Ethics, Efficiency, and Emerging Tech in Finance

The accounting and finance profession in 2025 is navigating a shifting landscape marked by stabilised workforces, expanding compliance demands, and emerging technologies. With 86% of teams opting to stay onshore and 55% offering structured learning opportunities, many organisations across Australia and New Zealand are choosing depth over disruption. Stability is prized—but not at the expense of adaptability.

Offshoring remains sector-specific. Property-focused and values-based organisations cite complexity and ethical considerations, respectively, as reasons for retaining local finance teams. The result is a renewed emphasis on internal capability-building, cross-functional roles, and agile leadership development that supports team resilience during change.

Upskilling is central to retention strategies, particularly in environments where professional qualifications like CPA or CA are required. Teams are investing in mentorship, cross-training, and flexible support for study schedules. Meanwhile, AI is slowly entering finance workflows, predominantly in administrative and document-handling tasks. While not yet transformative, AI is recognised as a strategic imperative with more profound impacts expected in the years ahead.

The role of the finance professional continues to evolve—from data entry to strategic advisor. Today’s teams are expected to analyse, interpret, and communicate complex financial information to a broad range of stakeholders, often translating numbers into narratives that drive decisions.

“Everyone’s kind of learning on the job right now.”



people2people NSW Director and Temporary/Contract Manager Bianca Luck facilitated a conversation with experienced CFO Leanne Allen and Chris Yam, Acting General Manager/CFO at St Vincent de Paul Society Queensland, highlighting the profession’s growing complexity and leadership expectations.

Allen noted the dual challenge of maintaining efficiency in complex financial environments while resisting premature offshoring. “If you're not putting widgets in a box… it gets a little more difficult,” she said of property development. “Automation is hard when every project is different.”

Yam agreed, citing his organisation’s ethical alignment as a reason for staying onshore. “Offshoring is probably not really an option for us… it’s not in line with the ethos,” he said. Instead, they focus on technologies like OCR and internal upskilling. “We’re repurposing our talent and working closer with the business.”

Both guests shared how learning and development plays a critical role in retention. Yam highlighted CPA support as a cornerstone: “We’re mindful of study time and expectations. It’s a long game—you invest in your people, and you get the rewards in stability.”

Allen reinforced this with practical approaches to cross-training. “We've structured the team so that someone can always step in if another team member is unavailable,” she said. “That’s internal development in action.”

When asked about the essential skills for 2025, Yam pointed to basics for junior staff—attention to detail, time management, communication—and strategic influence for senior professionals. “You’ve got to tell the financial story in a way that’s understandable,” he said. “There’s no point being the smartest in the room if no one gets the message.”

Allen added: “It’s about moving from doing the doing to analysing and questioning… and having the confidence to say, ‘This doesn’t look right.’”

AI, while promising, remains early-stage for most. “We’re dipping our toes,” said Yam. His team is exploring tools like Copilot and starting to consider AI in workforce planning. “It’s about where it can add value—whether that’s top-line growth or efficiency.”

Allen described similar use at the executive level. “We’re using AI for reading contracts, meeting minutes, agendas… more business admin than finance,” she said. “But it’s early days—everyone’s kind of learning on the job.”

Both guests pointed to compliance as a growing burden. Allen warned, “We’re all becoming compliance officers. It’s coming from every direction.” Yam added that legislative changes are adding cost and pressure to already tight budgets. “It’s hard, but we’ve got to work smart and invest in the right areas.”

Practical Takeaways for Finance Leaders in 2025

• Prioritise onshore upskilling to develop internal flexibility and cross-functional capability.

• Support professional qualifications with structured study time, financial assistance, and mentoring.

• Transition junior roles from transactional to analytical through safe learning environments and feedback loops.

• Use AI to improve administrative efficiency, but ensure frameworks and training guide its adoption.

• Prepare for growing compliance demands with adaptable processes and a resilient team structure.