting, cash, and M&A diligence directly to tax outcomes and risk.

📊 PE-Backed CFOs Face New AI Marching Orders

Sponsors want AI prioritized in finance, yet many CFOs say they lack clear guidance and a starting point.

Key Takeaways:

  • 🔔 Mandate From the Top: 98% of private equity leaders have told portfolio CFOs to prioritize AI in the finance function.

  • 🧭 Where to Start Is Unclear: 68% of CFOs are taking their time because they do not know where to begin or who to engage, and some still view AI as overhyped.

  • 🧩 Little Tool Guidance: 84% of CFOs say sponsors have not specified which tools to use, and 93% of sponsors prefer CFOs to work with outside experts to pick the right stack.

  • 🛡️ Controls Reduce Risk: Teams are addressing hallucinations with evidence-first workflows, deterministic calculations via dedicated tools, human review, and continuous monitoring.

Why It Matters

For CFOs, smarter accounting isn’t just operational—it is strategic. The leaders who modernize finance systems now will make faster decisions, improve controls, and drive sharper business performance.

Vanessa Carter
Editor-in-Chief
CFO Executive Insights

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