RGP’s June 2025 CFO Survey illustrates how businesses are navigating market volatility

RGP® (Nasdaq: RGP), a professional services firm, today released new research that shows CFOs maintain cautious optimism about their organizations’ current financial health and future outlook despite continued macroeconomic uncertainty.

Nearly 70% of CFOs surveyed are positive about the current financial health of their organizations, and 60% are optimistic about their financial potential over the next 12 months. Yet, CFO optimism is tempered by growing concerns about tariff uncertainty and potential economic, supply chain, and geopolitical disruptions.

The CFO findings are from a wider survey of 202 senior financial decision-makers — including 63 CFOs — from companies with more than $500 million in annual revenue. Respondents were asked how they are approaching strategic capital allocation in the next 12 months, which initiatives they are prioritizing, and the role they are playing in enterprise-wide decision-making.

“Today’s CFOs are shaping the way businesses are adapting, growing, and thriving amid rapid innovation, evolving risks, and unrelenting change,” said Kate Duchene, Chief Executive Officer of RGP. “Not only are CFOs tasked with taking proactive steps to mitigate risks and maintain growth during this period of market volatility, but we are also seeing CFOs take more ownership of decisions related to workforce strategy, digital investment, and enterprise transformation. They are ideally positioned to provide a gauge of current business sentiment and outlook, and what we see is that CFOs remain focused on growth despite a lack of clarity around trade policy.”

Macroeconomic Outlook

Most CFOs surveyed (94%) are concerned about tariff and trade policies, and most (63%) believe that supply chain disruptions are likely to occur in the next 12 months. The top actions CFOs are planning to take in response to tariff concerns include proactively cutting costs elsewhere (68%), supply chain diversification (44%), and engagement with policymakers and trade associations (41%).

“In the last few years, businesses have had to navigate inflation, high interest rates, supply chain challenges, skills shortages, and ongoing market variability,” said Jenn Ryu, Chief Financial Officer at RGP. “CFOs have led the charge in building agility and resilience into their business models to face these challenges, and we are now seeing them take proactive steps in response to tariff uncertainty. They are focused on advancing technological innovation, achieving operational excellence, and upskilling their workforce.”

Strategic Capital Allocation

Most CFOs are directing the highest capital allocations to technology and digital transformation (57%), operational efficiency initiatives (57%), and product and service innovation (51%). Four in 10 CFOs plan to commit more than 10% of their capital budgets to AI initiatives in the next year.

While many organizations remain in the early stages of AI adoption, RGP’s findings show that both investment and optimism are growing as businesses begin to implement AI and see its benefits take shape. Eighty-four percent of CFOs are optimistic about the impact that AI will have on their business in the next 12 months and the same proportion is more optimistic in their outlook than they were 12 months ago.

M&A Outlook

CFOs are signaling strong interest in M&A, positioning 2025 as a potential banner year for strategic acquisitions. Half of CFOs anticipate engaging in M&A activity in the next six months with key focus areas including technology and capability acquisitions, horizontal acquisitions, and geographic expansions. But CFOs recognize that the difference between success and failure won’t lie solely in financial modeling—it will hinge on integration excellence, cultural alignment, and the ability to bring people along on the journey. The CFO’s role as both financial steward and change leader has never been more essential.

“We entered this calendar year with expectations for increased M&A activity and many CFOs are gearing up for a more active second half,” said Bhadresh Patel, Chief Operating Officer at RGP. “While regulatory scrutiny and lingering uncertainty add to the complexity of potential M&A activity, CFOs recognize that the success of any acquisition will hinge on integration excellence and cultural alignment.”

Conclusion

The findings of RGP’s research illuminate a compelling narrative: CFOs are at the forefront of shaping how their organizations adapt, grow, and thrive in an environment defined by rapid technological innovation, evolving risks, and unrelenting change.

The message for 2025 is clear: lead boldly, collaborate cross-functionally, and build organizations that are as resilient as they are visionary.

The RGP June 2025 CFO Survey polled senior financial decision-makers within the technology, financial services, healthcare and pharmaceutical industries and was conducted between May 27 and June 16, 2025. Read more about the findings here: https://rgp.com/research/cfo-perspectives-on-risk-growth-and-the-future-of-finance.

ABOUT RGP

RGP is a global professional services firm with nearly three decades of experience helping the world’s top organizations—from Fortune 50 to fast-moving startups—solve today's complex business problems. A trusted partner to CFOs and finance leaders, we deliver the talent, consulting, and outsourced services solutions you need to grow faster, work smarter, and keep up with change—all through a flexible model and global network of experts.

Based in Dallas, TX with offices worldwide, we annually engage with over 1,600 clients around the world from 41 physical practice offices and multiple virtual offices. RGP is proud to have served 88% of the Fortune 100 as of May 2025 and has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report (2024-2025 Best Companies to Work for) and Forbes (America’s Best Management Consulting Firms 2025, America’s Best Midsize Employers 2025, and World’s Best Management Consulting Firms 2024).

The Company is listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market, the exchange’s highest tier by listing standards. To learn more about RGP, visit: http://www.rgp.com. (RGP-F)

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"Today’s CFOs are shaping the way businesses are adapting, growing, and thriving amid rapid innovation, evolving risks, and unrelenting change,” said Kate Duchene, Chief Executive Officer of RGP.