Peter Hind, Principal Research Analyst at ADAPT leads this panel discussion with David Walker, Group Chief Technology Officer of Westpac and DBS Bank, Samantha Randall, CFO ANZ at Accenture and JB Naudet, CFO at the Australian Red Cross. They examine how CFO leadership must evolve to meet the demands of digital transformation, noting that recent Australian research shows CEOs rank digital transformation as the number one issue keeping them awake at night. Yet, ADAPT data from the event reveals only 22% of CFOs see themselves as leading transformation, 42% view it as a joint effort with CEOs and CIOs, and around a third adopt a more passive role. David, JB and Samantha agree that the CFO’s role is essential: financial stewardship, economic framing of digital value, and ownership of business cases all sit at the heart of effective transformation.

David stresses the CFO’s responsibility for quantifying economic outcomes, explaining how, at Westpac, finance validated the core metric showing it cost $1.70 to deliver every $1 of change due to technology complexity. This financial rigour underpins executive and board confidence. JB highlights that CFOs must ensure the return or impact. This is particularly relevant in not-for-profit environments, translating efficiency gains into improved mission delivery. Samantha adds that transformation requires shared accountability across the C-suite, supported by program leads with clear KPIs, and underpinned by pragmatic alignment between finance and technology teams to avoid “lost in translation”.

All three speakers emphasise adoption, people engagement and change management as decisive factors in whether transformation succeeds. JB notes that systems must improve end-users’ daily experience to avoid resistance, while Samantha stresses using behavioural metrics, such as system use, to reinforce adoption. David contrasts iterative models like DBS, where quarterly reviews shift investment to where results appear, with Westpac’s more defined transformation roadmap. Together, the panellists argue that breaking large transformations into smaller components, proving value through pilots, and investing top talent into the work helps organisations maintain momentum and build belief in the journey ahead.

Key takeaways:

• CFOs are central to leading digital transformation: Yet only 22% currently see themselves in that role, highlighting a gap between expectation and reality.
• Financial rigour and clear value framing are essential: With examples like Westpac quantifying that it cost $1.70 to deliver every $1 of change to build executive and board confidence.
• Adoption and people engagement determine success: Break work into smaller components, proving value early, and focusing on end-user experience drive sustained transformation.