From Systems to Succession

Explore how AI is reshaping finance roles, ERP rollouts are exposing process gaps, and succession audits are revealing where leadership benches are thinner than boards expect.

September 22, 2026

In today’s Finance Pulse, gain insight into how:

  • AI adoption is outpacing job redesign, making upskilling and role evolution the real differentiator for modern finance teams.

  • ERP implementations act like a mirror, exposing weak processes, poor documentation, and costly over-customization if governance is missing.

  • Succession audits are becoming essential as banks increasingly fill key roles externally, signaling thinner internal leadership benches.

Each of these articles is penned by members of Forbes Finance Council, key luminaries shaping the future of finance.

Finance’s AI Moment: The Real Transformation Is Talent

AI, automation and analytics are moving fast in finance, but teams are not. Deloitte reports 63% of finance leaders say AI is fully deployed and in use, yet 84% have not redesigned roles around it. The next advantage will come from pairing modern tools with people who can translate insights into action.

Here’s what finance leaders should focus on next:

🤖 Redesign Work, Not Just Tech Stacks: Adoption is only step one. Update roles, workflows and expectations for an AI-enabled function.

📊 Close the Analytics & Automation Skills Gap: Shift FP&A from data gathering to trend analysis, scenario evaluation and business-driver storytelling.

🧠 Build Technical Fluency Without Forcing Data Science: Teams should understand how planning tech works well enough to ask better questions and interpret outputs.

🏫 Make Upskilling Practical & Continuous: Internal academies, certifications, cross-functional projects, and hands-on experimentation beat one-off training.

🧩 Report Producers —> Strategic Advisors: Technology accelerates analysis, but finance judgment determines which questions matter most.

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Your ERP Isn’t Broken, It’s Reflecting Broken Processes

A new ERP promises cleaner data and faster closes, but many implementations disappoint for a simpler reason than “bad tech.” ERP systems tend to expose weak documentation, messy workflows, and a culture of workarounds that existed long before go-live. Think of it as organizational therapy: the software is the mirror, not the fix.

What the rollout reveals, and how to get it right:

🪞 ERP Mirrors Your Operating Reality: If requirements, data needs, and process maps are unclear, gaps show up fast after go-live.

⏳ Expect Ripple Effects When Basics Are Shaky: Close delays, manual workarounds, and rising audit risk often follow when the system can’t support real needs.

🧱 Beware the “We’re Different” Trap: “Uniqueness” can become an excuse to avoid process redesign, pushing teams toward unnecessary customization.

👥 Bring Operations In Early: IT and finance are not enough. Middle management and operational users need to shape design and testing before locking in configuration.

🧩 Customization Has Recurring Costs: Modifications can create ongoing audit burden and dependency on consultants, even when they add efficiency.

Succession Audits: The Bench Looks Thinner Than Boards Think

Many bank directors feel confident they have internal successors, but hiring trends suggest otherwise. In a quarterly review of 300+ senior hires, nearly 60% of filled roles went to external candidates in Q2, up 14 points from the prior quarter, with especially sharp moves in risk and operations leadership.

Key takeaways boards should put on the agenda:

📉 External Hiring Is Rising Fast: The speed of the shift signals internal benches may not be as ready as org charts imply.

🛡️ Risk Leadership Is a Flashing Red Light: Banks and credit unions filled 80%+ of chief risk officer roles externally, nearly double Q1 levels.

🔍 Run a Succession Audit on Your Five Most Vital Roles: If no one can step in immediately, succession planning needs attention now.

💰 Developing Talent Can Beat Buying It: Internal successors can reduce recruiting costs and shorten ramp time.

🧭 Plan to Avoid Repeat Vacancies: Even after an external hire, identify at least one internal successor to develop.

Wrapping Up

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