Asia Pacific CFOs prioritise tech transformation for resilience: survey

A survey finds Asia Pacific-based CFOs prioritise digital transformation to help drive growth and gain new efficiencies.

Finance chiefs in Asia Pacific region are prioritising digital transformation, operational efficiency, and innovative talent strategies

Organisations across the Asia Pacific region are navigating a rapidly evolving business environment, putting their finance chiefs under pressure to reinvent, rethink, and reshape their operations. New research finds CFOs increasingly deploying automation and other technologies to help chart a path toward business growth.

Deloitte Insights Asia Pacific’s CFO Survey reveals finance chiefs across the region are prioritising digital transformation, operational efficiency, and innovative talent strategies. The second edition of the report, which gathers insights from 469 CFOs across a variety of industries and countries, underscores the critical role CFOs play in helping their organisations navigate technology overhauls and today’s challenges. The survey was conducted in November 2024.

“As organisations adapt to rapid change, the scope and complexity of the CFO’s role and finance functions continue to expand,” said Kok-Yong Ho, Deloitte Asia Pacific’s CFO Program leader. ”Our survey highlights the need for businesses to align capabilities and cost structures for strategic flexibility—helping them to seize growth opportunities and weather storms when they come.”

Faced with economic uncertainties, three-quarters of Australian CFOs say businesses are firmly focused on performance (76 per cent) and cost control (70 per cent).

Gaining Efficiencies and Managing for Skills Gaps

As organisations adapt to shifting market dynamics, most respondents (78 per cent) plan to embed more digital automation technologies into their operations this year to enhance efficiency and productivity in their operations. Adoption rates are highest in Japan (89 per cent) and in sectors such as consumer (89 per cent) and public services (86 per cent). By leveraging digital tools, CFOs aim to streamline processes, reduce costs, and position their organisations for long-term growth.

Some 38 per cent of survey respondents plan to increase the use of internal shared services or centres of excellence, with notable adoption in China (48 per cent) and among large companies (61 per cent). Nearly one-third of respondents say their organisations intend to integrate external resources to address skills gaps—a strategy particularly prevalent among Chinese organisations (74 per cent) to improve operational efficiency.

Most surveyed Asia Pacific CFOs say their organisations are tapping digital technologies and automation to address talent risks and boost productivity as well. Sixty-two per cent are upskilling for digital tools, and 61 per cent are deploying digital investments to improve workforce capacity. While 45 per cent of respondents say their organisations are using technology to automate certain jobs performed by humans, nearly one-third (32 per cent) cite plans to grow their workforce this year.

Slightly more than half of Australian CFOs expect generative AI to transform their industry (50 per cent), organisation (53 per cent) and finance function (52 per cent) in three or more years.​ Australian CFOs are also expecting gen AI to deliver workforce productivity (85 per cent) and cost savings (79 per cent) – but face barriers from competing priorities (45 per cent) and talent resources and capabilities (39 per cent).

Craig Schneider is senior writer, Executive Perspectives in The Wall Street Journal, Deloitte Services LP.

Originally published in the Wall Street Journal on 3 May 2025.

Methodology

Deloitte’s Asia-Pacific annual CFO survey explores the sentiments and key issues facing chief financial officers (CFOs) in the region. In this second edition, we surveyed 469 CFOs in November 2024 to better understand their challenges and priorities, and the ways they’re navigating the future. The survey was conducted across six major economic groupings: Australia; China; Japan; Southeast Asia (Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam); South Asia (India, Bangladesh, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, the Maldives); and New Zealand. Sixty-six percent of the sample was composed of CFOs from companies with revenue over US$100 million. Respondents came from the following industries: consumer; energy and resources; financial services; life sciences and health care; manufacturing; and technology, media and telecommunications. The survey also included respondents from public sector organisations.

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