Hunter Campbell Mood of the CFO survey shows determined efforts to grow despite challenging global conditions

Key findings from the third annual Hunter Campbell Mood of the CFO Survey shows continued confidence from New Zealand finance leaders for company performance over the next year, despite further global economic uncertainty and more challenging operating conditions.

“The 2026 Hunter Campbell Mood of the CFO Survey shows that just over half of CFOs, 51%, expect company performance over the next year to be challenging, but that they can achieve growth,” said Infometrics Chief Executive and Principal Economist Brad Olsen. “The proportion of CFOs who are expecting strong growth in the year ahead has increased to 11% in 2026, stronger than responses in the last two years, and suggesting that amid all the economic turmoil, there are disruptive opportunities that some businesses are focused on.”

“Higher costs and supply chain logistics are at the heart of concerns and pressures squeezing companies at present, but many CFOs are also keeping a close eye on the longer-term, with 79% rating New Zealand’s productivity performance as poor.”

“Three years in, the Hunter Campbell Mood of the CFO has become exactly what we set out to build: the definitive read on how New Zealand’s finance leaders are thinking, captured on their own terms and in their own word,” said Hunter Campbell Managing Partner Lee Marshall. “It is the one report dedicated entirely to the CFO perspective, and each year it earns its place a little more. Our 2026 report is, more than ever, a report for CFOs, by CFOs.”

“The gap between what CFOs can control and what they cannot is the defining tension of 2026. Some themes will feel familiar: the growing pressure of costs, the impact of AI on finance teams, and the challenge of building a talent pipeline into roles that don’t yet have a clear shape. New to 2026 is a direct look at the political environment and what CFOs want from the next government, and we’ll be following this up with a pulse survey as we get closer to the November election.”

“Across this report, CFOs demonstrate a willingness to adapt, invest and move forward even when conditions are less than perfect,” said Nicola Taylor, co-founder of Tax Traders and Taxi. “They are making decisions without having all the answers, balancing short-term pressures with long-term opportunities, and helping their organisations navigate a world where confidence and caution must sit side by side. The report also surfaces some important leadership questions.”

“Businesses led by female CFOs continue to outperform their peers commercially, yet female CFOs report feeling less supported by their boards and less satisfied in their roles. It is a reminder that performance and leadership experience do not always move together, and we hope this finding will invite Boards and CEOs to consider how they engage with and better support senior female finance leaders.”

The 2026 Hunter Campbell Mood of the CFO Survey research was undertaken by Insights Exchange, and was developed by Hunter Campbell, in partnership with Tax Traders, Infometrics, ASB, and Extraordinary. The Hunter Campbell Mood of the CFO was established to ensure the voice of CFOs were heard, with CFOs being pivotal figures in business strategy and performance, constantly considering economic factors and are often the co-pilot to the CEO of the business. The 2026 Hunter Campbell Mood of the CFO Survey had 316 respondents, gained from senior finance professionals via an online survey that ran between 20 April and 18 May 2026, and captured around 1,000 verbatim responses.

Other key findings from the 2026 Hunter Campbell Mood of the CFO include:

• The cost of doing business is a dominant theme. Cost pressures, uncertainty, and inflation are weighing on virtually everyone, more heavily than a year ago. Around four in five (81%) of CFOs said global instability is feeding directly into their operating costs and supply chain disruption more than doubling as a named concern.
• AI adoption is broad but structural impact is still catching up. Three in four businesses have adopted AI across functions and 94% of CFOs see it as a positive force, yet only one in five report substantial structural impact on their teams. Over 40% have already reduced or plan to reduce headcount at least in part because of AI, but among those making changes, the dominant vision is finance supported by AI and automation, not replaced by it.
• Traditional accounting pathways are disappearing, with six in ten CFOs believing the decrease in junior roles driven by AI will negatively impact the quality of future finance leaders. Only one in five are confident their business is prepared for leadership transition, a figure that has declined since 2025. Many businesses do not yet know what future finance roles will look like, making it genuinely difficult to build a pipeline into them.
• Businesses with female CFOs are outperforming their male peers commercially, with 63% achieving or exceeding revenue targets compared to 56% of male CFOs, yet they feel less supported by their boards and less satisfied in their roles. Just 63% of female CFOs feel supported by their board compared to 70% of male CFOs, and 59% report role satisfaction versus 65% of their male counterparts. The wellbeing gap cannot be explained by business performance, and it raises an important question about what boards, CEOs, and executives are overlooking in how they engage with and support female finance leaders.
• Businesses with younger CFOs (CFOs under 44) delivered the strongest results of any age group this year, and younger CFOs had the most growth-oriented view in the survey. Younger CFOs were also the heaviest adopters of AI, with 75% of younger CFOs identifying as personal early adopters of AI, vs 59% of all CFOs, by far the largest age gap in the data. Yet the same generation is cutting junior roles hardest and is the least confident in succession planning, and a third say the development resources for their own growth are limited.
• For the first time, CFOs were asked directly about political intentions. Over half intend to vote National, but regardless of the election outcome, what CFOs want from the next government is consistent: productivity reform, reduced compliance burden, and policy certainty that allows businesses to plan with confidence.

The full Hunter Campbell Mood of the CFO Survey report can be accessed by registering for a copy at https://www.huntercampbell.co.nz/mood-of-the-cfo/

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