Survey: CFOs Prioritize Cost Optimization for 2025 Growth
SAP Concur released its third CFO Insights report, based on a survey of 350 CFOs and senior finance leaders across eight countries from December 2024 to January 2025. 69% of finance leaders cite optimizing costs and efficiency as the top goal for growth, with 58% turning to automation and AI. 94% say AI has helped improve decision-making, and 73% say AI has positively impacted cost and risk reduction. Top external challenges cited are worsening economic conditions (41%), geopolitical tensions (37%), and supply chain constraints (32%).
Impact and considerations
The survey shows finance leaders prioritize cost optimization and AI automation as core 2025 growth strategies, with 94% saying AI improves decision-making. Geopolitical tensions concern rose from 11% to 37%, reflecting heightened corporate worry over travel risk and supply chain uncertainty, relevant for travel budge…
Key points
- 69% of finance leaders cite optimizing costs and efficiency as the top 2025 growth goal; 58% turn to automation and AI.
- 94% say AI has helped improve decision-making; 73% say AI positively impacted cost and risk reduction.
- Top external challenges: worsening economic conditions (41%), geopolitical tensions (37%), supply chain constraints (32%).
- Concern over geopolitical tensions rose sharply from 11% in 2024 to 37%.
Sources and time
- Primary source
- SAP Concur
- Other sources
- 0
- First source publication
- 24 Mar 2025, 21:57
- Page published
- 13 Aug 2026, 08:34
- Last updated
- 24 Mar 2025, 21:57
- Original links
- SAP Concur Blog：Survey: CFOs Prioritize Optimizing Costs and Efficiency to Drive Growth in 2025 (opens in a new tab)Primary source · en · Published 24 Mar 2025, 21:57