Strategy & Operations
CNX Resources appoints CFO Alan Shepard as CEO, joining the growing ranks of CFOs turned CEOs
CNX Resources announced on Monday that President and CFO Alan Shepard will take over as CEO effective January 1, 2026, with current CEO Nick Deiuliis retiring at the end of the year. Shepard was appointed on September 17, and the company has not yet named a new CFO. Data shows that the proportion of CFOs transitioning to CEO roles has risen in 2025.
The Future of Benefits: How ICHRA Brings Financial Certainty in a Changing Environment
Rising premiums and cost opacity in traditional group health insurance create uncertainty for CFOs during budget planning. Through a defined contribution model, ICHRA helps companies cap annual healthcare spending, enhance financial predictability, and bring strategic advantages such as talent optimization, flexibility, and compliance. Data shows that ICHRA adoption continues to grow, employee satisfaction is high, and some states offer additional incentives.
Scale Wins: How Scale Effects Are Reshaping the Future of Retirement Plans
Retirement plan management is becoming a key focus for CFOs. Data shows that 40% of U.S. households lack sufficient funds after retirement, and 84% of companies view rising costs as their biggest benefits challenge. Pooled Employer Plans (PEPs), driven by the SECURE Act, now manage $9.4 billion in assets and serve over 1 million participants. Aon's PEP holds more than $5 billion in assets, with participating employers saving an average of 30% on costs, and investment fee ratios are 55% below the peer median. PEPs achieve economies of scale through collective bargaining while retaining plan customization flexibility and shifting day-to-day fiduciary responsibilities to reduce litigation risk. This article provides financial leaders with data and a framework for evaluating PEPs.
AI ROI from a CFO Perspective: How to Identify Application Scenarios That Truly Create Value
AI investment has moved from proof of concept to budget line items, but nearly 80% of business leaders still struggle to determine which investments will have the greatest impact. This article outlines three high-return use cases in finance—AP automation, predictive collections and cash forecasting, and contract intelligence—and cites specific examples and data to illustrate how CFOs can achieve measurable ROI within two to four quarters by focusing on high-frequency, rule-intensive tasks.
Gartner: Five Recommendations for CFOs to Avoid Layoff Mistakes
The latest Gartner report shows that U.S. layoffs from January to July 2025 totaled 806,383, a 75% year-over-year increase, the highest for that period since 2020. Report author Vaughan Archer notes that CFOs often make mistakes in cost optimization, such as evenly distributing reduction targets and rigid rule-based layoffs, and proposes five recommendations to help companies make smarter workforce cost decisions.
Internal Promotions Rise in Large-Scale CFO Turnover: Crist Kolder
The latest report from executive search firm Crist Kolder Associates shows that in the first half of 2025, 71.8% of CFO turnovers at large public companies were filled by internal promotions, significantly higher than the 52.9% in the same period last year and the historical average of 62%. Of the 71 CFO changes, 51 were internal appointments. The firm noted that economic uncertainty has led companies to favor a 'steady hand,' while the rate of external CEO hires also fell to a historic low of 15.1%.
Amid Medical Cost Fluctuations, ICHRA Offers Businesses a New Path to Predictable Benefits
Against the backdrop of continuously rising employee healthcare costs, traditional group insurance exposes businesses to the risk of budget overruns. ICHRA (Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement) makes corporate costs predictable through a fixed-contribution model while granting employees the autonomy to purchase their own insurance. Data shows that between 2024 and 2025, ICHRA adoption among large employers grew by 345%, with nearly 70% of employees choosing gold or silver plans.
California CPA License Reform Becomes Core Topic of Campus Roadshow
The California Board of Accountancy (CBA) is using a campus roadshow to communicate significant upcoming changes to CPA license requirements to college students across the state. The event, styled like a rock music festival, aims to attract young talent. Meanwhile, the California Legislature has passed AB 1175, creating an alternative licensing path that does not require 150 credit hours, and the bill has been sent to Governor Newsom, who is expected to sign it into law. If the new rules take effect, they will be implemented on January 1, 2027, while the existing path will be repealed on January 1, 2029.
Nestle CEO Dismissed After Two Internal Investigations, CFO Discloses Timeline
Two days after Nestle dismissed CEO Laurent Freixe, CFO Anna Manz revealed the sequence of events: an initial investigation following an anonymous complaint in May found no evidence, but a second external investigation was launched after new complaints, ultimately leading the board to decide on a CEO change.
Navigating Financial Uncertainty in International Business: Strategies and Recommendations
Global financial uncertainty has intensified cash flow unpredictability and exchange rate volatility risks for international trading enterprises. This article explores monitoring multi-currency funds through global cash management platforms, utilizing Bank of America foreign currency accounts for fund concentration, and employing hedging instruments such as forward contracts to stabilize costs, while emphasizing the necessity of consulting international experts at banks.