The following is a guest article by Steve Gallucci, Deloitte's CFO Program leader. The views expressed are solely those of the author.

Looking ahead, the modern CFO stands at a critical juncture in leading enterprises through a dynamic and continuously evolving business landscape.

Although many financial executives are optimistic about their companies' financial prospects for 2025—Deloitte's 4Q24 CFO Signals surveyshowed that 59% of respondents expressed confidence—the path to success still requires navigating uncertainties that cannot be ignored. To guard against such uncertainties, robust risk governance is essential for building resilience and protecting enterprises from emerging threats.

The priorities CFOs set for the new year directly reflect the characteristics of the current business environment—from managing economic volatility and regulatory changes to strengthening enterprise risk frameworks. Financial leaders must balance stability with long-term strategic growth in an unpredictable market.

Talent transformation takes priority

Talent ranks at the top of CFOs' priority lists. The skill sets of finance talent must evolve to meet current and future needs. For example, 40% of surveyed CFOs ranked finance digital transformation among their top three priorities for 2025. Digital transformation involves not only technology deployment but also a workforce capable of fully leveraging new technologies.

As part of a broader resilience planning strategy, CFOs tend to bring in talent with strong digital and AI skills. Given the overallshortage of technical talent, such specialized capabilities are often hard to find. What's the solution? The survey shows that 43% of financial leaders plan to expand their upskilling and reskilling investments in the coming year.

Reshaping risk governance with ERM as a catalyst

2024 brought a series of challenges for CFOs, including geopolitical tensions, high interest rates, and persistent inflationary pressures. These variables highlight the importance of CFOs' ability to assess internal and external risks and quickly mitigate potential impacts. Speed and agility are crucial, which may explain why 50% of respondents in the survey listed resilience and agility as significant internal risks facing their organizations.

Financial leaders are increasingly focusing on enterprise risk management (ERM) to help safeguard their organizations. In fact, 42% of respondents in Deloitte's 4Q24 CFO Signals survey ranked ERM as their top priority for 2025, making it the most frequently selected option.

Although specific strategies vary by organization and industry, a robust risk framework enables enterprises to proactively manage uncertainty and foster resilience. By integrating risk considerations into daily management strategies and using analytical tools to assess organizational impact, CFOs can build effective risk frameworks.

Building a comprehensive risk framework requires a broad risk perspective that encompasses capital markets, geopolitics, technology, and environmental factors—not just finance. In today's dynamic landscape, agility and resilience are key to seizing new opportunities and staying ahead of market changes.

By prioritizing ERM, CFOs can better mitigate threats and also uncover new growth opportunities.CFOs should incorporate geopolitical risk assessment into their oversight strategies, ensuring that potential disruptions are considered before they impact operations. Financial executives who can balance risk mitigation with strategic foresight are more likely to lead their organizations toward long-term growth.

As 2025 progresses, the CFO role continues to expand. By proactively assessing vulnerabilities, strengthening operational agility, and integrating risk considerations into decision-making processes, financial leaders will be better equipped to navigate today's complex business environment and drive sustainable growth.