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The future of finance

Insights into an evolving finance profession.

There’s little communication between finance functions in different businesses, so it's not often we can glimpse at what the future holds for businesses collectively.

With over 650,000 members world-wide, CIMA and the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants are best positioned to create a composite picture of what finance professionals everywhere are witnessing today and what they’re predicting for tomorrow.

Over the last 18 months, we have systematically collected individual, personal and organisational ‘rules-of-thumb’ and built them into a composite picture of what the finance function in a digital world looks like.

Through scientific study, the many rule-of-thumb working methods have been turned into laws, formulas and new ways of thinking. These changes are reflected in the competencies and mindset that employers will in future expect of a professionally qualified management accountant in the digital world.

We reached out to over...

5500 professionals
2000 organisations
150 countries

Explore our research themes and whitepapers below and uncover insights to help you prepare for what's ahead.

Re-inventing
finance for
a digital world

This white paper tells the story of our research:

  • To understand the future needs of businesses and employers globally in a digital world.
  • To gain insight into the finance function in a digital world.
  • How new competencies for finance professionals are emerging in a digital world.
Download

Changing competencies and mindsets

This emerging theme from our research:

  • Explores how technological automation is shifting the competency skills set required by finance professionals.
  • Introduces the concept of a growth mindset.
  • Demonstrates the increasing need for us to all learn and relearn continually, as new technologies replace our timeworn skills and knowledge.
Download

The changing shape of the finance function

This emerging theme from our research:

  • Explores how and why the shape is changing.
  • Explores how service areas within the finance function are evolving.
  • Explores the changing skills sets of finance professionals.
Download

Changing technology
and finance

This emerging theme from our research:

  • Sets out the current technological tools you need to be aware of that are disrupting the finance function.
  • Explores how technological automation is shifting the skills requirement of the finance professional.
  • Profiles the types of organisations that, typically, are early adopters of technology.
Download

The changing role and mandate of finance

This emerging theme from our research:

  • Explores the basic activities that are the essential DNA of every finance function.
  • Explains the broad roles within the finance function.
  • Explores how the finance function must transform in order to meet the changing mandate.
Download