An evolving cyber threat landscape requires different defensive tactics. CFOs who want to ensure they’re making the right investments to address these threats must rely both on technology and their information-security counterparts, experts told CFO Brew.

It’s easy to see how cyber hygiene, which may sound like merely an IT concern, is also a CFO issue when considering the financial risks. On average, a data breach cost global organizations $4.4 million in 2025, IBM calculated in its latest Cost of a Data Breach report. Experts also warned that a data breach can have long-term consequences.

CFOs overseeing security budgets need to lean on their chief information security officers (CISOs), according to Holly Grey, CFO of penetration testing company Horizon3.ai.

“A CFO is always trying to manage the company’s dollars prudently, and the CISO’s job is to make sure that the appropriate security protocols are set up for a company,” Grey said. “There absolutely has to be a dialogue between those two individuals.”

CFOs should expect that their CISOs are going to ask for more than an organization can spend on security, she said, adding: “The way I always approached those [situations] was, ‘What’s the trade-off and what is the level of risk?’”

Keep reading.—AZ

Earlier this year, the so-called “SaaS-pocalypse” hit the stock market. Fearing that AI agents and tools like Claude’s Cowork could make traditional software obsolete, investors pulled money out of SaaS companies.

The sector lost more than $1 trillion in market capitalization in just one bruising week in February. New Zealand-based and Australia-listed accounting software company Xero was among the companies hit. Its stock was down nearly 23% year-to-date on March 5. But its CFO, Claire Bramley, is convinced Xero has what it takes to ride out AI disruption.

“Clearly there’s been a meaningful sector-wide de-rating in software and SaaS, and it’s clearly driven by AI disruption fears,” the former CFO of Teradata and global controller of HP told CFO Brew. But she’s quick to point out that the stock dip had “nothing to do with near-term fundamentals.” During a November investor briefing, Xero reported that its operating revenue was up 20% year over year. Subscriptions had grown by 10% worldwide, and revenue per user was up 15%.

Keep reading.—CV

Turns out, the cockroaches Jamie Dimon warned about last year didn’t stay hidden for long.

Private credit is back in the spotlight once again, with fund managers under pressure amid the so-called “SaaSpocalypse,” as concerns over struggling software companies grow and investors head for the exits.

Here’s how that’s playing out:

• Apollo is capping withdrawals from its flagship private credit fund after redemption requests surged to over 11% of shares—more than double its quarterly limit—leaving investors able to withdraw only a fraction of what they requested. Software remains its largest exposure, accounting for 12.3% of loans.
• Ares is facing similar pressure, with its $10.7 billion Strategic Income Fund hitting its redemption ceiling. Investors requested to redeem roughly 11.6% of shares, forcing the fund to enforce a 5% cap.
• KKR/Future Standard: Moody’s downgraded a fund managed by the firms to junk, citing deteriorating asset quality and a rise in non-performing loans to 5.5% of the portfolio.

Shares of Apollo, Ares, and KKR are all down sharply over the last six months as investors worry that the risks of holding on through the private credit industry upheaval are beginning to outweigh the rewards. But maybe it’s not all bad news…

Keep reading on Brew Markets.—SY

Skip the noise and cut to the jobs that matter. CollabWORK curates openings from top employers and shares them directly in trusted spaces like CFO Brew—click here to see the full list for readers like you.

• HTM Financial Controller at Sodexo
• Regional Controller at U.S. Physical Therapy
• Senior Income Tax Accountant at Uline, Inc
• Chief Financial Officer Director at Mission Support and Test Services
• Senior Tax Analyst - Income Tax at Forward Air

AI has officially moved past the “exciting in theory” phase. Now it’s about what actually works. Join CFO Brew on April 7 to hear how finance teams are evaluating, adopting, and scaling AI in ways that drive measurable impact—not just more meetings about it. Less buzz, more results, and a clearer path from experimentation to real strategic advantage. Register now.