Risk and reward: Inside Sports Direct’s tussle with Irish tax authority over Vat

“The role of the finance function has changed—it’s no longer just managing the numbers, it’s helping to drive the organisation forward.”

The role of the CFO is changing—fast. No longer confined to reporting and control, finance leaders are now navigating growth, technology, risk, transformation, and much more besides. In this podcast, Ian Kehoe is joined by Vickie Wall, EY Ireland Financial Accounting Advisory Services Leader, and Katie Burns, EY Ireland Consulting Partner, to explore the findings of the latest EY Ireland CFO Survey. Despite a backdrop of geopolitical tension, tariffs and rising costs, the survey reveals a striking level of confidence: 94 per cent of Irish CFOs expect growth in 2026, with average growth projections of around 9 per cent. So what’s underpinning that optimism—and how are finance leaders thinking about growth in such an unpredictable environment? Wall and Burns discuss how priorities have shifted over the past 18 months, the rapid acceleration of AI adoption within finance, and what’s driving organisations to invest heavily in upskilling their teams. They also examine how the CFO role is expanding beyond the traditional finance function, how boards are responding to that evolution, and what “good” looks like for finance leaders in the years ahead. This podcast is sponsored by EY Ireland.