Wow, 2023 was a whipsaw of a year. From the collapse of SVB and the teetering regional banks to the lightning evolution of generative AI and its potential impacts on the business landscape, from skyrocketing interest rates and ebbing and surging recession fears to armed conflict around the world, there has been a lot of news to cover this year.
Throughout 2023’s tumult, CFO Brew has done our darnedest to provide our readers with practical, useful information on how the news could impact them and their work. We know that not every story can be a zinger, but recently went back to find the most popular stories we published in 2023.
What we found is that finance professionals want to know how to deal with a rapidly changing world, whether it’s the impact of new technologies, talent management innovations, or potential banking crises.
Here, then, are our 10 most-read stories of the last twelve months, starting with our most popular.
- How one company’s finance and HR teams handled talent retention. It seems that no matter what happens in the world, talent is still at the top of finance’s concerns. This February story, our most popular of the year, explores how one company’s HR and finance teams collaborated to increase employee engagement and retention.
- The behind-the-scenes of hiring a CFO. Running a close second was our January piece on what goes into the months-long, complex process of hiring a CFO.
- Future is now. It seems almost quaint now, with seemingly everything generative AI-enabled these days, to think back on this April article about the arrival of the first ChatGPT-driven CFO.
- Chief financial data officer. In the same vein, this May story dove into the skills that finance professionals are going to need in this generative AI saturated world.
- Finance is “about feedback and direction.” Combining both technology and talent management, this June interview with Institute of Management Accountants CFO Russ Porter offered leadership and soft skill development tips.
- How Calendly went from meme to must-have business tool. This February article explored how the CFO of a popular tool managed growth in a tough macroeconomic environment.
- Future forward. Keeping with our theme of navigating rapid change, this June story dove into how CFOs can lead through uncertainty and upheaval.
- It’s not your Dad’s Excel anymore. It wouldn’t be a top ten list for a finance and accounting publication without an Excel story. In this May article, an expert shares his thoughts on how generative AI may change the venerable spreadsheet software.
- CFO’s guide to cost optimization. In an increasingly uncertain economic environment, finance professionals are looking for as many things that they can control as possible. This May story looked at ways that organizations can maximize cost savings.
- Federal regulators attempt to contain fallout from SVB collapse. Banking had a wild ride this year, and the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank kicked it off. In the immediate aftermath, this March story looked at efforts to prevent the collapse from contaminating the entire banking system.