The Latest

• 

  US bears 96% of tariff costs, belying Trump’s claims: Kiel Institute

  President Donald Trump plans talks with European leaders in Davos, Switzerland, over his threat to impose a 10% tariffs on the exports of NATO members if Denmark does not sell Greenland to the U.S.

  Strategy & Operations

• 

  Sponsored by Aon

  Recalibrating risk: Why 401(k) plans belong on the CFO’s risk agenda

  401(k) plans pose rising litigation and compliance risks. PEPs help transfer that burden.

  Risk Management

• 

  Accounting student enrollment rises 7.3%, outpacing rate across majors

  CPA licensing changes making accounting degrees more affordable are helping drive enrollments, Daniel Tinkelman, a Brooklyn College accounting professor, said.

  Strategy & Operations

• 

  New AuditBoard CFO targets team, strategy cohesion

  From his past CFO roles, Hugo Doetsch has learned the importance of investing in his team, rather than trying on his own to “do it all.”  

  Financial Reporting

• 

  Deep Dive

  Will 2026 be a decisive or disruptive year for CPA pathways?

  By year’s end, experts expect roughly 40 states to have joined the push to widen on-ramps into accounting by lowering the 150-hour college credit hurdle.

  Strategy & Operations

• 

  Walmart: This year, AI tinkering ‘becomes transformation’

  A year from now, customers will look back and realize just how much has changed about the shopping experience, Walmart’s Daniel Danker predicts.

  Technology

• 

  CFOs, CISOs clash over cybersecurity spending as threats mount: Expel

  Four in 10 surveyed finance leaders said quantified risk reduction would make it easier to justify a cybersecurity spending hike.

  Compliance

• 

  Robot sales outlook brightens as tariff headwinds ease

  Amazon is among companies that have continued to announce major warehouse automation investments “despite weak macroeconomic fundamentals,” Interact Analysis said.

  Financial Reporting

• 

  What to expect from the AI boom this year

  Global spending on AI will surpass $2.5 trillion as M&A activity gains steam and agentic tools infiltrate software, according to Gartner’s 2026 forecast.

  Technology

• 

  OECD deal should ease global tax compliance, but not immediately

  U.S. companies will still likely have to complete all Pillar 2 calculations for this year despite the exemptions, KPMG principal Marcus Heyland said.

  Strategy & Operations

• 

  Xero: Leaning on fractional CFOs for strategic finance

  Jarrod Randall advises small business leaders to tell their fractional CFO about goals that aren't in a financial statement.

  Financial Reporting

• 

  Coca-Cola CFO to cede digital strategy role

  Technology-related efforts currently led by CFO John Murphy will transition to Sedef Salingan Sahin, the company’s first-ever chief digital officer.

  Technology

• 

  Tracker

  Tracking CPA licensure paths: Removing the 150-hour-rule hurdle

  State changes to licensing rules are chipping away at a decades-old system that has largely required CPA candidates to complete what effectively amounts to a fifth year of schooling.

  Updated Jan. 16, 2026

  Strategy & Operations

• 

  Majority of CFOs expect to increase operational spending: Grant Thornton

  The results likely reflect anticipated tax savings from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and growing impatience with delayed interest rate cuts, the consulting firm said.

  Strategy & Operations

• 

  Incoming Paramount CFO to receive ‘no less than’ $2.6M salary

  The appointment follows days after Paramount escalated its attempts to acquire Warner Bros, filing suit to force further disclosure about its pending $82.7 billion acquisition by Netflix.

  Financial Reporting

• 

  IRS budget, staff cuts may perpetuate nearly $700B in lost tax revenues

  The IRS this year will probably face severe challenges in tax collection because of sweeping changes under the Trump administration, according to groups that track the agency.

  Compliance

• 

  Tenants seek space for peak in-office days: Newmark

  Employers seeking to accommodate hybrid workers are among the bright spots buoying the still-protracted recovery of the U.S. office market, according to Newmark’s Jessica Morin.

  Strategy & Operations

• 

  Nearly 40% of top execs weighed quitting in past year: survey

  A third of respondents cited the desire for a better work-life balance as their primary reason for wanting to leave. Other motivations included burnout, stress and the need for promotion.

  Leadership

• 

  Retail sales rose 0.6% in November despite weak consumer sentiment

  The outlook among consumers, though brighter than in September, is still gloomier than in early 2025, according to recent surveys.

  Strategy & Operations

• 

  NJ becomes 25th state to adopt CPA licensing reforms

  State by state, half the country has eased certified public accountant licensing rules since last January by lowering the 150 college credit hour hurdle.

  Compliance

• 

  Duolingo names audit chair as next CFO

  The language platform also on Monday announced a roughly 30% YoY jump in daily active users in its preliminary Q4 results.

  Financial Reporting

• 

  Inflation holds steady, affirming Fed focus on weak job market

  “Risks to employment have increased as the labor market cooled, while the upside risks to inflation have lessened somewhat,” Federal Reserve Bank of New York President John Williams said.

  Strategy & Operations

• 

  Regions names controller as next CFO

  Anil Chadha, the Birmingham, Alabama-based bank's controller and head of corporate finance, will take the role after longtime CFO David Turner retires in March.

  Leadership

• 

  AI takes center stage in M&A dealmaking surge

  The technology helped drive an overall spike in M&A activity last year, despite uncertainty triggered by major shifts in economic policy, according to PwC.

  Technology

• 

  Opinion

  Why CFOs should watch tokenized securities in 2026

  Nasdaq’s push into tokenized securities points to a shift that could soon hit corporate treasury, writes blockchain executive Artem Tolkachev.

  Technology

• 

  DOJ probe of Powell triggers bipartisan fire against Trump administration

  Powell said the motive behind the investigation “should be seen in the broader context of the administration’s threats and ongoing pressure.”

  Strategy & Operations

More stories