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For many years, succession planning has been on the sidelines of M&A discussions. Although it was recognized as important, it was rarely decisive. Strong EBITDA, margin expansion and financial discipline were assumed to outweigh concerns about leadership continuity. That assumption no longer holds true. In today's M&A market, succession risk has become a central underwriting variable. Trading does not stall just because a company is unprofitable. Companies slow down, reprice, or lose momentum because buyers can't clearly assess how the business will perform or scale after the founder is no longer at the center of day-to-day operations. Succession planning is…
Accenture's latest Pulse of Change survey found that executives across the board are largely optimistic about revenue growth this year, despite a notable gap between the sentiments of CFOs and CEOs. One thing they agree on is that both groups believe AI will be a key driver, regardless of the level of growth. Mukshit Ashraf, group chief executive officer of Accenture Strategy, spoke to CFO Leadership about the firm's survey of 3,650 executives and 3,350 employees around the world. 63% of CFOs expect overall revenue growth to accelerate, compared to 79% of CEOs. What does this tell us about the…
Companies must be ready to change as market trends and customer demands evolve. To avoid losing your momentum and keep your entire team on the right track, maintaining a culture of accountability is a must. David Lee, CFO and COO of Webtoon Entertainment, shares how creating such a workplace environment made them the world’s largest digital comics platform right now. In this conversation with Jack McCullough, Lee explains how to achieve entrepreneurial success in a global company without sacrificing artistic touch and human connection. He also shares how his mentors, his experiences working with different companies and the most important…
If a large portion of a company's customer base becomes involved in some type of protest, board members should monitor what unforeseen risks the public reaction to the protest issue may pose to the company. Following the recent deaths of two American citizens at the hands of federal immigration agents during protests in Minneapolis, Minnesota, many businesses in the state issued public statements about how the tactics of agents tracking illegal immigrants create a volatile and dangerous environment for local businesses and their communities. As the Department of Homeland Security continues to implement immigration enforcement efforts across the country, boards…
If a large portion of a company's customer base becomes involved in some type of protest, board members should monitor what unforeseen risks the public reaction to the protest issue may pose to the company. Following the recent deaths of two American citizens at the hands of federal immigration agents during protests in Minneapolis, Minnesota, many businesses in the state issued public statements about how the tactics of agents tracking illegal immigrants create a volatile and dangerous environment for local businesses and their communities. As the Department of Homeland Security continues to implement immigration enforcement efforts across the country, boards…
Boardrooms are under pressure to make big bets on AI even as the ground continues to shift beneath their feet. Jean‑Philippe “JP” Maheu has lived in that tension for decades, growing his digital business through the first wave of internet disruption, the social media advertising boom, and now AI-powered video. As the new chairman of Moments Lab, an AI video search company, he leverages his senior leadership roles at Twitter, Bluefin Labs, Ogilvy & Mather, and Razorfish to help boards connect emerging technologies to real revenue, customers, and workflows. In this Q&A, we share how boards are thinking about growth,…
Laurent Charpentier had a problem that many CEOs would envy. That meant his company, Yooz, was winning. The company's accounts payable automation product has been well-received by thousands of customers. The team had talent. But when he took on the global CEO role in early 2022, the data told a different story for North America. Growth was stagnant and the people writing the checks, the CFO, were not there. Over the years, Yooz has earned a solid reputation for doing the simple job of automating invoice processing faster and more accurately, giving it an edge among AP managers on three…
The instability in Washington is also reflected in corporate finance. CFO Leadership's Q1 CFO Confidence Index, conducted among 195 U.S. CFOs from January 19 to 21, comes as President Trump threatens to increase tariffs on the European Union and then announces a framework agreement with NATO allies. Emotions changed rapidly in real time. Survey of 130 CFOs in front In the acquisition announcement, the current business condition was rated at 5.5 out of 10, a 9% decrease from the 6.0 rating given by the CFO in the fourth quarter. 60 CFOs surveyed rear However, the announcement reported a positive outlook,…
As 2026 begins, economic indicators remain mixed, but the appetite for deal-making is returning. Optimism is growing across the corporate equity and private equity sectors, with 80% of companies expecting an increase in the number of deals their organizations close in the new year, according to a recent Deloitte survey. For mid-market business owners, this new activity presents significant opportunities. Whether a leader is guiding a family-run business grappling with succession planning or a mid-sized company looking to scale effectively, M&A activity is no longer just a transaction. It is a strategic tool for long-term resilience. And the 2026 market…
Imagine a marketing executive pitching a revolutionary new tool that automatically calculates the optimal price for every item you sell, tailored to appeal to specific customers and adjusted in seconds to account for industry conditions and competitor pricing. Powered by AI, your entire marketing department fits in one box. What's not to like? Without asking the right questions, algorithmic pricing engines are often the hottest thing in the marketing world, but they're also a hot item among antitrust lawyers and lawmakers. The Sherman Antitrust Act and state laws prohibit competitors from acting in concert to set prices, and many suspect…