India Finance Leaders Barometer 2026: How empowered CFOs shape strategy, governance and growth
Chapter 4Finance leaders want to focus on strategy, but day-to-day demands still take up much of their time.
India Finance Leaders Barometer 2026
Chapter 5
Finance leaders are no longer treating more headcount as the default answer to growth. They are instead betting on technology, stronger skills, and better deployment of existing talent, signalling a shift in CFO workforce strategy.
CFOs also plan to direct more resources towards business partnering, capability development and forecasting to strengthen finance’s role in business decision-making.
Investment and hiring plans tell a similar tale of shifting priorities.
23%
plan to increase recruitment spending
71%
plan to invest more in
technology
63%
plan to increase investment in
skills development
AI will accelerate this shift. With 75% of finance leaders increasing resource and time allocation to AI and automation, routine work will shrink, and entry-level roles will demand stronger skills.
The shift also extends beyond entry-level roles. 58% of respondents plan to allocate more time and resources to upskilling and talent development. This will require finance professionals at mid- and senior levels to keep pace with evolving demands by applying AI, assessing its outputs and managing its risks. Growth will increasingly come from automation, simpler processes and stronger teams.
For mid-market businesses, the answer to growing demands on finance cannot always be more headcount. The priority is to create capacity by simplifying processes, using technology more effectively and developing existing teams. Selective hiring should then focus on capabilities that cannot easily be built internally, particularly in automation, analytics and business partnering.
Karan Marwah
Partner and CFO Advisory Leader, Grant Thornton Bharat
Where will selective hiring continue?
When finance leaders do hire, digital capability will lead the brief.
AI and automation expertise ranks highest, selected by 52% of respondents
Advanced data analytics and business intelligence (BI) follow closely at 50%
The demand is clear: finance professionals who can automate processes, harness data and turn it into sharper insights.
However, technical skills alone will not make the cut. Business partnering and strategic decision support were each prioritised by 45% of respondents, while 40% selected forecasting and predictive modelling. CFOs are no longer hiring for technical credentials alone. They want finance professionals who can read the numbers, anticipate what comes next and shape better business decisions.
Top five hiring priorities
Finance leaders must now translate these priorities into clearly defined roles. This means identifying where specialist expertise is required and where digital, analytical and commercial capabilities should be embedded in existing roles. A focused hiring strategy can then strengthen the capabilities finance needs most: automation, insight, business partnering and forecasting.
The future of finance starts with the right conversations
Every organisation’s journey is different. Our experts work with finance leaders to navigate evolving priorities, from technology enablement and process transformation to strengthening strategic decision-making.
Let’s discuss what the next chapter of your finance function could look like.
About the survey
The India Finance Leaders Barometer 2026 by Grant Thornton Bharat captures the perspectives of CFOs and senior finance leaders on the priorities, challenges and opportunities shaping the finance function.
Drawing on insights from across industries, the survey explores how finance leaders are responding to an increasingly dynamic business environment and where they expect the function to evolve over the coming years.
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Read the full series
Scaling AI in finance: From early benefits to transformation
Chapter 3Explore how Grant Thornton Bharat is helping finance leaders scale AI, drive automation, improve productivity and transform finance functions for sustainable growth.
Can finance leaders turn confidence into growth?
Chapter 2Finance leaders want to focus on strategy, but day-to-day demands still take up much of their time.
What is stopping CFOs from leading at full capacity?
Chapter 1Finance leaders want to focus on strategy, but day-to-day demands still take up much of their time.
